Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu Sentenced Again Amid Political Tensions

 

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent opposition figure and key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been handed a new prison sentence of one year and eight months for allegedly insulting and threatening Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor. The verdict, delivered by a Turkish court on Wednesday, adds to a growing list of legal challenges facing Imamoglu, who has been detained since March over separate corruption charges.

The case stems from comments Imamoglu made in January, in which he criticized Prosecutor Akin Gurlek for what he described as politically motivated investigations targeting opposition figures. While the court convicted him of insult and threat, it acquitted him of publicly identifying the prosecutor with intent to make him a target.

Imamoglu, who denies all charges, has called the proceedings “punishment, not justice,” and accused the judiciary of being used as a political tool. His arrest earlier this year sparked widespread protests—the largest in Turkey in over a decade—and has drawn criticism from opposition leaders who claim the charges are designed to sideline him ahead of the 2028 presidential elections.

Despite being behind bars, Imamoglu remains the official presidential candidate for the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and his legal team is expected to appeal the latest verdict. The sentence must be upheld by two appeals courts before it becomes final.