Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu appeared in court on Friday for a new charge related to threatening a public prosecutor, while thousands of his supporters gathered outside the courthouse to express their solidarity.
Imamoglu, who has been held in Silivri prison since his arrest on March 23, is already facing charges of corruption and now faces an additional accusation. His trial has been postponed until June 16.
During the session, Imamoglu stated that he was being prosecuted because he had won three times against “the one who thinks he owns Istanbul,” a reference to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was once the mayor of Istanbul.
The session was attended by Imamoglu’s family members, as well as supporters from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the media, and activists.
Other charges against Imamoglu include two investigations: one for corruption and one related to terrorism, following an agreement with pro-Kurdish politicians ahead of elections. His arrest has sparked protests and demonstrations, leading to the arrest of around 2,000 people for participating in unauthorized rallies.
Imamoglu is also the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential elections, and his arrest is viewed as a political maneuver to block his path to the presidency.
Turkish authorities, however, continue to insist that the judiciary is independent of political influences.
