Breaking News: Full text of Ekrem İmamoğlu's statement revealed! 'The real threat is by saying "The biggest radish is in the saddlebag"...'

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu testified at the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan as part of two separate investigations opened due to his statements regarding Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek and an expert witness.

The full text of İmamoğlu's statement to the prosecutor's office has been revealed.

IMM Mayor İmamoğlu stated the following in his testimony:

"SUBJECT: Targeting and Threatening Those Fighting Terrorism

The reason I am here today is a system where instructions, not the law, prevail. I am an elected person who says, 'I do not eat rights, but I do not let my rights be eaten either.' And I am a man of my word.

Regarding the alleged crime, what I said is clear, and I repeat it here: 'We will rip out the mind that governs you from the minds of this nation to save even your children from these treatments. We will rip it out so that no one shows up at your children's door... so that no one takes your children from their homes at the crack of dawn... we will rip it out so that we can ensure peace for your own home and the future of your children. This is our concern.'

We are working day and night for a future where the law operates not by instruction, but by universal principles. So that our children and future generations can sleep in peace and security with the warmth of justice.'

While criticizing the fact that our CHP Youth Branch Chairman was visited by a large number of police officers before dawn, even though he could easily have been invited to testify with an official invitation letter, viewing the words I uttered with the compassion of an older brother or a father as a threat means viewing the independent judiciary and true justice as a threat. Only those who fear losing their dominance over the judiciary can perceive a threat in these words of mine.

There is no threat in my words, no targeting. What I did is freedom of expression. And freedom of expression is a constitutional right. Freedom of expression also covers criticisms directed at judicial authorities and their operations.

Since when has it been considered a threat to share the injustices we face with our nation as a requirement of the democratic order; to criticize the irregularities experienced and to express that these practices harm 'trust in the law'?

As a mayor of the country's largest party, since when has it been considered a threat to say that in the order to be established when we come to power, 'there will be trust in the law, there will be trust in the judiciary, the judiciary will be independent and impartial, the evil and vengeful mentality will be ended, justice will come to the country, and no one will be dragged away by the police early in the morning'?

The real threat is being made by those who directly interfere with the judiciary by saying, 'The biggest radish is in the saddlebag.' Those who target others by saying, 'The biggest radish is in the saddlebag,' are at the same time revealing that members of the judiciary cannot work independently and impartially.

A mind that views a leader who promises, 'We will remove all pressures on the judiciary, we will never give instructions to the judiciary, we will not apply pressure,' as a threat, means it views the nation as a threat. Because an independent judiciary makes decisions on behalf of the nation. An independent judiciary is also a part of the national will.

Turkey is an honorable country of competent prosecutors and judges. This country is on the side of the jurists, the true children of the nation who stand up against thieves, the corrupt, and those who eat the rights of orphans. In our government, they will be able to work independently and will be able to say, 'Let justice be done, even if the heavens fall.'

However, those who turn the judiciary into a tool for political interests will one day be held to a real account before the law.

This is our promise. This is the response to the people's demand for justice.

Let politicians who instrumentalize the judiciary stop resorting to such methods instead of going out into the arena and competing honorably. Let them surrender themselves to the wisdom of the nation.

Because the nation is great!

Let them also not forget: No pressure, no threat will be able to stop the people's struggle for justice.

This system will change in the first election and a state of law will be rebuilt!

It will be ensured that the law operates not by instruction, but by universal principles! Those who detain the children of this nation with dawn operations and convict every dissenting voice unlawfully will not see even a particle of the injustice they have done.

This system of waste and plunder has stolen not only the law but also the bread of the laborer, the hope of the youth, and the sweat of millions. It has taken the lives of our people who were in difficulty during earthquakes and fires.

We will never surrender to this. This great nation will surely see the days when justice is re-established! And the nation will give the answer to this political investigation opened against me at the ballot box!

I submit this to my great nation.

SUBJECT: TCK 277 – 288 Investigation

During my press statement, the prosecutor's office, which decided to open an investigation against me, made a hasty statement just 15 minutes later.

One cannot help but think...

If the prosecutor's office could show this speed in cases of femicide, child abuse, corruption, or the cases of the oppressed who have been wronged, would the nation's trust in justice be so shaken today? But it is clear that some issues are considered more 'urgent' than others.

The effort of a system that cannot tolerate criticism to survive has reached the point of threatening even our most basic rights. I will not bow to these threats.

Those who try to intimidate me with such unjust accusations and investigations carried out with political motives have long been convicted in the conscience of the public.

In my press statement, as a person elected by the will of the nation, I expressed the realities experienced one by one with my commitment to the principles of accountability and transparency.

Questioning the impartiality of an expert witness when the conditions arise is not only a natural right in a democratic social order but also a necessity for the realization of justice.

The public's access to accurate information and the functioning of justice with transparency are indispensable to the legal system. However, today, I am being subjected to an investigation because I voiced this criticism. This is not a crime; on the contrary, it is a requirement of justice and democracy.

I want to ask:

Does criticizing an expert witness who should be impartial affect a fair trial, or does ignoring bias?

I have been called here to testify on the allegation of 'attempting to influence those performing judicial duties, expert witnesses, or witnesses' with the statements I made at the press conference. We all know that for this 'crime' to occur, pressure must be exerted and threats must be made against the expert witness to prepare a report contrary to the law and the truth.

What will be influenced in reports that have already been written and submitted to the relevant authorities long ago? Is it a crime to ask, 'How is it that the same expert witness is assigned every time among thousands of experts in CHP municipalities, mayors, or affiliate companies?'

Is it not a problem for someone performing judicial duties to write a report or opinion contrary to the facts, but is it a problem to criticize this? Is the expert witness who does this not actually attempting to influence a fair trial?

In my speech, regarding an expert witness, I drew attention to a situation that pushes the boundaries of reason and statistical science and requested that it be questioned whether this was a coincidence. I requested that the justice problem created by an individual whose contrary-to-fact opinions are proven by various examples be intervened in, while they should be performing a public duty independently and impartially in the capacity of an expert witness.

I requested this from both the Minister of Justice and our nation. I requested it from our nation because an independent judiciary makes decisions on behalf of the nation. And there is no authority or power greater than the nation.

Questioning the functioning of judicial authorities is also protected under freedom of expression and is a requirement of the democratic order. Because the right to a fair trial is a fundamental constitutional right that every citizen possesses.

Hz. Ali says, 'If you cannot prevent an injustice, at least announce it to everyone...'

Drawing strength from this advice, I consider it my duty to expose this system that is dealing with me today.

Our effort is an effort to protect unity, brotherhood, and peace in this country!

Our effort is an effort to ensure the rights, law, and life and property security of every single citizen living in this country without exception!

Our effort is an effort to remind that the real authority lies with the nation!

Because Atatürk founded our republic with the motto, 'Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation.' We also act with this motto and entrust our struggle to the will of our nation.

I submit this to my great nation."

News Source: 12punto