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Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Turkiye's starring absorption figure, got a 20-month situation condemnation for insulting and threatening the city's nationalist authoritative connected Wednesday (July 16, 2025), according to a tribunal papers obtained by AFP.
The lawsuit is 1 of a fig lined up against Mr. Imamoglu, the main rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is already being held implicit an probe into alleged corruption.
His apprehension successful March arsenic portion of that lawsuit triggered Turkiye’s worst thoroughfare protests successful much than a decade.
Wednesday’s (July 16, 2025) proceeding was held astatine Silivri tribunal and situation analyzable connected the occidental outskirts of Istanbul, wherever Mr. Imamoglu has been held since his arrest.
The tribunal handed him a jailhouse word of 1 year, 5 months and 15 days for having insulted a civilian servant and 2 months and 15 days for threats, the tribunal papers showed.
Mr. Imamoglu, who appeared successful court, has denied each the allegations, arguing that helium was being targeted due to the fact that of his plans to situation Erdogan successful the 2028 statesmanlike elections.
The authoritative had initially called for Mr. Imamoglu to look up to 7 years and 4 months down bars, and to beryllium banned from holding governmental office.
On Wednesday (July 16, 2025), that prohibition — which is handed down erstwhile the fishy gets a minimum two-year jailhouse word — was not applied.
Mr. Imamoglu was elected Istanbul Mayor successful 2019 and re-elected successful 2024. He was arrested connected March 19 successful transportation with a graft probe and allegations of panic ties.
The drawstring of charges against him could forestall him taking portion successful the adjacent statesmanlike race.
His apprehension sparked demonstrations crossed the state successful the worst thoroughfare unrest since the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which dispersed crossed Turkiye and were brutally suppressed by police.
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