Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu appeared in court on Monday at the start of his trial on major corruption charges, a year after his detention. The opposition views the case as an attempt to undermine his chances of running in the presidential elections. Imamoglu, one of Turkey's most popular politicians, is accused of "malicious appointment" to the post of Istanbul Mayor in 2019. He vehemently denies all charges, calling them politically motivated. The trial has caused a stir in the country and attracted international attention.
