Ali Mahir Başarır speaks to 12punto: 'Erdoğan, you are already politically finished'

CHP Group Deputy Chairman Ali Mahir Başarır answered Tuncay Mollaveisoğlu's questions on the 12punto YouTube channel.

Making striking statements regarding the current agenda, Başarır addressed President Erdoğan, saying, "You are already politically finished. You have lost your reputation, your credibility, and your impartiality. The only thing you can do from now on is to take the decision and bring the ballot box. Only an election can cleanse you."

Speaking about the perception operations of media groups and members close to the government, Başarır stated, "I have infinite respect for the comments of journalists, regardless of their worldview. But if they are acting like a deputy chief public prosecutor of Istanbul by creating perceptions under the guise of journalism, carrying out character assassinations on television, trampling on the presumption of innocence, and lying, that is something else entirely."

Başarır said the following:

'DO NOT ACT AS HITMEN, DO NOT ACCUSE INNOCENT PEOPLE'

“Their worldview may be very different from mine, they may be opposed to me, they may not like me. I have infinite respect for the comments of journalists, regardless of their worldview. But if they are acting like a deputy chief public prosecutor of Istanbul by creating perceptions under the guise of journalism, carrying out character assassinations on television, trampling on the presumption of innocence, and lying, that is something else entirely. Look, even their families are in prison because of the lies they told. I said this. Zafer Şahin came out and made a post about it. “You asked for this. You put members of parliament in between to meet with me.” My brother, what is your title? You have a phone; if I were going to call you, why would I put someone in between? He is lying even there. If you say this, I will react to you. I called him a “sycophant of the Palace.” He called a very dear friend of mine and said he was offended. He said, “Should I call him a beanpole too?” Well, you can say it; the gentleman you defend so much would be offended by that before me. Mr. Tayyip is 1 centimeter taller than me. So you can say that too, of course. But do not act as hitmen, do not accuse innocent people.”

'ONE OF THE CARS TURNED OUT TO BELONG TO THE WIFE OF AN MHP DEPUTY'

Cem Küçük, Sabah, and A Haber shared a video about luxury cars and said, “Ekrem İmamoğlu’s luxury car collection.” It turned out that one of those cars belonged to the wife of an MHP deputy. That is fine. It is not a crime for a person to be rich. But it is a crime to be rich with dirty money. That is why I am not saying anything to that friend of ours. I am not even giving names. Why didn’t the Directorate of Communications deny this?

Then, oh Zafer Şahin, oh Nedim Şener, oh Abdülkadir Selvi, where do you appear on broadcasts? CNN Türk. Who does this media group belong to? Yıldırım Demirören. Do you know that he still has a 1.5 billion dollar debt to Ziraat Bank and Vakıf Bank for purchasing those media outlets?”

'THE RADISH IS IN HIS HAND, HIS LIES REMAIN ON HIS TONGUE'

Speaking about the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor and CHP Presidential Candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu and his colleagues, Başarır said, "I am a criminal defense lawyer; you cannot convince me with the evidence in Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu’s file."

Başarır said the following:

“Mr. Tayyip said yesterday, ‘You are saying what FETÖ whispered to you.’ FETÖ whispered to you constantly between 2002 and 2016. It whispered so strongly that it continues to do so. In all the investigations, we see a similar, but more complicated, version of the plots set up in the Balyoz and Ergenekon cases. I am a criminal defense lawyer; you cannot convince me with the evidence in Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu’s file.

He kept saying the big radish was coming, but the radish's stem remained in his hand. His lies remained on his tongue. Where are they? You find very high money accounts. There are money transfers related to the contractors you mentioned. You reveal the money as a result of technical and physical surveillance. There are money deliveries. Forget shoe boxes, let them bring something the size of a matchbox that could be evidence. Fine. None of these exist. There is no concrete evidence. 46 questions were asked. There are 31 witnesses. Half of them are secret witnesses. For God's sake. A witness is sometimes very strong evidence. An incident happens here. We get into a fight. Our cameraman friend is an eyewitness to the scene. This is very strong evidence. But if you are conducting an investigation and arresting people with statements like “We heard he took it,” “That’s what they say,” “So it seems,” then you should tear up your law degree.”

'YOU WILL TAKE THE DECISION, YOU WILL BRING THE BALLOT BOX'

Başarır continued his words as follows:

"You have rounded people up and thrown them into the dungeons of Silivri, and you are looking for evidence in houses, hairpins, earrings, piggy banks, and summer houses. You searched the homes and workplaces of nearly 200 people. And they are searching in a humiliating way. A child’s earring, underwear in drawers, etc. What did you find? Come out and explain, my brother. There is nothing. With these dirty perceptions, lies, and instructions, you arrested our presidential candidate, whom we made a candidate with the votes of 16 million people and with the will of the entire parliamentary group.

Then you come out and use the expression 'finished' (telef). You are already politically finished. You have lost your reputation, your credibility, and your impartiality. The only thing you can do from now on is to take the decision and bring the ballot box. Only an election can cleanse you. The will of the people will cleanse you.”