ISTANBUL: Turkish prosecutors are seeking a jail sentence of up to four years for the mayor of Istanbul, who is accused of having insulted public officials, local media reported Friday.
Ekrem Imamoglu of the main opposition party has been mayor since 2019, when he pulled off a major upset in local elections.
It was the first time in 25 years that the opposition had won against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — or its predecessor from an Islamic-rooted political movement that dominated in Istanbul.
Erdogan rejected the initial result in favor of Imamoglu in March 2019 and there was another vote in Istanbul for mayor in June. Imamoglu won the second vote by a landslide.
The Istanbul public prosecutor accuses Imamoglu of having insulted Turkey’s top election body in November 2019 over the canceled first result, the private DHA news agency said.
Imamoglu has rejected the charge in a written statement, the agency said, quoting the mayor as saying: “The discourse was political, it was strong political criticism.”
The prosecutor has called for a prison term of between one year and four years on suspicion of “a series of public insults against officials because of their duties,” the agency added.
Imamoglu faces several other investigations. Earlier this month, prosecutors launched a probe over his allegedly “disrespectful” behavior during a visit to a shrine.
He also faces investigation over his opposition to Erdogan’s flagship project creating an alternative to the Bosphorus strait, a major world shipping lane.
The allegation here is that public money was improperly spent on posters questioning Erdogan’s project.
According to polls, Imamoglu is the strongest potential candidate against Erdogan in a presidential election expected in June 2023.
Prosecutors seek up to four-year jail term for Istanbul mayor
https://arab.news/zvgrz
Prosecutors seek up to four-year jail term for Istanbul mayor
- Ekrem Imamoglu of the main opposition party has been mayor since 2019, when he pulled off a major upset in local elections
- It was the first time in 25 years that the opposition had won against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Spain highlights importance of Gaza reconstruction
- Spain officially recognized Palestine as a state in May 2024, in a coordinated move alongside Ireland and Norway
RAMALLAH: The Palestinian prime minister, Mohammed Mustafa, and the Spanish foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, on Friday discussed the latest developments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
During their telephone conversation they emphasized the need to intensify international efforts to end the Israeli occupation and halt attacks and settler violence, and to secure the release of Palestinian funds held by Israeli authorities.
They affirmed the importance of ongoing efforts relating to plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, and Europe’s significant role in this process. Mustafa and Albares highlighted the need to unify Palestinian institutions in Gaza with those in the West Bank, with the aim of establishing a Palestinian state in line with international resolutions, including last year’s New York Declaration.
They also discussed coordination between their countries, and the strengthening of Spain’s political, diplomatic and financial support for Palestine, and Mustafa thanked Spain for its ongoing support.
Spain officially recognized Palestine as a state in May 2024, in a coordinated move alongside Ireland and Norway. Estephan Salameh, the Palestinian finance and planning minister, is set to visit Spain this month to discuss enhanced cooperation, particularly in the areas of development and reconstruction. Meanwhile, Israel continues operating in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian Prisoners media office said on Friday that Israel carried out numerous raids across the territory, including the major cities of Ramallah and Hebron, according to The Associated Press.
Nearly 50 people were detained, following the arrest of at least 50 other Palestinians on Thursday, most of those in the Ramallah area.
As 2026 begins, the shaky 12-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has largely ended large-scale Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
But Palestinians are still being killed by Israeli fire, especially along the so-called Yellow Line that delineates areas under Israeli control, and the humanitarian crisis is compounded by frequent winter rains and colder temperatures.
On Friday, American actor and film producer Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
The only crossing between the territory and a country other than Israel, it remains closed despite Palestinian requests to reopen it to people and aid.
Jolie met with members of the Red Crescent on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing and then visited a hospital in the nearby city of Arish to speak with Palestinian patients on Friday, according to Egyptian officials.
Aid groups say not enough shelter materials are getting into Gaza during the truce.
