First reaction from İmamoğlu: 'Just because the Chief Prosecutor was offended...'

An indictment has been prepared seeking up to 7 years and 4 months in prison for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu due to his remarks about Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. In the case file where Akın Gürlek is listed as the 'victim', İmamoğlu faces charges of 'targeting individuals involved in counter-terrorism, defamation, and threats.'

Ekrem İmamoğlu gave his first reaction to the indictment, which demands a prison sentence ranging from 2 years and 8 months to 7 years and 4 months. Making a statement via his social media account, İmamoğlu emphasized that the indictment was leaked to pro-government media before being delivered to the relevant court and his lawyers, commenting that it is "a portrait of their panic."

'HE THINKS HE WILL SURVIVE WITH DESK-BOUND GAMES'

İmamoğlu stated the following:

"Just because the Chief Prosecutor was offended, the indictment prepared against me was written by the Chief Prosecutor's deputy instead of the prosecutor who took my statement. The fact that the document was distributed to the pro-government media before it was even sent to the court and my lawyers is a portrait of their panic.

President Erdoğan, who follows these cases “closely” and knows their contents, clearly thinks that instead of facing the nation bravely in an election, he will survive with desk-bound games. Our nation no longer respects those who have zero respect for democracy and their right to vote. Write this down in your bag as well."