Erdogan’s chief political rival jailed in Türkiye

Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and a key rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for insulting a public prosecutor, according to local media reports.

The case stems from remarks Imamoglu allegedly made after police raided the home of a youth leader from his opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). The politician reportedly responded by saying that Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Akin Gurlek, had a “rotten” mind.

The verdict was handed down on Wednesday at the high-security Silivri court and prison complex near Istanbul, which often hosts politically sensitive trials. Imamoglu was acquitted of a separate charge of targeting officials involved in counterterrorism operations.