Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç's statement on İmamoğlu: 'Linking it to our President is insolence'

The university diploma of CHP presidential hopeful and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was revoked yesterday (March 18) by the rectorate of Istanbul University. On the morning of March 19, police teams raided İmamoğlu's home and detained him on charges of 'leading a terrorist organization' and 'corruption.' Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç evaluated the detention of 106 people, including İmamoğlu.

Stating that the Turkish judiciary should be trusted, Tunç pointed out that the investigation phase is confidential. Defending the independence of the courts, Tunç called for trust in the judicial system.

Highlights from Tunç's statements are as follows:

''Everyone is equal before the law. No one can be granted privileges. Courts are independent. The investigation phase is confidential.

It is not correct to make evaluations regarding initiated investigations without having access to the file content. It is wrong to make statements that mislead the public by issuing calls to the streets. If there is evidence that a crime has been committed, the investigation is conducted by the judiciary. Linking the cases to our President is insolence.

'JUDICIAL ACTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO OVERSIGHT'

It is not correct to reach a conclusion without any information. We must trust the Turkish judiciary. It is the duty of all of us to follow the process calmly and respect the decision to be made for the full realization of justice. We will see what the defenses and the evidence regarding the allegations will be.

It should not be forgotten that; in a state of law, the presumption of innocence and the right not to be stigmatized are essential.

We must trust the Turkish judiciary. The legal avenues for seeking rights within the judiciary are open to the end. For the full and complete realization of justice, it is our common responsibility to follow the process calmly and respect the decision to be made. Let no one have any doubts. The actions being carried out by the judiciary are subject to internal oversight. Who is facing which allegations, what their defenses are, and what the evidence regarding the allegations is will emerge as a result of the investigation. We must all wait for the result of the investigation calmly.''

News Source: 12punto