The mayor of Istanbul was jailed for insulting elected representatives

 

This court order came six months before the presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey, in which Istanbul Mayor Akram Imamoglu was a strong opposition candidate compared to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan But now his possible election campaign has been banned. 

After the court decision, Istanbul Mayor Akram Imamoglu will not be able to challenge Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the upcoming presidential elections.

Akram Imamoglu, an opposition figure, was elected mayor of Istanbul in March 2019, a major blow to Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his AK Party, which has controlled Istanbul for nearly 25 years.

Instead of recognizing the results, Tayyip Erdogan's party demanded the annulment of the results of the local elections, alleging irregularities in the elections.

On the other hand, the U.S. State Department has expressed deep disappointment over the sentencing of Mayor Istanbul. State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said that this unjust sentence is inconsistent with fundamental freedoms and respect for the rule of law and human rights.