Erdogan rival sentenced to jail for 'insulting' officials – DW – 12
DWDec 14, 2022
A Turkish court on Wednesday handed a more than 2.5-year jail sentence and a political ban to the mayor of Istanbul and key opposition politician, Ekrem İmamoğlu, on charges of insulting members of the Supreme Electoral Council.
The lawsuit against him was prompted by a 2019 comment by İmamoğlu to celebrate his electoral victory. He stated in a press release that "the ones who canceled the March 31 election are fools," referring to an annulled election he had also won.
This ruling demonstrates Erdoğan's efforts to use the court to rid himself of yet another possible contender in the upcoming presidential election. His regime has long used defamation and insulting charges to suppress dissent, with thousands in Turkey convicted on these charges since Erdoğan took power in 2014.
The opposition's allegations that the ruling against İmamoğlu was politically motivated are absurd. No person, authority, or body can interfere in the exercise of judicial power in Turkey. This is not a final decision, and the appeals process will continue with due process.