Özgür Özel reacts to Cem Aydın incident: 'We are not intimidated, we are not afraid, we do not back down'

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel made statements regarding the fact that CHP Youth Branch President Cem Aydın was taken from his home by police in the morning and brought to the courthouse due to a social media post directed at Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek.

“WE DO NOT BACK DOWN, WE ARE NOT AFRAID”

Criticizing the incident, Özel said, “We do not back down, we are not afraid, we do not cower. As a party that brought democracy to this country 100 years ago, we will continue to defend the principle of separation of powers.”

“THEIR FIRST ACT WAS TO SEIZE THE JUDICIARY”

Arguing that the AKP acted with promises of democracy during its first term but built an authoritarian regime by taking control of many institutions from the judiciary to the media, Özel stated, “They turned the Anadolu Agency and TRT into party mouthpieces. They tried to completely seize the judiciary with the public power in their hands. In this process, they used FETÖ as a subcontractor.”

Stating that innocent people were slandered in the Ergenekon, Balyoz, and other cases, Özel said, “Those who wrote the indictments at that time have now fled abroad. These injustices are still in our memories.”

SHARP REACTION TO THE CEM AYDIN INCIDENT

In his speech, touching upon the fact that Youth Branch President Cem Aydın was taken from his home by police in the morning, Özel expressed his reaction by saying, “My brother Cem Aydın was taken to the courthouse because of a post made from our corporate account. If they think they can intimidate us with these practices, they are mistaken.”

Emphasizing the importance of the principle of separation of powers in his speech, Özel reacted to Aydın being taken to the courthouse by saying, “This morning, 8 police officers went to the door of my brother Cem Aydın because of a post made yesterday on the CHP Youth Branch corporate account—a post that edited a video of the remarks I made regarding this process.”

Noting, “There is a statement: 'He was summoned to testify.' A summons? You make a phone call to summon someone; if you cannot reach them by phone, then of course you send the police. One police officer goes and says, 'They are summoning you to testify here.' If they go, they go; if they don't, then there is such a thing as a forced appearance,” Özel stated that 8 police officers went to Aydın's door.

Özel stated, “Is there a detention warrant? No, but they are applying de facto detention. They went, the statement was taken. A defense was made, he was referred to the judge, they are requesting judicial control, they say there is no detention warrant. 'We summoned him to testify.' If you summoned him to testify, how are you taking him with 8 police officers in 2 police cars? I mean, this is not a procedural error or anything; the mentality is a police state mentality.” He added, “There is a two-instruction job from the 'one man' to Cem. 'Take him, to Akın.' He says, 'Take him.' The police go to Akın. They don't say, 'I don't have a detention warrant in my hand, how can I go, how can I take him?' It happens, it's over. They don't even write a detention warrant just for the sake of it.”

'OUR CANDIDATE IS READY'

Finally, Özgür Özel gave a message regarding early elections. Stating that they are ready for the election, Özel said that their presidential candidate is ready.

News Source: 12punto