Istanbul court sentences Mayor Imamoglu to 2 years, 1 month for insulting official

September 21, 2026 at 06:00 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

An Istanbul court sentenced Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu to 2 years and 1 month in prison for insulting a public official. The court also imposed a political ban on Imamoglu, who has been detained since March 19, 2025, on separate charges.

Key Facts

Istanbul Anadolu 16th Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced Ekrem Imamoglu to 2 years and 1 month in prison for insulting a public official.
The court also imposed a political ban on Imamoglu under Turkish Penal Code articles 125/3a and 53/1a-b, 5.
The case stems from Imamoglu's remarks about Tuzla Mayor Sadi Yazici at the opening of the Tuzla Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Plant on October 25, 2022.
Imamoglu had been acquitted twice by the same court before the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice 23rd Criminal Chamber overturned the acquittals on procedural grounds.

The Verdict

Istanbul Anadolu 16th Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced Ekrem Imamoglu to 2 years and 1 month in prison for insulting a public official. The court also imposed a political ban on Imamoglu under Turkish Penal Code articles 125/3a and 53/1a-b, 5. The sentence was handed down after the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice 23rd Criminal Chamber overturned two prior acquittals on procedural grounds.

Case Background

The case stems from Imamoglu's remarks about Tuzla Mayor Sadi Yazici at the opening of the Tuzla Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Plant on October 25, 2022. Imamoglu used the word 'discourteous' in response to Yazici's speech, which prosecutors alleged constituted an insult to a public official. The court initially acquitted Imamoglu twice, citing that the alleged insult was not proven.

Procedural History

The Istanbul Regional Court of Justice 23rd Criminal Chamber overturned the acquittals on procedural grounds, stating that Imamoglu's defense had not been properly recorded. Imamoglu was unable to attend the hearing because the vehicle transporting him from Silivri Prison broke down en route to the Kartal courthouse. After the case was returned to the lower court, a new judge convicted Imamoglu and imposed the prison sentence and political ban.