Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu Sentenced Amid Opposition Crackdown

Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a leading opposition figure against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison for insulting and threatening Istanbul's chief prosecutor, though such a term typically does not lead to incarceration under Turkish law. Imamoglu has been in pre-trial detention since March on separate corruption charges, which have sparked widespread protests across Turkey and drawn condemnation from opposition groups and European officials. The charges stem from remarks Imamoglu made criticizing the prosecutor, and he denies all accusations, asserting that the judiciary is being used as a political tool to suppress him ahead of the 2028 presidential elections. This latest sentence adds to previous convictions that could bar him from future elections, including a 2022 sentence related to his criticism of election officials. The crackdown on the opposition has also led to the arrest of several other mayors from Imamoglu's Republican People's Party (CHP) on various allegations, raising concerns about political repression. Despite the sentences and ongoing legal pressures, Imamoglu remains a significant political rival to Erdogan and continues to receive support from his constituents.