Rights groups and members of the Turkish opposition on Wednesday called for an investigation into allegations that a co-defendant in the trial of former Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was subjected to degrading treatment in custody.
Fatoş Pınar Türker, a former municipal communications executive, told a court on Tuesday that she was forced to strip naked after her arrest, local media, including Cumhuriyet daily, reported. Türker said a prosecutor threatened that her two children could be taken into state care and her assets seized if she did not cooperate.
Türker, who was arrested along with several suspects and İmamoğlu in March 2025, added that she was also discouraged from seeking legal counsel.
The Istanbul police department denied the allegations in a statement on the X platform, saying all detention procedures complied with constitutional and human rights standards.
Human Rights Watch called for an immediate investigation. Turkey director Emma Sinclair-Webb said the claims were serious and echoed previous complaints that suspects in the case had been pressured to implicate others.
The trial against İmamoğlu, a leading rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and more than 400 co-defendants has drawn international attention.
Prosecutors accuse İmamoğlu of corruption and of leading a criminal organization - charges he denies. The government rejects accusations of political influence over the judiciary.