Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu Faces Court Amid Protests

Istanbul's jailed opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, appeared in court on Friday facing multiple charges, including allegedly threatening a public prosecutor. His detention at Silivri prison since March 23 has sparked widespread protests, leading to around 2,000 arrests. Imamoglu, viewed as a significant challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, criticized the judiciary's politicization and claimed his case is politically motivated. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of more than seven years and a political ban based on comments he made earlier this year about Istanbul's chief prosecutor. The hearing, attended by supporters and lawmakers from the Republican People's Party, has been adjourned to June 16. Imamoglu has been officially nominated as the CHP presidential candidate, with elections anticipated as early as 2028.