Istanbul's jailed mayor, a foe of Erdogan, found guilty of making threats towards a government official by a Turkish court.
The current political climate in Turkey is fraught with tension, as Ekrem Imamoglu, the jailed opposition mayor of Istanbul, faces multiple charges that many view as politically motivated. Imamoglu, a leading contender against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been in prison west of Istanbul since March 23, 2025.
On July 16-17, 2025, Imamoglu was sentenced to 20 months in prison for insulting Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Akin Gurlek, a conviction stemming from comments made in January 2025. This is the latest in a series of legal battles for Imamoglu, who was previously sentenced in 2022 to 2.5 years for criticizing election officials, a decision that is still under appeal. The new sentence further complicates Imamoglu’s legal troubles and his eligibility to run in future elections, given that his university diploma was annulled earlier in 2025, a requirement for presidential candidates in Turkey.
The arrest of Imamoglu has sparked mass protests and clashes with police across Istanbul and other major Turkish cities. His supporters, along with many international observers and opposition parties, view the legal actions as politically charged attempts to weaken the opposition and Erdogan's main rival. Despite being incarcerated, Imamoglu remains politically active; his party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), still nominated him for the 2028 presidential election, where he secured a dominant primary victory with over 13 million votes cast.
Imamoglu was acquitted of the charge of publicly identifying Gurlek with the intent of making him a target. However, additional charges are pending against him, including allegations of forming a criminal organization and unauthorized data collection. His ongoing trials and the political implications continue to drive large-scale protests demanding judicial fairness and democratic integrity in Turkey.
The arrest of Imamoglu and other politicians from the main opposition party has drawn widespread criticism from opposition leaders, who argue that the charges are politically motivated. The case stems from comments Imamoglu made on January 20, 2023, criticizing Gurlek in the context of alleged politically motivated investigations.
Erdogan's government insists that the courts are impartial and free of political involvement. However, Imamoglu himself has described the trial as "punishment, not justice," and accused the judiciary of acting under government pressure. The arrests have triggered the largest street protests in Turkey in more than a decade, with protesters demanding freedom for Imamoglu and other opposition figures.
As elections are due to be held in 2028, the political landscape in Turkey remains uncertain. The ongoing legal proceedings against Imamoglu and the wider crackdown on opposition figures continue to fuel unrest and calls for democratic reform.
- The ongoing legal battles and arrest of Imamoglu in Turkey have attracted attention globally, as they are seen as part of a broader trend of war-and-conflicts and politics that is shaping the world.
- General-news outlets worldwide have reported on the clashes and protests surrounding Imamoglu's imprisonment, highlighting the crime-and-justice issues that the case raises within the European context and beyond.
- The 2028 elections in Turkey could potentially be influenced by the ongoing court cases against Imamoglu, with his incarceration and the annulling of his university diploma creating uncertainty in the political sphere, both within and outside Europe.
