00:00Istanbul's jailed opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has appeared in court in one of multiple cases against him.
00:07His first case, which alleges threats were made against Istanbul chief prosecutor, was adjourned until mid-June.
00:14The Istanbul mayor has been held at the high-security salivary prison since his formal arrest on corruption charges on the 23rd of March.
00:21The jailed mayor said his winning of three elections against the, quote,
00:25person who thinks he owns Istanbul, referring to President Erdogan, landed him in legal trouble.
00:32Erdogan launched his political career as Istanbul mayor in the 1990s.
00:36He's famously said that whoever wins Istanbul wins Turkey, emphasizing the importance of the city.
00:42The hearing has prompted hundreds of Imamoglu supporters to gather outside the prison where the hearing was taking place in protest.
00:49Many believe the targeting of the mayor, widely seen as Erdogan's main challenger in the 2028 elections, is politically motivated.
00:57Erdogan has denied such claims, insisting the judiciary is independent.
01:02If convicted, Imamoglu could face more than seven years in prison, along with a political ban.
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