Phone Restrictions Lifted for Detainees in IMM Case

The 1st Panel of the Istanbul 40th High Criminal Court, on April 15, 2026, lifted the time restrictions on phone calls between 27 individuals detained in connection with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) case and their relatives. This decision applies to detainees not charged with 'membership in a terrorist organization' in the indictment.

The court ruled for a re-evaluation of the current communication practices for detainees not accused of organizational membership. Accordingly, official letters were sent to the relevant penal institutions for 27 individuals, including former CHP deputy Aykut Erdoğdu, Çağlar Türkmen, one of IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's bodyguards, and Ceyhun Avşar, Head of IMM Rail Systems Department.

With this decision, the time limit applied to phone calls between these detainees and their relatives has ended. This development marks a significant change regarding the communication rights of detainees in the IMM case.