Mayor İmamoğlu files a complaint about disclosure of city surveillance camera footage

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Amid criticisms from especially pro-government groups and ruling party politicians, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of the opposition-led İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, has filed a criminal complaint about the disclosure of the city surveillance camera footage showing "the dinner that he had at a seafood restaurant" during heavy snowfall in the city.

His lawyers have pressed charges against "the suspect or suspects responsible for and/or having access to the city surveillance cameras" and "the reporters of Milli Gazete and Yeni Şafak" newspapers.

As reported by Aytunç Erkin from daily Sözcü, the petition of İmamoğlu's lawyer has recalled:

"...Client Ekrem İmamoğlu made tremendous efforts both at the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Disaster Coordination Center and in the field throughout January 24, 2022. After he attended a pre-planned official dinner during the related works, the city surveillance camera footage showing the vehicles' moments of entering and leaving the street where the restaurant is located was shared on open social media accounts."

The petition has noted that "this system, which is open to the access of a limited number of people whose aim is to prevent the committal of crimes and ensure people's safety and are in control of the Directorate General of Security, was used contrary to the requirements of duty." The lawyer has stressed that this situation has "caused an aggrievement of the client."

"Images of the client were unlawfully recorded by misconduct in office and they were also given to others unlawfully," the petition has added. Accordingly, the lawyer has requested a civil suit against the suspects if there arises a criminal suspicion during the ensuing investigation.

İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has also made an application as per the Law on the Protection of Personal Data (KVVK) and addressed a series of questions to the İstanbul Governor's Office and to the İstanbul Security Directorate within this context:

"What data of the client has been processed? What is the purpose of processing the personal data processed by being shared with third parties? With which third parties in and outside Turkey has the related personal data shared? Has this act of sharing within your knowledge?"

What happened?

On January 24, 2022, when İstanbul was hit by heavy snowfall and blizzards, İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) had a dinner with Dominick Chilcott, the UK's ambassador to Turkey, in İstanbul's Sarıyer.

He was targeted by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) politicians and pro-government people and groups after this. Then, the city surveillance camera footage regarding the incident was shared. İmamoğlu confirmed that he had spent an hour at the restaurant.

Regarding the city surveillance camera footage, İmamoğlu said:

"This is served as part of the process; some people are using this. This is a very important issue. Whoever gave the instruction for this, whoever gave permission for this... A person may understand its significance by looking in my eyes now. I say only this so that it will not get ahead of the current issue. But I will follow it up legally. Let me say that my struggle will continue." (HA/SD)