The Turkish political landscape was shaken by a court decision that challenged the democratic principles in the country. Ekrem Imamoglu, a well-known opposition leader and former Istanbul mayor, received a sentence of one year and eight months in prison for statements deemed as an insult to a government official.
The trial, which caused widespread public response, was related to specific charges of "public insult to a government official while performing his duties". The specific occasion was Imamoglu's comments about Istanbul's chief prosecutor Akan Gürlek.
During the court session, several significant political figures were present, including the prosecutor's lawyer, Imamoglu himself, the chairman of the opposition Republican People's Party Özgür Özel, regional party leader Özgür Çelik, the defendant's wife, as well as other mayors and deputies.
The prosecution initially requested a significantly harsher sentence - from 2 years and 8 months to 7 years and 4 months. However, the final sentence was differentiated: the court acquitted him of the charge of "directing people who participated in the fight against terrorism", but convicted him to 1 year, 5 months, and 15 days for insult and an additional 2 months and 15 days for threat.
The political context of the case is extremely tense. Imamoglu is seen as the main political opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and was arrested on March 19 on corruption charges. On March 23, the court extended his detention, and the Istanbul municipal council removed him from office.
The detention triggered large-scale protests, which are considered the most significant civic demonstrations in Turkey since 2013. The political community is divided regarding the case, with many seeing it as an attempt at political persecution.
An additional complication is the annulment of Imamoglu's university diploma in March, which prevents him from running in the 2028 presidential elections. Nevertheless, he is already the official candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party.
The sentence raises serious questions about freedom of expression and political freedoms in modern Turkey, with the international community closely monitoring the development of the case.