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Turkish Opposition Leader İmamoğlu Faces Intensified Trials and Prolonged Detention

Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent rival to President Erdoğan, remains imprisoned as trials over alleged threats and fraud proceed, raising concerns about judicial fairness and political motivations.

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Unterstützer skandieren Slogans und halten Bilder des Istanbuler Bürgermeisters Imamoglu in die Höhe, während sie sich vor dem Silivri-Gefängnis versammeln
Vor dem Silivri-Gefängnis: De­mons­tran­t*in­nen schwenken türkische Fahnen und halten Porträts von Imamoğlu in die Höhe

Overview

  • Ekrem İmamoğlu, former Istanbul mayor and opposition leader, appeared in court on charges of threatening a state prosecutor, with the next hearing set for June 16.
  • A second trial, involving alleged fraud during his tenure as a district mayor in 2015, has been postponed to July 11, with İmamoğlu not attending the proceedings in person.
  • Prosecutors are seeking up to 7 years in prison and a political ban in both cases, which critics argue are politically motivated to neutralize İmamoğlu as Erdoğan's key challenger.
  • The trials are being held in a remote Silivri venue, drawing criticism for limiting public access and transparency, further fueling concerns about judicial independence.
  • İmamoğlu, who has been in custody since March 19 on unrelated corruption and terrorism charges, continues to assert his innocence and highlight his electoral victories as a mandate of public support.