Trial of former Istanbul mayor may last 12.5 years

The trial of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is scheduled to begin next spring in Turkey and could last approximately 12.5 years, according to the Cumhuriyet newspaper.

The case involves hundreds of witnesses and over one hundred defendants.

The trial is set to commence on March 9 and is calendared for 4,600 days. The list of defendants includes 105 people, with more than 400 individuals named as witnesses, leading to the estimated 12.5-year duration.

İmamoğlu, who has been detained in a prison in Istanbul's Silivri district since last March, faces corruption charges. The court hearings will be held at the same location.

The prosecution is seeking a prison sentence of up to 2,352 years for the former mayor.