Özgür Özel responds to the question 'Will İmamoğlu be released?': He explained what the AKP is waiting for!

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel made important statements regarding the current agenda.

Özel, who was re-elected as chairman at the 21st Extraordinary Congress of the CHP with 1,171 votes—and whose Party Assembly key list was approved by delegates without any dissent for the first time since 1967—stated that they were expecting 3 trustees during the week of March 19, the day Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained.

Responding to the question "Will Ekrem İmamoğlu be released?", Özel also said, "I am ashamed" regarding US President Donald Trump's praise for AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Özel also launched a harsh attack on Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who had told him to "know your place."

The statements made by CHP leader Özel to Deniz Zeyrek from Nefes Gazetesi are as follows:

"WE WERE EXPECTING 3 TRUSTEES"

"Including the Istanbul Bar Association, we were expecting three trustees during that dark week. This time, Erdoğan saw that he would not get results legally, so just like in the MHP issue, it was decided to obtain a trustee decision from a district civil court of first instance and to have the instruction notified to the CHP on Friday evening at 16:59.

Governors of some provinces told our provincial chairmen, ‘We will not let you hold that election on Sunday.’"

"THEY EVEN CAME TO THE CAFES ACROSS FROM THE PARTY FOR THE NOTIFICATION"

We made the application for the extraordinary congress secretly and arranged a venue where we would not receive a rejection. They even came to the cafes across from the party for the notification.”

"WE ARE GOING HEAD-TO-HEAD"

Explaining that Erdoğan continues to attack and they continue to resist, Özel described their method of struggle with the words, "We are going head-to-head."

Stating that Erdoğan is attacking with the state resources and state power at his disposal, Özel continued his words as follows:

“We are opposing him with the power we receive from the nation, the dynamism of our members, and the energy we get from those who stand in solidarity with the CHP and from the youth. He has unlimited state resources at his disposal, and we have the unlimited resistance power of the youth and the masses. We will continue to resist.”

"I AM ASHAMED REGARDING TRUMP"

Pointing out that the government is pleased with Trump's remarks about Erdoğan, Özel made the following comment:

“There is a great mental breakdown. Trump did not praise Erdoğan. He both mocked him and threatened him. First of all, he reminds us of Pastor Brunson. Brunson, whom Erdoğan said, ‘You cannot get this pastor without giving that pastor,’ was handed over with a single phone call. The letter where he said ‘Don’t be a fool’ is still there. In the Gaza issue, there are plans to seize the region, not recognize the UN decision, and hold energy resources. Erdoğan does not say a single word about all of this. On the contrary, they are celebrating because ‘Trump praised us.’ It is a shameful situation. They are rejoicing, and I am ashamed that the President of Turkey has fallen into such a state.”

HARSH RESPONSE TO FİDAN: LET HIM KNOW HIS PLACE AND CONTINUE HIS SECRETARIAL DUTIES

Özgür Özel gave the following response to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who told him, "Know your place now":

“I don’t know the limits drawn by this regime for me, but the limit drawn by the nation in the last ballot box is that I am the leader of Turkey’s leading party.

The AKP is confused, its mind is confused, Turkey is confused, and foreign relations are confused, but a complete integrity and unity prevails in the CHP.

The authority given by the delegates: Continue the struggle.

The authority given by the nation: You are the leading party, march toward power.

We have fielded our candidate, we want the ballot box, and we are marching.

First of all, I always receive these authorities by being elected. Hakan Fidan is just a foreign secretary. In presidential regimes, they don’t call them ministers. Hakan Fidan should also know his place. All of Erdoğan’s secretaries who write responses to me and say things are appointed.

Let Hakan Fidan continue his secretarial duties; we are working to bring a Foreign Minister to this country.”

WILL EKREM İMAMOĞLU BE RELEASED?

“The AK Party will make a decision here. It is causing the economy to lose. It is causing itself to lose. I think they are waiting for polls. Polling companies say that the AKP is weakening and the CHP is increasing its strength. There is a very negative sentiment for the AKP on the ground. I think this public ownership will force the AK Party to take a step back.

"EVEN IF HE LOSES HIS FREEDOM, HE WILL WIN POLITICALLY"

The objection petition is in process. It is clear that this is a political decision. If it were legal, there would be no arrest. If Erdoğan has even a drop of strategic intelligence left for the future, they will abandon this arrest issue. This matter has turned into a competition between autocracy and democracy that grows Ekrem İmamoğlu and the CHP, binds the entire opposition together, and it has emerged that the moral and psychological superiority and the energy of the majority are with the opposition. If he sees this, he will abandon the instruction he gave that day and Mr. Ekrem will be released.

If they continue with the same frenzy, Mr. Ekrem will lose his freedom, but he will not lose anything politically.”

"KEEPING THEM INSIDE WILL BECOME A LITTLE HARDER EVERY DAY"

Keeping a presidential candidate in prison, or even keeping three potential rivals in prison, is not something Erdoğan can explain to Turkey or the world. Keeping them inside will become a little harder every day as the election approaches. Tomorrow will be harder than today.”