German press against Ankara for Imamoglu’s conviction: Grotesque indictment, justice under scrutiny

German newspapers on Friday harshly criticized the Turkish government for sentencing Ekrem Imamoglu to at least two years and seven months in prison.

The entire German press agrees that in the conviction of Imamoglu, “Turkish justice has once again proved how very much under the control of the AKP”. FAZ characterizes the indictment as “grotesque”, further commenting that “Erdogan’s government influenced justice and it is also the one that ordered this verdict”.

SZ expresses concern that the unity of the opposition Alliance is under threat as it faces “with the difficult question with which main candidate to enter the elections. With the mayor of Istanbul, who is in danger of being permanently excluded from politics? Or with another candidate who is less popular and therefore less likely to win.”

For its part, the tageszeitung is optimistic: “The verdict against Imamoglu is anything but a final blow to Erdogan’s most important opponent. Rather, it will signal the beginning of a new era, even if Imamoglu is not allowed to run next spring. For all citizens who reject autocracy, it is clear that the next election is the defining indicator for the future of the country and they will campaign for whichever candidate the opposition puts forward.”

DW – George Passas

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