Istanbul's ex-mayor sentenced to 1 year 8 months in prison

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, who was arrested as part of an ongoing corruption investigation involving the Istanbul municipality, appeared before a judge on July 19.

İmamoğlu faced charges of public insult and threats against a public official performing their duties, as well as allegations of assault on individuals involved in counterterrorism efforts, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish news outlet NTV. 

These charges stem from statements he made regarding Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Akın Gürlek, and his family during a commission meeting on January 20.

The court verdict sentenced İmamoğlu to 1 year and 8 months in prison for “publicly insulting a public official while performing their duties” and for “making threats.” He was acquitted of the charge related to “persecuting individuals involved in counterterrorism.” The court also applied Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code — commonly known as the political ban — which entails “deprivation of certain rights.”

An appeal will reportedly be filed against the verdict.

Notably, the court’s decision did not include a ban on political activity, which the prosecution had demanded.

The hearings in İmamoğlu’s case are being held at the Silivri prison in Istanbul, where he has been held since his arrest in March on corruption allegations. The court session was attended by the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, who supports İmamoğlu, along with the mayor’s lawyers.

By Khagan Isayev