SULAIMANI (ESTA) — A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, to over two years in prison.
Imamoglu, a member of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Turkey, will face two years and 7 months in prison, according to the Turkish court.
He has been punished on charges of “insulting” Turkish officials, it added.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department is “deeply troubled and disappointed” by a Turkish court handing a jail sentence to Imamoglu, State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Wednesday.
“This unjust sentence is inconsistent with respect for human rights, with respect to fundamental freedoms and rule of law,” Patel said.
“We remain gravely concerned by the continued indictment of civil society, media, political and business leaders in Turkey and their prolonged pretrial detention,” Patel added.
Imamoglu has also been seen as a strong potential challenger to ongoing Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in elections next year.
