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Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Erdogan's chief political rival jailed in Türkiye
Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and a key rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for insulting a public prosecutor, according to local media reports. The case stems from remarks Imamoglu allegedly made after police raided the home of a youth leader from his opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). The politician reportedly responded by saying that Istanbul's chief prosecutor, Akin Gurlek, had a 'rotten' mind. The verdict was handed down on Wednesday at the high-security Silivri court and prison complex near Istanbul, which often hosts politically sensitive trials. Imamoglu was acquitted of a separate charge of targeting officials involved in counterterrorism operations. The 55-year-old former mayor has been in custody since March, awaiting trial on unrelated corruption charges. He has denied all allegations, claiming the cases are politically motivated and intended to derail his potential bid to challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election. The government insists the judiciary is independent and denies any political interference. Imamoglu was first elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and re-elected in 2024. His arrest on March 19, which resulted in his temporary suspension from office, sparked mass unrest across Türkiye. Demonstrators clashed with riot police in multiple cities, including Istanbul and Ankara. Erdogan blamed the opposition for fueling the unrest and accused them of damaging the country's economy. Prosecutors had initially sought a sentence of more than seven years and a ban on Imamoglu holding public office. However, the final sentence fell short of the two-year threshold required to impose such a ban. This is not the first time Imamoglu has faced legal trouble over his remarks. In 2022, he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for criticizing election board officials who annulled his 2019 mayoral victory. That verdict is currently under appeal. If upheld, it could prevent him from participating in future elections. In March, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu's diploma, effectively barring him from running for president.
Malay Mail
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Istanbul mayor Imamoglu's trial adjourned as prosecutors seek jail, political ban ahead of 2028 election challenge
ISTANBUL, June 16 — Istanbul's jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the leading opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, appeared in court today on charges of threatening the city's public prosecutor. The case is one of a number of investigations targeting Imamoglu, but is not connected to the graft probe that led to his arrest in March, which sparked Turkiye's worst street protests in over a decade. Imamoglu, 54, is on trial over remarks he made, allegedly questioning the integrity of Istanbul's chief public prosecutor, Akin Gurlek. He faces charges of 'threatening' and 'insulting a public official' and 'targeting' an individual involved in counter-terror efforts, according to MLSA, the Turkish rights group whose lawyers are defending him. Today's hearing, which took place at Silivri prison on the western outskirts of Istanbul where Imamoglu has been held since March, was very brief with the judge adjourning the proceedings until July 16, MLSA said on X. The prosecutor called for Imamoglu to face up to seven years and four months behind bars, with a minimum jail term, and be subjected to a political ban, the BirGun online news site reported. It said CHP head Ozgur Ozel and other party members were also at the hearing to support the mayor. 'A state governed by the rule of law should be based on justice. No citizen should be afraid while seeking justice. A person should feel threatened not when they express their opinion but when they are forced to remain silent,' Imamoglu told the court in a transcript of his remarks published by BirGun. 'I am not the one on trial here today; every opposition stance that the government does not like, every democratic gain and the will of the people are being tried here today,' he said. 'Freedom of expression' A first hearing took place in Silivri on April 11 when the mayor denied all the allegations and said he had been 'targeted' because of his plans to challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election, his remarks reported by Turkish media. Questioned by the prosecutor in January, he said he was simply exercising his right to free speech. 'There was no threat or targeting in my words. What I said was freedom of expression... (which) is a constitutional right... (that) includes the right to criticise judicial authorities and the way they function,' he said. Last Thursday, Imamoglu was also summoned to the first hearing in another case regarding remarks he made about a court-appointed expert witness involved in cases against municipalities run by his Republican People's Party (CHP), in which he is accused of attempting to influence a fair trial. His office said he and his legal team boycotted that hearing because it was 'unlawfully moved to Silivri' rather than taking place at a court in the city centre. Imamoglu, who was elected Istanbul mayor in 2019 and re-elected in 2024, was arrested on March 19 in connection with a graft probe and allegations of terror ties. The string of charges against him could prevent him taking part in the 2028 presidential race. His arrest sparked demonstrations across the country in the worst street unrest since the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which spread across Turkiye and were brutally suppressed by police. — AFP
