Indictment against Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu: Up to 7 years in prison sought
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
An indictment has been filed against Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Wednesday, requesting a prison sentence of up to seven years and four months.
The charges stem from statements he made where he allegedly made threatening comments about Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akin Gurlek and his family. In addition to the prison sentence, the indictment also calls for a political ban to be imposed on Imamoglu, in line with Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code.
As a result, Imamoglu faces charges for publicly insulting a public official, threatening them, and targeting individuals involved in counterterrorism efforts.
The indictment was prepared by the Terrorism Crimes Investigation Office of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and Prosecutor Gurlek was listed as the “victim.” It argues that these comments went beyond the limits of freedom of expression and aimed to damage the prosecutor’s reputation and status.
The document also claims that Imamoglu made false statements during a press conference on Jan. 27, where he allegedly tried to influence court decisions by publicly naming an expert witness in an attempt to affect the investigation and its outcome. The investigation into this aspect continues.
Background of the case
The investigation against Imamoglu initially started on Jan. 20 after he made statements during a panel titled “Judiciary and Politics.” During the panel, he accused Chief Prosecutor Gurlek of taking a political stance in investigations related to him. These comments led to an investigation, with accusations of threats being leveled against the prosecutor.
A second investigation followed a week later when Imamoglu made similar remarks regarding the consistency of expert witnesses in cases involving the opposition party, CHP, and himself. This prompted a charge of attempting to influence the judiciary.
Imamoglu’s response
Imamoglu denied the accusations, stating that his comments did not contain threats or target any individuals. He argued that his statements were expressions of freedom of speech, which is a constitutional right in Türkiye. He added that it is his right to criticize unfair practices and highlight potential injustices without it being classified as a threat.
Regarding the accusations, Imamoglu stated: “I never made any statements that would harm anyone’s honor, dignity, or reputation. I did not threaten anyone or intend to target anyone. I cannot find myself in such actions or remarks.”
He also maintained that his remarks about the judiciary were intended to highlight what he perceived as unfairness and were not intended to exert influence on the judicial process.
