Ekrem Imamoglu, the jailed opposition Mayor of Istanbul, and his legal team boycotted a court hearing due to a last-minute venue change they deemed unlawful. Imamoglu criticized the hearing as irregular and refused to participate. His arrest, linked to corruption allegations, sparked nationwide protests against the government, with many viewing him as a political rival to President Erdogan. A conviction could lead to a political ban for Imamoglu.