Ekrem İmamoğlu's final state! He declared in the courtroom: "I stand tall, I have full courage!"

CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu , who is being held in Marmara Prison in Silivri, appeared before the judge for the third time in the case where he is being tried for "threatening and targeting" Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek.

7-YEAR PRISON AND POLITICAL BAN REQUESTED

While a prison sentence of up to 7 years and 4 months and a political ban were demanded for İmamoğlu, the hearing held in the courtroom in Silivri began at 10:00.

NEW PHOTO LATER DAYS!

While a new photo of Ekrem İmamoğlu entering the courtroom was shared days later, chants of "President İmamoğlu" were chanted and he received a standing ovation as İmamoğlu entered the courtroom.

In his court defense, İmamoğlu also shared his views on the PKK terrorist organization's disarmament process. Regarding the 'Terrorism-Free Turkey' process, İmamoğlu said, "We will be a natural actor in any initiative that contributes to peace!"

According to the news on Halk TV, the highlights of İmamoğlu's defense are as follows:

"EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IS MOVING"

As I stated at the beginning, we are in a truly difficult period. We are entering the second century of our Republic, we are marching forward, and everything in the world is shifting. Everything is moving. We must establish a consistent roadmap for international relations. This nation must elevate its centuries-old foreign relations and its respected relations with the world to a nobler and stronger level. This will solve both its security and welfare problems. However, it must resolve these issues internally by defining and implementing all its legal norms so that we can be a country with international credibility. Let us be a country of prestige so that our nation can be at peace. Our nation will not be begging for visas at the doors of consulates and countries of yesterday. This is what you call prestige.

"THIS IS THE THREAT, THIS IS THE INSULT"

But today, we once again face a position that threatens our nation's children, that degrades them to an insulting level. What is that? A relationship of "buyers" or "friends"? Foreign relations based on the concept of "friendship." This is unacceptable. This is unacceptable. This country is truly heading towards difficult times. We must fulfill the requirements of Türkiye's global conjuncture. It is our obligation to implement the steps that will truly enable our nation, our 86 million people, to seize this century. This is the threat, this is the insult. All the existing problems that have put our nation in a difficult position are what are troubling us.

"THIS ISSUE IS REALLY VERY IMPORTANT TO US"

My dear friends, Mr. Judge and his delegation, the people listening to us here, and the citizens who will read our voices in writing tomorrow, I say this: Turkey is going through difficult times. We are at a difficult juncture. One of our key agenda items, which has been on our agenda since October 2024, is a Terror-Free Turkey. This issue, described as a Terror-Free Türkiye, is truly very important to us.

"WE DEFENDED CIVIL AND PEACEFUL POLITICS AT EVERY MOMENT OF OUR STRUGGLE"

Especially with our party leader here, it is clear and a historical fact that my political affiliation and my party have always stood against wars, terrorism, and those who thrive on terrorism. We are, and will continue to be, the perpetual guardians of the principle of peace at home and peace in the world. While we reject terrorism, which has exacted a heavy price on our country and nation, cost the lives of thousands of our citizens, and led to the martyrdom of our heroic army, police and gendarmerie members, and public officials, we have defended civil and peaceful politics at every moment of our constant political struggle. Our history is replete with steps we have taken to strengthen civil, peaceful politics, not terrorism, so that all our citizens, Turkish and Kurdish, can live democratic, just, prosperous, and free lives.

"WITH WHAT CHEAP POLITICS CAN THE GOVERNMENT USE TO EXCLUDE US FROM THE PROCESS..."

We will naturally be an actor and protector of every initiative that will contribute to the strengthening of peace and tranquility in Türkiye. However, whenever our position is threatened, we will not hesitate to question the sincerity of those who oppose the nation and to act as the guarantor of our nation's gains. This is not our stance as the main opposition party or the leading party in Türkiye; it is our responsibility as the founding party of the Republic of Turkey. In implementing this process, which we desire to see carried out in Türkiye, especially for the sake of our national future, the government, which has for years implemented a policy of chaos, crisis, and oppression in Türkiye, divided our nation, refrained from using hate speech, and acted according to its own short-term interests, will neither exclude us from the process through cheap politics, nor will we allow them to exploit our nation's feelings.

"WE WILL STAND AGAINST THE POLARIZATION OF GOVERNANCE"

We will stand against our nation's approach to managing this process with arrogance, exclusion, and, in particular, polarization for insincere political gain. We will always fulfill our sincere and sensitive call for a transparent, inclusive, and wholly unifying approach and stance for Türkiye, and we will continue to wage our strongest struggle to convey this to our nation. We believe that if we achieve this by ensuring that this process remains within the framework of law and justice, is inclusive, encompassing, and united, based on the principle of equal citizenship, and by establishing a strong democratic state order, we will shine like a pole star in the Middle East and bring a strong peace to all our neighboring regions.

"I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERLINE THE BIGGEST SABOTAGE"

I would like to underscore the greatest sabotage perpetrated against this process within our country. This sabotage, along with the main opposition's policy of intimidating elected mayors, politicians, honest bureaucrats, and presidential candidates with prison sentences, is the culmination of a process that culminated in our trial in Silivri, right on this campus in Silivri, where we were held captive. But they will never succeed in this.

"I WANT TO MAKE A CALL ESPECIALLY TO THE MHP AND DEM"

Let me express this point: I want to appeal to the Nationalist Movement Party and the Democratic Party (DEM)—the very people who initiated this process against the mindset that has dragged Türkiye into a profound political, legal, and economic crisis—right here, in this courtroom, in this country where we seek justice, and in this country where we will fight for justice to the very end. And I call upon them and say: dissociate yourselves from the mindset that sees this process as an opportunity for its own personal gain. Alternatively, you must take serious steps, bearing in mind a historic responsibility, to ensure that the process continues on a foundation that is right for all of Türkiye, with all its sensitivities taken into account, and through transparent, participatory, and inclusive methods.

"IT IS OBLIGATORY TO GIVE UP ON TRUSTEES"

Of course, let me emphasize here that the steps taken at this historic juncture in the country, carried out under the auspices of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, also echo this call. Our party chairman is here; he has made this call at a very high level. I have also stated that I stand behind this call and that it must be upheld. Of course, proper representation of political parties, support through equitable and pluralistic methods, and progress through methods such as qualified majorities in many areas must also be made. It is absolutely essential that for this process to succeed, the historic steps must be completed, but unlawful practices, practices that even violate the current constitution, and trustees must be abandoned. Otherwise, unfortunately, this process will be impossible to succeed.

"I WANT TO UNDERLINE THAT THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT"

In this respect, politics shouldn't seek favor here. When I say this place, I also want to emphasize this place. I want to emphasize that this is a court, a courtroom, that there should be no political interference here, that political interference must end, that those who are under the pressure of political interference and who face this process this way will receive the treatment they deserve under this judicial roof, and that when the time is right, they will be held accountable.

"THOSE WHO ARE ASKING HOW TO WIN THE ELECTION ARE AGAINST REASON"

Of course, I want to emphasize this: Today, just as yesterday, we are once again engaged in a struggle against the mindset that, even in our country, focuses on its political prospects and tomorrow's election, focusing on how to win that election and how to create divisions under the hood. The mindset that stirs up this environment today, polarizes people, and tries to divide one another by saying, "You can't come, they can come, they can't come," is this mindset, this mindset, that truly threatens, corners, and insults the children of this country, this nation—whether they be the children of judges, prosecutors, lawyers here, or all 86 million children. Let me emphasize this. Politics, in this respect, should truly think and work together to solve the country's problems, using channels flowing from all established institutions. This is the perspective we are looking through.

"EVEN IF THIS ROAD IS DIFFICULT, OUR FAITH IS FULL AND OUR WILL IS STRONG"

What is our concern? Our duty is to build a fraternal, free, and honorable life on these lands. Although this path is challenging, our faith is complete, our will is firm. This country belongs to all of us. It belongs to the children of our 86 million citizens. Let everyone know and hear from us that our 86 million citizens, with equal ownership, own this country.

How beautifully said Nazim:

This land, galloping from Far Asia to the Mediterranean like a mare's head, is ours. Let the gates be closed, never to be opened again. Destroy man's servitude to man; this call is ours. To live alone and free like a tree, and in brotherhood like a forest, this longing is ours.

"LET THEM OBSTRUCT US AS MUCH AS THEY WANT, LET THEM TRY TO SILENCE US AS MUCH AS THEY WANT"

The day we abandon the mindset that refuses to allow the people of this country to live together, that frowns and sulks, that divides the nation with every word, peace will rise in this nation's face, peace in its heart, and hope for the future will grow in the hearts of its people. And you will see, this nation will succeed. Let them obstruct us all they want, let them try to silence us all they want, let them file lawsuits against us day and night.

"WE HAVE NOT BEEN TRAPPED. THANK GOD, WE HAVE NOT BEEN TRAPPED, AND WE WILL NOT BE TRAPPED"

Our courage is complete. We have not violated any rights. Thank God, we have not, and will not, allow our rights to be violated. Today, I am defending this matter at the highest level and most forcefully. Threats and insults are precisely what those who act against this inflict on our nation. They are the darkening of the future and future of the nation's children. I have fought, continue to fight, and will continue to fight against the abuse of the judiciary, the law, and its powers, and against its use as a political apparatus. I am not one of those who thinks about the next election. I am one of those who think about future generations, and I will continue to do so. I will continue to think about every child of this nation, whether here or not, and I will never give up on that. Let everyone know this.

"I DECLARATE: I STAND TALL. I HAVE FULL COURAGE!"

Therefore, I declare once again: I continue my path as a soldier in the fight against evildoers and the wicked, standing tall. My courage is full. I am aware that I am young, and I am also aware that my path is long. May God clear our path. May God protect our nation from evil. I am saddened by those who slandered me and by the fact that people are gathered here today and are experiencing the third session of a court trial based on an indictment in a truly sad 10 seconds, 20 seconds.

In other words, I feel saddened and ashamed that a campus was established in Silivri, that it was moved from Çağlayan to here. I deeply regret that the judge, his delegation, and the other responsible officials who came here were kept busy with such a preoccupation.

"I ALWAYS DECLARE THAT WE WILL REMAIN FREE"

And I always declare our freedom and our freedom to remain so. May God protect our nation from evil and wickedness. With the hope that you will make the best decision here, I thank you for allowing me to discuss this matter today.

It is expected that the decision will be announced today, provided that no additional time is requested from the court and the defenses are completed.