ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced Ekrem Imamoglu, opposition politician and Istanbul mayor, to nearly three years and imposed a political ban on him for allegedly insulting a member of the electoral commission in 2019.
Imamoglu was charged with “insulting a public official” by the court and sentenced to two years, seven months and 15 days. It also barred him from politics, reported Turkish media.
Imamoglu, candidate of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was elected as the mayor of Istanbul in 2019. This was the first time that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost in the commercial capital in 25 years.
A large number of Imamoglu’s supporters and politicians gathered in Istanbul late Wednesday to express support for the politician following a call from him.
The mayor’s legal team have announced that they will appeal the court decision.
Opposition leaders condemned the ruling, expressing support for Imamoglu who has been seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strongest rival for the upcoming presidential elections.
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