Istanbul Mayor Sentenced to One Year and Eight Months in Prison

(Patria) - The Mayor of Istanbul, opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu, who is the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison in Turkey today.

Imamoglu, who has been in prison since March 23, is expected to appeal the verdict, issued because he allegedly insulted and threatened a public official, while several other court proceedings are underway against him.

Imamoglu was arrested, and now sentenced, because on January 20, he criticized the Chief Public Prosecutor of Istanbul, Akin Gurlek, stating that he targets opposition members through politically motivated investigations.

The court sentenced Imamoglu for insulting and threatening Gurlek, but acquitted him of the charge of "intending to make him a target".

Imamoglu, who is considered the main opponent of Erdogan's rule, denied all charges.

He was arrested along with other politicians from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) as part of an investigation into alleged corruption. His arrest triggered the largest street protests in Turkey in more than a decade. Despite being behind bars, he was officially nominated as the CHP candidate for the presidential elections, which are due no later than 2028.

Following Imamoglu, dozens of officials from municipalities governed by the opposition CHP were arrested on charges of alleged bid-rigging and bribery.

The arrests have drawn strong criticism from opposition leaders, who claim the charges are politically motivated.

Imamoglu himself described his trial as "punishment, not justice" and said that the judiciary operates under pressure from Erdogan's government, but the government insists that the courts are impartial and there is no political pressure.