Decision with an eye on the June 2023 elections, in which Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's political future is at stake, was that of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. The sentence of two years and seven months in prison for "insulting officials" of the Supreme Electoral Council is accompanied by a sentence of deprivation of civil rights, for a period of time equal to the prison term.
A few months after his eventful 2019 election victory, Imamoglu had declared that those who annulled his election were "idiots". He was merely repeating the expression that Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu had used against him a few hours earlier.
Provided that it is finalized in the second instance by the Turkish judiciary, the time is enough to put Imamoglu out of the political battle, as it would also deprive him of the Istanbul mayoralty, Hurriyet noted.
Moreover, his lawyer, in the midst of the trial, had reminded that any sentence of more than a year in prison - "even for a year and a day" - would automatically mean that Imamoglu would be excluded from political life for four years. This would perhaps be a symbolic 'revenge' for Erdogan's side: Imamoglu had won the mayoralty only after the process was repeated, which the government side had challenged in court on the grounds of a flawed count. In effect, he took in his hands the "castle" from which Erdogan's political career began.
Much more, however, Erdogan's side is interested in eliminating one of the president's most formidable political opponents and, as the polls so far show, one of the few who are in a position to hopefully oppose Erdogan.
In a poll published last week asking who Turks would vote for as their president, Erdogan saw the gap between him and Ankara Mayor Mansour Yavas widen by about 7 percentage points in November compared with October, while Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu also overtook him. In contrast, he saw his lead increase only over Kilicdaroglu, the Republican president, and now leads by about five points.
Meanwhile, accusations have also been made against CHP chairman and possible presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu for "spreading false news."
Meanwhile, accusations have also been made against CHP chairman and possible presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu for "spreading false news."
Meanwhile, accusations have also been made against CHP chairman and possible presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu for "spreading false news. Under the new disinformation legislation, Kilicdaroglu risks being sentenced to three years in prison and consequently not being able to stand for presidential elections either. In January, another court will decide whether the HDP, the pro-Kurdish party, will be banned from politics.
Two or three "convenient" court rulings in a few months could, in other words, make Erdogan's re-election bid easier.
Of course, the opposition around the CHP will not let the Imamoglu issue go unanswered and will not wait for the case to become final. "I am telling you clearly: Imamoglu is a big bite that will stick in your throat. We will not let anyone swallow Imamoglu," Kilicdaroglu had pledged in a statement.
As for the next steps, the mayor, Hurriyet reports, will appeal the decision. In practice, the process may take months and may even be completed after the elections, thus keeping the mayor politically stigmatized.
A CHP MP commented meaningfully that the decision on the mayor was more political than strictly legal. As Reuters notes, court decisions in Turkey often align with the government's wishes.
Imamoglu himself will appeal his conviction. As the appeal is suspensive, he will remain mayor until the case is heard in the second instance.
"A handful of people cannot abuse the power entrusted to us by the people. Our struggle resumes with even more momentum," Imamoglu reacted after the verdict was announced. He described the court's decision as "unthinkable" and "political", saying the prison sentence imposed on him was "a summary of the conditions" prevailing in Turkey.
His legal advisers said the prison sentence was accompanied by "deprivation of certain (political) rights", such as the right to vote, for a period equal to the deprivation of his freedom. If this sentence is upheld at the Court of Appeal, "the ban on political activity will be of the same duration as the prison sentence imposed."
The mayor, aged 52, comes from the People's Republican Party (CHP) and is considered a potential candidate in the June presidential election against Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The charge related to statements he made in 2019, when he called Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu and members of the Election Commission, which annulled the results of municipal elections in March that year, "idiots".
In the by-elections he again emerged victorious.
Source: protothema.gr
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