16 July 2025 , 13:09
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Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu sentenced to nearly two years in prison in Turkey
On Wednesday, July 16, a Turkish court sentenced Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, to one year and eight months in prison after finding him guilty of making “threats” against Istanbul’s chief prosecutor.
The news was reported by Bloomberg.
The sentence does not bar İmamoğlu from participating in politics. He is expected to appeal the decision, and the verdict will not be enforced until all legal avenues for appeal are exhausted.
In Turkey, prison sentences of up to two years are typically converted into fines. However, İmamoğlu is facing multiple other legal cases, raising concerns that future rulings could include a political ban.
İmamoğlu is widely seen as the main rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has ruled the country for 22 years. The next general election in Turkey is scheduled for 2028, but early elections remain a possibility.
The sentencing triggered the largest wave of anti-government protests in Turkey in recent years. Demonstrators have gathered nightly outside Istanbul’s city hall, frequently clashing with police.
In June, İmamoğlu and his lawyers boycotted a court hearing, calling the late change of venue “unlawful.”
The case centers on comments İmamoğlu made about the prosecution of other officials from his Republican People’s Party (CHP) and is one of several criminal charges brought against him.
Head of Investigations