Ex- Erdogan’s chief gets jailed for insulting public prosecutor
(MENAFN) Ekrem Imamoglu, former mayor of Istanbul and a prominent rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for allegedly insulting a public prosecutor, local media reported on Wednesday.
The charges relate to comments Imamoglu is said to have made following a police raid on the home of a youth leader from his opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). He allegedly described Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Akin Gurlek, as having a “rotten” mind.
The verdict was delivered at the high-security Silivri court and prison complex near Istanbul, a venue frequently used for politically sensitive cases. Imamoglu was acquitted of a separate charge involving accusations of targeting officials in counterterrorism operations.
Imamoglu, 55, has been in custody since March on unrelated corruption charges, which he denies, claiming all legal actions against him are politically motivated and aimed at blocking his potential candidacy in the 2028 presidential election. The Turkish government maintains that the judiciary is independent.
First elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2024, Imamoglu’s arrest on March 19 led to his temporary suspension and triggered widespread unrest. Protests erupted in cities including Istanbul and Ankara, where demonstrators clashed with riot police. President Erdogan accused the opposition of inciting chaos and harming the country’s economy.
Prosecutors had initially pushed for a sentence exceeding seven years and a ban from public office. However, the court’s 20-month ruling falls short of the two-year minimum required to enforce such a ban, leaving Imamoglu’s political future uncertain.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
