Jailed Erdogan rival clashes with judge as Turkey corruption trial begins

Istanbul's jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, clashes with a judge as a pivotal corruption trial begins, threatening his presidential ambitions.

 Istanbul’s jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, argued with the presiding ⁠judge on Monday in a chaotic start to a sweeping corruption trial that could extinguish the ambition of Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival to become president at Turkey’s next election. Mr. Imamoglu, 55, demanded permission to ‌speak and urged the judge to “respect the right of people to defend themselves” - but the judge refused as he launched the trial of more ‌than 400 defendants linked to the Istanbul municipality.

Mr. Imamoglu is accused of leading a ‌criminal ⁠organisation for profit, involving tender-rigging and bribery. He and his main opposition Republican ⁠People’s Party (CHP) deny the corruption charges, which carry prison sentences amounting to hundreds of years.

Police maintained tight security outside the courthouse at Silivri prison west of Istanbul, where Mr. Imamoglu has been held in pre-trial detention for ​almost a year amid a ‌judicial crackdown on the CHP that is overshadowing politics ahead of elections expected to be held next year.

Mr. Imamoglu, the CHP’s presidential candidate, waved his hands as he entered the courtroom, while the other defendants, lawyers and ‌public stood up to clap, whistle and wave back at him. He then ​rose to protest the judge’s decision to hear other defendants before Imamoglu, who is the chief suspect.

The judge called the protest disrespectful ⁠to the court, prompting more outcry from the public gallery, which the judge ordered to be emptied, calling a recess until 1030 GMT.

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel and Imamoglu’s wife, ‌Dilek, sat side-by-side in the large courtroom fitted out with two large screens.