ISTANBUL: Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Turkiye’s leading opposition figure, got a 20-month prison sentence for insulting and threatening the city’s public prosecutor on Wednesday, according to a court document.

The case is one of a number lined up against Imamoglu, the main rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is already being held over an investigation into alleged corruption.

His arrest in March as part of that case triggered Turkiye’s worst street protests in more than a decade. Wednesday’s hearing was held at Silivri court and prison complex on the western outskirts of Istanbul, where Imamoglu has been held since his arrest.

The court handed him a jail term of one year, five months and 15 days for having insulted a civil servant and two months and 15 days for threats, the court document showed.

Imamoglu, who appeared in court, has denied all the allegations, arguing that he was being targeted because of his plans to challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential elections. The prosecutor had initially called for Imamoglu to face up to seven years and four months behind bars, and to be banned from holding political office.

On Wednesday, that ban — which is handed down when the suspect gets a minimum two-year jail term — was not applied. Imamoglu was elected Istanbul mayor in 2019 and re-elected in 2024. He was arrested on March 19 in connection with a graft probe and allegations of terror ties.

The string of charges against him could prevent him taking part in the next presidential race. His arrest sparked demonstrations across the country in the worst street unrest since the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which spread across Turkiye and were brutally suppressed by police.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2025