Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading figure in Turkey's opposition, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for "insulting and threatening" the city's prosecutor.

The case is one of a series against Imamoglu, the main rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is already under arrest on corruption charges.

His arrest in March as part of that case sparked the worst street protests in Turkey in more than a decade.

Today's hearing took place at the court and prison complex in Silivri, on the western outskirts of Istanbul, where Imamoglu has been held since his arrest, AFP reported.

The court sentenced him to one year, five months, and 15 days for insulting a public official and two months and 15 days for threats, according to the court document.

Imamoglu, who appeared in court, denied all charges, saying he was being persecuted for his plans to run against Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election.

The prosecutor initially sought a sentence of up to seven years and four months in prison for Imamoglu and a ban on holding political office.

This ban, which is imposed when the defendant receives a minimum of two years in prison, was not applied today.

Imamoglu was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and re-elected in 2024. He was arrested on March 19 in connection with a corruption investigation and allegations of "links to terrorists."

The series of charges against him could prevent him from running in the next presidential election.

His arrest sparked demonstrations across the country, which turned into the worst street riots since the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which spread across Turkey and were brutally suppressed by the police. | BGNES