Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu Faces Trial Over Diploma Allegations

Istanbul, Sep 12 (AP) The Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, made a courtroom appearance in Silivri Prison on Friday, facing allegations that he fraudulently secured his university diploma.

The case has sparked nationwide protests earlier this year. Imamoglu was met with cheers and applause upon entering the courtroom in Silivri, located west of Istanbul.

In attendance were his family, prominent opposition politicians, and former university classmates, as reported by the media.

The prosecution is calling for a prison sentence ranging from 2½ to 8¾ years, along with a political ban over the alleged forgery of official documents.

Back in March, Istanbul University nullified Imamoglu's diploma, pointing to alleged irregularities in his 1990 transfer from a private university in northern Cyprus.

This action prompted student protests against the police in support of the mayor.

The day after, Imamoglu was taken into custody on charges of corruption and terror links, prompting hundreds of thousands to mobilize in Turkiye's largest protests in over a decade.

The mayor has remained in detention since that time.

Imamoglu is seen as a significant political adversary to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 22-year regime.

Shortly following his arrest, he was nominated as the presidential candidate for Turkiye's primary opposition party, CHP.

In Turkiye, holding a degree is a prerequisite for presidential candidacy, making Imamoglu's diploma crucial for his political challenge against Erdogan.

Silivri Prison, officially named Marmara Closed Penal Institution, also houses several CHP members who have been detained amid a broader crackdown on opposition over the past year.

Besides the diploma case, Imamoglu is facing at least seven other criminal proceedings, any of which could result in a political ban.

The CHP argues that these charges are part of a governmental strategy to undermine the opposition and secure another five-year term for Erdogan. The government, however, refutes these claims, asserting the independence of Turkiye's judiciary.

In a separate proceeding expected on Monday, a court will decide whether to annul the CHP's 2023 Congress, a ruling that could reshape the party's leadership and plunge it into turmoil.

Imamoglu was elected as the mayor of Turkiye's most populous city in March 2019.

His election was a landmark defeat for Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party, which sought to annul the municipal election results in the 16-million-strong city, alleging electoral irregularities.

Following a repeat election a few months later, Imamoglu won by an even larger margin.

The mayor kept his position after local elections last year, during which the CHP made notable advances against the ruling party.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)