Imamoglu's harsh reaction to Murat Calik case: These people you blackmail and threaten are not your prisoners

CHP's Beylikduzu Mayor Mehmet Murat Calik, who was detained alongside Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on March 19 over allegations of corruption and terrorism, was arrested and sent to prison on March 23.

HIS LAWYERS FILED FOR RELEASE

Calik, who was being held in Silivri Prison, was transferred to Izmir Buca Prison despite all objections filed.

Calik's lawyers filed a request for his release, citing his health condition.

YILMAZ TUNC SAID 'IT WILL BE EVALUATED'

Minister of Justice Yilmaz Tunc, in a statement he made before the AKP group meeting yesterday, said, "Murat Calik's request for release will be evaluated."

IMAMOGLU REACTED TO PRE-TRIAL DETENTION

CHP's presidential candidate and IBB Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is also detained in Silivri Prison, made a statement regarding Calik.

Reacting to the pre-trial detention, Imamoglu said, "You deem this persecution worthy of Turkey's best-educated, most equipped, most experienced people who possess public morality. By using pre-trial detention, you are turning the judicial process into a punishment in a way that is contrary to universal law. You say, 'Let's throw them inside, then we'll find evidence somehow.' You become even more aggressive as you find nothing but slanders and slanderers."

"YOU ARE EVEN PERSECUTING A DIAMOND OF A PERSON WHO HAS LOST 15 KILOS INSIDE"

Drawing attention to the health condition of Calik, who has lost 15 kilos in prison, Imamoglu stated, “You are even persecuting a diamond of a person like our Beylikduzu Mayor Mehmet Murat Calik, who has fought against cancer for many years and has lost 15 kilos inside.”

Imamoglu's statement is as follows:

“These people, whom you raided their homes at the crack of dawn to detain, whom you kept in filth for days, whom you then arrested on trumped-up charges, whom you slandered with the testimony of career criminals, whom you exiled to other places so they could not meet with their families/lawyers, whom you psychologically pressured, whom you blackmailed and threatened, are not your prisoners. 

You deem this persecution worthy of Turkey's best-educated, most equipped, most experienced people who possess public morality. By using pre-trial detention, you are turning the judicial process into a punishment in a way that is contrary to universal law. You say, “Let's throw them inside, then we'll find evidence somehow.” You become even more aggressive as you find nothing but slanders and slanderers. 

You drag even patients with serious health problems until the very last moment. You make it so that mothers cannot see their children when there is not the slightest serious accusation against them. You are committing a great sin, you are crossing all boundaries of conscience, and you are violating the rights of others.

In fact, you are inflicting this persecution not only on us but on the common sense, conscience, and future of this country.

You are even persecuting a diamond of a person like our Beylikduzu Mayor Mehmet Murat Calik, who has fought against cancer for many years and has lost 15 kilos inside.

If anything happens to the people who are currently inside just because they worked with me, if their health conditions worsen, the entire responsibility lies with everyone who organized this trumped-up investigation from top to bottom and cooperated. Let this be noted in history.”

News Source: 12punto