Turkish court clears 44 protestors linked to Ekrem İmamoğlu's arrest

A court in Istanbul delivered its decision on Oct. 12, freeing 44 of the 45 people prosecuted for taking part in the 2025 demonstrations that erupted after the arrest of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The protests centered on Saraçhane, the plaza in front of Istanbul City Hall, and were triggered by a corruption probe into the Istanbul Municipality. One individual was sentenced to seven months and 15 days for allegedly encouraging a crime through a post on social media, while the remaining defendants were acquitted.

The judgment will not be announced publicly immediately, a procedural measure that may permit the conviction to be nullified if the defendant complies with certain requirements. The unrest had led to the detention of hundreds across Türkiye, and İmamoğlu’s own corruption case remains unresolved, with his trial still ongoing.