Özgür Özel calls out from Saraçhane: 'We want to wake up to a normal Turkey on Monday'

As the protests that began following the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu enter their 4th day, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel has issued a new statement ahead of his speech in Saraçhane.

Here are the highlights of Özgür Özel's statements:

We are at the symbolic venue of the city entrusted to him; Saraçhane means the will of Istanbul. My administrators, my deputies, and I are standing up for this place. We are in the midst of a very important process.

Four days ago, the Istanbul Governor's Office banned meetings, protests, and speeches in Istanbul for five days, and even banned the speech Mr. İmamoğlu was set to give at the Golden Horn. This ban, ordered by Erdoğan, is null and void; despite this ban, we have been heart-to-heart with hundreds of thousands of people for three days.

We are meeting in Saraçhane first, and depending on how the night unfolds, we may head to Vatan or Çağlayan... If there is a major provocation, perhaps somewhere else. Today, we are in the streets and squares of 81 provinces without causing harm to anyone, without touching a single hair on anyone's head; just as we have not complied with the bans for three days, we will not comply this evening either.

We will touch those who try to touch the will of Beylikdüzü and Şişli! We do not want the peace and order in Turkey to be disrupted; let them not disrupt the order, let them not attempt to disrupt the order...

From this point on, we expect reason to prevail; we hope for it, and we are both determined and hopeful in this regard. We have considered all other options. To those who ask what we will do, our answer is: we are not afraid!

I want students to go to their midterms on Monday, I want to hold my meetings in Ankara, I want patients to receive treatment, and everyone to return to their work... We want to wake up to a normal Turkey on Monday.

We have left fear behind in an abnormal Turkey; tomorrow is March 23...

Today, when I sent lawyers specifically to Mayor Ekrem and asked him what he expects from us regarding tonight and the Çağlayan process, his answer to me was, 'What needs to be protected more than me tonight are the ballot boxes that will be set up tomorrow.' He values those ballot boxes because he sees them as the guarantee for the ballot boxes that will be set up in the future.

We have set up 5,960 ballot boxes; our members can see where these boxes are located on their mobile phones. There are solidarity boxes next to every ballot box, and identity verification is not even required for those boxes! People will be able to vote by registering their names on that list...

Mayor Ekrem has a special request: he is also asking for the votes of those under 18 at the ballot box, but he says they should prepare their votes at home; we want them to make hearts, write poems, and bring them along to drop into the solidarity box.

ANSWERED QUESTIONS FROM PRESS MEMBERS

RESPONSE REGARDING SERDAL HAYDANLI

It was announced that the person you said was released is in custody! What would you like to say?

Everyone knows that Serdal Haydanlı was released that day. We went to visit with lawyers and we could not find him in custody... When we made these statements, they brought him back... He was visible on WhatsApp today; I even have the information on who he was messaging at 14:38. I know that he was detained again this morning. Show the medical reports of this gentleman... Actually, they released him!

When he was detained, Serdar Bey's first phone call was to Ali Erdoğan... Who do these criminal individuals call...

Akın Bey, you have attempted things you cannot handle; there will be a reckoning for this in the afterlife! You have caused so much suffering to so many people; they will hold you accountable, Akın Bey, they will hold you accountable...

We want justice, nothing else!

The Republican People's Party is the party of the Kuvayi Milliye (National Forces)... We have a plan up to Z.

News Source: 12punto