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ISTANBUL: Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu appeared in a prison courtroom Friday over claims he fraudulently obtained his university diploma, marking the first hearing in a case that triggered nationwide protests earlier this year.
Imamoglu was greeted with cheering and applause as he entered the courtroom in Silivri Prison, west of Istanbul, on Friday. His family, senior opposition politicians and former university classmates were present for the hearing, according to media reports.
The prosecution is demanding a prison sentence of between 2½ years and 8¾ years and a political ban for alleged forgery of official documents.
Istanbul University nullified Imamoglu’s diploma in March, citing alleged irregularities in his 1990 transfer from a private university in northern Cyprus. In response, students faced down police in support of the mayor.
Imamoglu was arrested the following day on claims of corruption and terror links, which led to hundreds of thousands flooding the streets in Turkiye’s largest protests in more than a decade. He has been behind bars ever since.
Imamoglu is the main political threat to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule. He was selected as the presidential candidate for Turkiye’s main opposition CHP party shortly after his arrest. In Turkiye, possessing a degree is a prerequisite to becoming president, making his university diploma essential to his challenge to Erdogan.
Silivri Prison, formally known as Marmara Closed Penal Institution, also holds several members of the CHP who have been detained as part of a widespread crackdown on opponents over the past year.
Alongside the diploma case, Imamoglu faces at least seven other criminal cases that could see him banned from politics.
The CHP says the allegations are part of a government offensive to nullify the opposition and clear the way for another five years in office for Erdogan. The government denies the claims and says Turkiye’s courts are independent.
In a separate case due to be heard Monday, a court is expected to rule on whether to annul the CHP’s 2023 Congress, a decision that could change the party’s leadership and send it into disarray.
Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkiye’s largest city in March 2019. His win was a historic blow to Erdogan and the president’s Justice and Development Party, which pushed to void the municipal election results in the city of 16 million, alleging irregularities.
The challenge resulted in a repeat of the election a few months later, which Imamoglu won by a much greater margin.
The mayor retained his seat following local elections last year, during which the CHP made significant gains against the governing party.