One of the many trials facing Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu will begin today.
He is the main opposition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and was arrested last month on charges of "corruption" and "supporting a terrorist organisation".
His arrest plunged Turkey into its worst political crisis in more than a decade.
The People's Republican Party (CHP) accuses long-serving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of trying to eliminate his main rival to consolidate his power. Imamoglu is seen as the favourite in Turkey's next presidential election in 2028.
Today's court proceedings are unrelated to his recent arrest - there are a total of five separate court cases pending against Imamoglu - but it could lead to the termination of his presidential bid just weeks after his party declared him its main candidate.
Nearly 2,000 people, including students, were arrested in the crackdown on the protests - Turkey's largest in a decade - following Imamoglu's arrest on 19 March. | BGNES