ISTANBUL: A highly controversial trial that could result in Istanbul's popular mayor being barred from politics over remarks made after defeating an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2019 elections, a Turkish court on Wednesday, extended until November. was postponed.
Nine months before a general election in which Erdogan will struggle to extend his two-decade rule, the fate of Ekrem Imamoglu is being closely watched for signs of judicial independence.
The 52-year-old mayor is the opposition figure with the most international recognition who can challenge Erdogan.
However, as punishment for a casual remark made about Erdogan's ruling party in the wake of the controversial mayoral race, a court could bar him from running for high office and possibly order him to resign. .
According to Imamoglu's office, the ruling party is reportedly trying to "exterminate him from the upcoming elections".
Soon after the hearing began on Wednesday, it was postponed until November 11, according to Imamoglu's office.
An unusual move in Turkey was to keep journalists away from hearings.
The police also blocked the roads leading to the court with metal fencing to prevent protesters from entering the court during the awaited court hearing.
Imamoglu's slim victory over the ruling party's candidate in March 2019 was annulled after Erdogan, who began his career as mayor of Istanbul and considers the city his second home, refused to accept the result. .
According to election officials, after Imamoglu had already taken the oath of office, thousands of "doubtful votes" were reportedly found.
His choice to schedule a second round of voting for that June drew criticism from around the world and formed the basis of support for Imamoglu among former supporters of the ruling party.
The second election was won by Imamoglu by over 800,000.
But in November 2019, the normally reserved mayor allowed his resentment towards the ruling party to surface.
At the time, he told reporters, "Those who canceled the election for March 31 are fools.
On the strength of the remarks, Erdogan's government filed a lawsuit against the mayor for "insulting" public servants.
According to prosecutors, Imamoglu has been asked to serve 15 months in prison and be banned from politics, a relatively light sentence that rarely results in anyone being imprisoned.
According to defense attorney Kemal Polat, the mayor will appeal against any sanctions immediately, and he will remain in office as the case has made its way through the courts.
“Imamoglu can continue to serve as mayor until the appeals process is complete. According to Polat, he will not need to step down.
After a failed military coup in 2016, Erdogan has been accused by Turkey's western allies of packing the courts with allies and using them to imprison his rivals.
Erdogan's extensive purge in response to the coup attempt resulted in the imprisonment of thousands on "terrorism" and other charges.
In a massive trial that sparked fear among large sections of Turkish society, everyone from human rights activists and civil servants to opposition politicians, many of whom were members of the main pro-Kurdish party, were imprisoned.
Erdogan's relations with the West have been maintained in part by Turkey's status as a strategic member of NATO and a Muslim-majority democracy in a volatile region of the world.
However, the drama surrounding the 2019 election elevated Imamoglu to a global figure whose faith could raise diplomatic stakes ahead of the election next year.
The court case comes as Turkey's fragmented opposition disagrees over who to name as Erdogan's rival in June's election.
Imamoglu and Mansur Yavas, who won the 2019 election for mayor of Ankara, have emerged as two of the more favored opposition candidates.
The mayor himself was preparing for a legal battle in the coming months that would disqualify him from running for office again in 2018.
He supported the candidature of Kamal Kilikdaroglu, chief of the main opposition party CHP, on Tuesday.
"Today you are the main opposition leader, tomorrow you will be in charge of the nation," he told Kilicdaroglu.
S Jaishankar discusses Cyprus with Turkey’s Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu
