İstanbul mayor sentenced to prison, to be banned from politics if verdict upheld

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İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has been sentenced to 2 years, 7 months and 15 days in prison for "insulting a public official."

The case concerns the mayor's remarks about the annulment of the 2019 local elections.

If the appeals court upholds the verdict, the mayor will be banned from politics and lose his seat.

One of the most popular opposition politicians, İmamoğlu has been widely regarded as a possible joint candidate for the opposition in the 2023 elections.

Thousands of people gathered outside of the municipality in support of the mayor while the hearing was continuing at the İstanbul Anadolu 7th Penal Court of First Instance.

Saraçhane'de "Hak, hukuk, adalet" sloganları atan binler Ekrem İmamoğlu'nu bekliyor https://t.co/Kg2o2MMW7r pic.twitter.com/TokxBDjldS

— bianet (@bianet_org) December 14, 2022

What happened?

İmamoğlu, a member of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), won the mayoral elections in March 2019 and the repeat elections three months later, ending the 25-year rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its predecessors in the city.

The first election, which İmamoğlu had won by less than 1 percent, was annulled at the request of the AKP due to "irregularities." He won the rerun election by nearly 10 percent.

In 2020, İmamoğlu said, "Those who canceled the elections are fools," in response to a statement from the interior minister, who had also called him a "fool." Because of these remarks, a case was filed against him for "insulting" the members of the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) in May 2021.

The judge was replaced before the hearing in November, which raised suspicions of political influence on the trial. (HA/VK)