İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu faces up to 4 years in prison

* Photo: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality

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A lawsuit has been filed against İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on the grounds of his press release dated November 4, 2019.

Lodged by the İstanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the indictment has referred to the criminal complaint of the Supreme Election Council (YSK), which alleged that Ekrem İmamoğlu, in his press statement on November 4, 2019, insulted the members of the YSK.

As indicated by the YSK in its petition, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality elections, which were held on March 31, 2019, were cancelled by the YSK on May 6; in the repeat elections on June 23, the opposition's candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu won the elections, according to the official results announced on July 11. İmamoğlu is now facing up to 4 years, 1 month in prison over the statement that he made a few months after this process.

According to the YSK, İmamoğlu said, "When we consider the ones who cancelled the March 31 election and the situation that we found ourselves in across the world and in Europe, when we consider what happened back then, the ones who cancelled the March 31 election are fools."

While the petition has alleged that İmamoğlu insulted the YSK members with the above remarks, YSK Chair Sadi Güven and 10 members of the board have been indicated as the aggrieved party.

İmamoğlu has dismissed the charges

As part of the investigation, Ekrem İmamoğlu submitted his written statement of defense. As quoted in the indictment, İmamoğlu's defense indicated that "he had not used such an expression as 'fool' against the YSK members, no one had perceived the expression as targeting the members, the expression had not targeted a specific person, it had been a political statement and a severe criticism, which had not specifically targeted anyone."

The indictment has, on the one hand, said that Ekrem İmamoğlu is found to have "publicly insulted the council members" and his remarks "impugned the honor, dignity and prestige of the council members."

Reference to Turkish Language Association

The prosecutor's office, in its indictment against Ekrem İmamoğlu, has referred to the definition of the word "fool" (ahmak in Tr.) in the dictionary of the Turkish Language Association (TDK), which defined the word as "unable to use one's mind properly, silly, simpleton."

Accordingly, arguing that İmamoğlu committed the crime of "publicly insulting public officials working as a council due to their duties" against YSK Chair Sadi Güven and 10 YSK members, the indictment has demanded 1 year, 3 months, 15 days to 4 years, 1 month in prison for him.

The indictment has been accepted by the İstanbul Anadolu 7th Penal Court of First Instance, which means that İmamoğlu will now appear before the judge on the offense charged. (HA/SD)