Turkish prosecutors have filed an indictment against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, seeking a prison sentence of up to seven years and four months over his remarks about a public prosecutor, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.
The charges stem from remarks Imamoglu made about Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akin Gurlek during a recent panel discussion. The indictment notes that the mayor’s statements were found to contain criminal content.
The indictment seeks a prison sentence ranging from two years and eight months to seven years and four months for Imamoglu on charges of “publicly insulting a public official due to their duties,” “threat,” and “targeting individuals who have participated in counter-terrorism efforts,” according to the report.
According to the indictment, Gurlek previously presided over courts that dealt with terrorism cases, making him a target of several terrorist organizations.
Imamoglu, a member of the opposition Republican People’s Party, was re-elected as mayor of Istanbul for a second term in the March 2024 local elections. ■