A Turkish court has referred allegations of police misconduct to the prosecutor’s office in a case involving mass arrests during protests against the jailing of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the BirGün daily reported on Monday.
The decision came during the ongoing trial of 139 defendants charged over their participation in demonstrations held in Saraçhane, a central neighborhood of İstanbul where İstanbul City Hall is located, in late March 2025.
The protests erupted after the arrest of İmamoğlu, a leading figure in the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the main opposition candidate for the 2028 presidential election, who was detained on March 19 and later jailed on corruption charges widely criticized as politically motivated.
Hot of the press development – Istanbul Criminal Court of 1st Instance No 49 decided a criminal complaint is to be made about the actions of some police officers / public servants in relation to the allegations of beatings, unlawful detention & torture during protests in March. https://t.co/OAL9L1yjqD
— Milena Büyüm 🍉 (@MilenaBuyum) June 30, 2025
The İstanbul 49th Criminal Court of First Instance reviewed defendants’ testimonies from recent hearings in June, in which many described alleged unlawful detention, excessive force, verbal abuse and threats by police officers during and after the protests.
The court determined that allegations raised in these statements, if accurate, could amount to criminal offenses committed by public officials.
The judges ruled that footage included in the case file was “short and fragmented” and requested that law enforcement provide uncut video recordings in order to evaluate whether police issued lawful warnings, followed due procedure and acted proportionately in line with domestic and international standards.
The court also requested documentation on which riot control devices were used, how many officers were deployed and whether proper arrest records were kept, particularly around the Aqueduct of Valens in İstanbul where much of the alleged police violence took place.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office was asked to evaluate whether a criminal investigation into police conduct is warranted.
The court’s referral of police misconduct allegations to the prosecutor’s office does not automatically trigger an investigation but could set a precedent if acted upon.
This marks the first time a Turkish court has formally acknowledged possible wrongdoing by police during the nationwide protests that followed İmamoğlu’s detention.
The ruling came amid widespread criticism from rights groups and bar associations over what they describe as systematic police violence, arbitrary detentions and the criminalization of peaceful dissent.
Amnesty International said last month police conduct during protests may have amounted to torture and called on authorities to ensure accountability and redress.
According to Amnesty, at least 1,879 people were detained during protests across Turkey in March, more than 300 of whom were put in pretrial detention, with prosecutions beginning in April and ongoing in courts nationwide.
Among those charged are lawyers, students, municipal workers and members of trade unions and opposition parties.