Live broadcast of İmamoğlu trial needs parliament approval: Minister

ANKARA

The decision to broadcast live the corruption trials of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on the state-run channel TRT lies with the Turkish parliament, the justice minister said on July 9.

İmamoğlu, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has been imprisoned since late March on charges of graft, along with several CHP mayors and senior officials.

His party rejects the charges, claiming the arrest is politically motivated as İmamoğlu is a strong presidential candidate.

In line with this, CHP leader Özgür Özel previously called for the trials to be televised on TRT so that the public could more transparently witness İmamoğlu’s innocence.

The CHP earlier announced that it prepared a parliamentary bill seeking to enable the live broadcast of İmamoğlu’s trial on TRT. According to current laws, such live broadcasting is not permissible. A legal amendment would be required for it to proceed.

“If there is a consensus on this issue and the relevant legislation is amended, the decision rests with the parliament,” Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said.

“Regarding live broadcasts, it could be possible if an amendment is made to Article 183 of our Criminal Procedure Code,” the minister added.

During a July 8 address, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) ally, expressed his backing of the CHP’s call.

Most recently, on July 9, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also gave a green light to the live broadcasting of İmamoğlu’s corruption trials on the state channel.

“If Mr. Bahçeli has used such wording, it is a very good opinion, and hopefully, it will be beneficial,” Erdoğan said at his AKP’s group meeting.