ISTANBUL: Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent opposition figure in Turkey, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for insulting and threatening a public prosecutor.
The ruling was issued by a court in Silivri, where Imamoglu has been detained since his arrest earlier this year.
The court document obtained by AFP states that Imamoglu received one year, five months, and 15 days for insulting a civil servant, along with an additional two months and 15 days for making threats.
The charges stem from remarks he made against the prosecutor, which the court deemed unlawful.
Imamoglu, who appeared in court, denied all allegations, claiming he is being politically targeted due to his opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He has been a vocal critic of the government and was expected to challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential elections.
The prosecutor had initially sought a seven-year, four-month sentence and a ban on Imamoglu holding political office.
However, the court did not impose the political ban, as it requires a minimum two-year sentence.
Imamoglu, first elected as Istanbul mayor in 2019 and re-elected in 2024, was arrested in March as part of a corruption investigation.
His detention triggered nationwide protests, marking the worst unrest since the 2013 Gezi Park demonstrations.
The legal cases against him could disqualify him from future elections, further consolidating Erdogan’s grip on power.
Critics argue the charges are politically motivated, while the government maintains they are based on legal violations. – AFP
