“We support Ekrem, we support the people of Turkey, we are on the right side of history. Justice will prevail,” he said. Kostas Bakoyannis from Istanbul, expressing support for the Turkish mayor, who was sentenced to more than two years in prison and deprived of political rights.

In fact, the mayor of Athens wondered “what will happen to Turkey if the rule of law does not prevail” and Mr. Imamoglu called the court’s decision “a coup under the guise of justice.”

Recall that just six months before the decisive presidential elections in Turkey, the mayor of Istanbul was sentenced to more than two years in prison and deprived of political rights. The mayor of Istanbul was found guilty of insulting government officials in a speech given after winning the mayoral election of the Turkish metropolis in 2019. In this speech, he called those who decided to cancel the election “stupid”. Turkish President Erdogan’s attempt to neutralize his political rival through the courts has sparked a storm of protests inside and outside Turkey.

The Mayors of Hannover, Paris and Florence, as well as the Secretary General of the Eurocities European Network, who visited Istanbul as part of the discussion on Cities: Democracy and Development, expressed their support for Mr. Imamoglu.