Istanbul's jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the leading opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, appeared in court Monday on charges of threatening the city's public prosecutor.
The case is one of a number of investigations targeting Imamoglu, but is not connected to the graft probe that led to his arrest in March, which sparked Turkey's worst street protests in over a decade.
Imamoglu, 54, is on trial over remarks he made allegedly questioning the integrity of Istanbul's chief public prosecutor, Akin Gurlek.
He faces charges of threatening, insulting and targeting an official.
Monday's hearing was taking place at Istanbul's Silivri prison, where Imamoglu has been held since late March.
He was questioned by prosecutors in late January, and a first hearing took place in Silivri prison on April 11.
Taking the stand in April, he denied all the allegations and said he had been "targeted" because of his plans to challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election, Turkish media said at the time.
In January, he had told the prosecutor he was simply exercising his right to free speech.
"There was no threat or targeting in my words. What I said was freedom of expression," he said.
"Freedom of expression is a constitutional right... (which) includes the right to criticise judicial authorities and the way they function," he said.
Last Thursday, Imamoglu was also summoned to the first hearing in another case regarding remarks he made about a court-appointed expert witness involved in cases against municipalities run by his Republican People's Party (CHP), in which he is accused of attempting to influence a fair trial.
His office said he and his legal team boycotted that hearing because it was "unlawfully moved to Silivri" rather than taking place at a court in the city centre.
Imamoglu, who was elected Istanbul mayor in 2019 and re-elected in 2024, was arrested on March 19 in connection with a graft probe and allegations of terror ties.
The string of charges against him could prevent him taking part in the 2028 presidential race.
His arrest sparked demonstrations across the country in the worst street unrest since the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which spread across Turkey and were brutally supressed by police.
With AFP
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