Court in Istanbul affirms prison term for ex-mayor Imamoglu
In a significant development in Turkish politics, the Ankara appellate court has upheld the conviction of Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition leader and former mayor of Istanbul. The conviction, which is legally binding and finalized, stems from remarks Imamoglu made about Supreme Election Board officials following the controversial 2019 Istanbul mayoral election.
The controversy began when Imamoglu's victory in the March 31, 2019 election was annulled on May 6. A repeat election was held in June 2019, which Imamoglu also won. The case against him was initially brought before the Criminal Court of First Instance in Anadolu district, where he was found guilty for his remarks.
The conviction resulted in the loss of certain civic rights, including the right to vote and be elected, under Article 53/1 of the Turkish Criminal Code. The nationwide sentencing is for 1 year 8 months in Turkey for insult and threat. However, there was a miscalculation in the original sentencing, with the correct sentence being 1 year, 19 months, and 15 days.
Imamoglu's appeal to the appeals court was rejected, and the court found no legal violations in the original conviction. The prosecution had initially sought a sentence ranging from 1 year, 3 months and 15 days to 4 years and 1 month in prison for Imamoglu's chain of insults against the election board officials.
The case against Turkish opposition leader Ozel is related to his remarks on a prosecutor in the Imamoglu case. The nationwide sentencing of Imamoglu could potentially bar him from holding elected office if upheld by Turkey's Court of Cassation, the country's highest criminal court.
Ekrem Imamoglu has been a prominent figure in Turkish politics since his victory in Istanbul, the country's largest city and economic center. His conviction and subsequent appeals have been closely watched by observers both within and outside of Turkey. The case underscores the ongoing political tensions and the complexities of the Turkish political landscape.
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