Detained Istanbul mayor, Erdogan opponent, sentenced to one year and eight months in prison

In Turkey, the mayor of Istanbul, opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu, who is the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison today.

Imamoglu, who has been in prison since March 23, is expected to appeal the verdict handed down for allegedly insulting and threatening a public official, while several other court cases are pending against him.

Imamoglu was arrested and now convicted for criticizing Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akin Gurlek on January 20, saying he was targeting opposition members through politically motivated investigations.

The court convicted Imamoglu of insulting and threatening Gurlek, but acquitted him of the charge that he "intended to target him."

Imamoglu, who is considered the main opponent of Erdogan's government, has denied all allegations.

He was arrested along with other politicians from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) as part of an investigation into alleged corruption. His arrest sparked the biggest street protests in Turkey in more than a decade.

Despite being behind bars, he was officially nominated as the CHP candidate in the presidential elections that are due to take place no later than 2028.

After Imamoglu, dozens of officials from municipalities governed by the opposition CHP were arrested for alleged bid rigging and bribery.

The arrests have drawn widespread criticism from opposition leaders, who claim the charges are politically motivated.

Imamoglu himself has described his trial as "punishment, not justice" and said the judiciary is operating under pressure from Erdogan's government, but it insists the courts are impartial and there is no political pressure.