The US government said on Thursday it was “deeply saddened and disappointed” after Istanbul’s mayor, a key member of the opposition, was banned from politics ahead of next year’s presidential election.
“The United States government is deeply troubled and disappointed by the Turkish court’s sentence against the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, who was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison and banned from political activities,” said a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Outside the United States.
“We urge the government to stop prosecutions under the ‘blasphemy’ crime laws and respect the rights and freedoms of all Turkish citizens, including ensuring an open environment for public debate.”
Imamoglu was accused of “insulting” a government official after he called election officials “idiots”.
The court focused on Imamoglu’s speech to reporters months after he defeated a candidate who is an ally of Erdogan, in a repeat election after the first one was suspended.
Officials said they received hundreds of thousands of “suspicious votes” after Erdogan refused to acknowledge Imamoglu’s first victory.
The decision strongly embarrassed Erdogan’s party, after the re-election was undoubtedly won again by Imamoglu.
Imamoglu then spoke angrily, calling those who interrupted the election “idiots.”
Ekrem Imamoglu’s team quickly vowed to appeal the case.
People sentenced to less than four years are usually not imprisoned in Turkey.
However, this ruling bans the 52-year-old – one of the stars of Turkey’s secular party – from politics for the duration of the ruling.
Imamoglu will retain his post as mayor of Turkey’s largest city while the sentence is appealed.
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