Imamoglu: Court’s decision a reward for my success

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said he sees yesterday’s conviction as a reward for his success.

“In our country, no success goes unpunished. I see this senseless and unlawful punishment given to me as a reward for my success,” Imamoglu said during a ceremony in Istanbul on Thursday, commenting on a court’s verdict sentencing him to prison on Wednesday.

Stating that he has not violated anyone's rights during his mayorship, Imamoglu vowed not to let anyone to violate his own rights as well.

“Challenging the world is not about trying to beat people by putting the judges’ robe on,” he said.

Alluding next year’s elections, Imamoglu promised the Turkish nation to experience a period when “the valiant won and the cowardly lost,” on behalf of his main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the six-party alliance working together to abolish Turkey’ presidential system.

Bugün temelini attığımız Yaşlı Bakım ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi sayesinde, yaş almış hemşehrilerimizin yalnız kalmalarına izin vermeyeceğiz. https://t.co/6Uan6n29VW

— Ekrem İmamoğlu (@ekrem_imamoglu) December 15, 2022

A Turkish court on Wednesday has sentenced Imamoglu to 2 years, 7 months and 15 days in prison on charges of insulting the members of Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK) in 2019, when the YSK annulled a mayorship election following Imamoglu’s victory.

The court also banned him from politics, a decision which needs to be finalized by the supreme court in order to be implemented.

Turkey’s popular opposition mayor’s name is among the strongest possible presidency candidates to run against Erdogan in next year’s presidential elections, according to leading polls.