Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu sentenced to 25 months in prison

Istanbul. Istanbul's deposed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been sentenced to 25 months in prison in a controversial court case. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's previously imprisoned opponent was found guilty of insulting a public servant, Turkish media reported on Friday evening. Accordingly, the court also banned him from political activity: If the verdict becomes final, Imamoglu would also formally lose his office and the Istanbul city council would have the opportunity to appoint a new mayor for the metropolis.

Imamoglu is the most high-profile opponent of long-term President Erdogan and was long considered a promising candidate to succeed him in a possible election duel. The extent to which he can still pose a threat to the Islamic conservative head of state is questionable, given the many investigations, trials and judgments against him.

Imamoglu was brought to the latest court hearing from a high-security prison. According to state broadcaster TRT, he described the verdict as a scandal and the allegations as baseless. He was accused of insulting an Istanbul district mayor four years ago - although he was acquitted twice before an appeals court reopened the case because of alleged technical errors. The Turkish opposition speaks of a politically motivated trial with the sole aim of eliminating Erdogan's rivals.

The Istanbul city administration has been governed by the opposition CHP party since the local elections in 2019, and Imamoglu was able to defend his office as mayor in 2024. In March 2025 there was a nationwide wave of arrests in which he and numerous city hall employees were arrested - as were CHP mayors in other cities in Türkiye. A cascade of investigations and trials followed, with Imamoglu accused of, among other things, corruption, money laundering and forming a criminal organization.