İstanbul’s jailed mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the top opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will face a new trial starting September 11 on a charge of falsifying his university diploma, Agence France-Presse reported.
İmamoğlu was arrested in March and suspended from office, accused of corruption and various other charges, which he denies.
His jailing triggered massive protests against Erdoğan, whom opponents accuse of seeking to sideline opponents ahead of the presidential election in 2028.
The day before his detention on March 19, İmamoğlu, 55, was stripped of his management degree by the İstanbul University board, which would prevent him from running for president.
He will be tried by an İstanbul court for “repeated falsification of official documents” over alleged irregularities in his degree, according to the charges submitted by prosecutors.
Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence ranging from two years, six months to eight years, nine months, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
He could also be barred from all political activity.
İmamoğlu has called the move to strip him of his diploma “illegal,” saying the university board overstepped its authority.
He went on trial last month in a separate case on charges of threatening İstanbul’s public prosecutor.
He told the court the case was an attack on government opponents and free speech.
