A high criminal court in Istanbul approved an indictment against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu over his threatening remarks against the city’s chief prosecutor. The first hearing of his trial will be held on April 11, authorities announced Wednesday.
Prosecutors are seeking a prison term of up to seven years and four months for Imamoğlu who is already embattled with trials involving corruption, irregularities and insult.
Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek is the aggrieved party in the indictment by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office Terror Crimes Investigation department.
The indictment states that Gürlek, who has prosecuted cases against terrorist groups, was already on the target list of several organizations, including the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C). It further alleges that İmamoğlu amplified this targeting, used insulting language against Gürlek, and attempted to intimidate the prosecutor.
Prosecutors accuse Imamoğlu of using his influence as a mayor to exert pressure on judiciary organs and members in a bid to win favors in lawsuits involving his party.
Last month, the mayor made “statements qualifying as threats” against Gürlek’s family after the arrest of Beşiktaş District Mayor Rıza Akpolat, on charges of corruption.
The CHP has singled out the prosecutor for acting as a “guillotine” for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following Akpolat’s arrest, accused him of orchestrating the arrest of Ahmet Özer, another CHP mayor who was serving in the Esenyurt district before he was charged with links to the PKK terrorist group last year.
The government has dismissed accusations of political interference in the cases and says the judiciary is independent.
