Breaking News: Investigation launched into CHP Youth Branch President Cem Aydın

It has been reported that Republican People's Party (CHP) Youth Branch President Cem Aydın was detained in the morning hours.

It was stated that Aydın was taken to the Çağlayan Courthouse and that a search was conducted at his home.

FIRST STATEMENT FROM CHP

CHP Group Deputy Chairman Ali Mahir Başarır made a statement regarding Aydın's detention.

Speaking to Sözcü TV, Başarır said that Aydın was detained due to a post he made on his social media account.

Başarır noted the following:

"In the early hours of the morning, our youth branch president is being detained on the instructions of Akın Gürlek. They are detaining Cem Aydın, who has no immunity but is the youth branch president of this party, because of a tweet, following municipalities and indictments.

A coup is being carried out against Turkey's leading party by the judiciary. They are intervening through the judiciary in a party they see they cannot defeat at the ballot box.

Someone must tell this man to stop. The person who should be on trial here is not Cem Aydın, but Akın Gürlek, due to unfair investigations. He should be removed from office.

They are checking his computer and phones. The party chairman also made that post, and we said it too. Come and lift our immunity, come for us if you are going to come."

"NOT DETAINED, BUT INVITED TO TESTIFY"

According to reports from Sözcü TV, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that Aydın was not detained, but was invited to testify.

The statement indicated that an investigation was launched against Aydın for 'insulting a public official' and 'targeting a person fighting against terrorism' due to the tweet he posted about Akın Gürlek.

The post in question, made from the official X account of the CHP Youth Branch, is as follows:

The Anatomy of the MOBILE GUILLOTINE: Akın Gürlek pic.twitter.com/LPWpNj87F2

— CHP Gençlik Kolları (@chpgenclikgm) January 19, 2025

CHP Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın said the following on the matter:

“My brother, our Youth Branch President Cem Aydın, was detained this morning. The reason is a video message reminding people of Akın Gürlek's past 'career'.

Half of the video contains speeches by our CHP Chairman. Therefore, the detention is an act of intimidation against the CHP in the person of Cem Aydın.”

INSTRUCTIONS FROM ÖZGÜR ÖZEL TO HIS STAFF

Finally, it was learned that upon the instructions of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, the party's deputy chairmen went to the courthouse to be with Aydın.

HE HAD BEEN NEWLY ELECTED

The 17th Ordinary Congress of the CHP Youth Branch was held 1 month ago at the Atatürk Sports Hall with the slogan "Build the future, hope is here."

Cem Aydın, the only person to announce his candidacy, was elected as the CHP Youth Branch President.

WHO IS CEM AYDIN?

Cem Aydın announced his candidacy for CHP Youth Branch President at a press conference at the Headquarters on November 20. After the meeting, which was also supported by the current President Gençosman Killik, Aydın came to the congress as the sole candidate.

Aydın was born and raised in Beylikdüzü, where Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu also served. Born in 1996, Aydın attended Beylikdüzü Beşir Balcıoğlu Anatolian High School. He graduated from the Department of International Relations at Istanbul Arel University in 2019.

He began his political life at the age of 15 by taking part in the high school organization of the Republican People's Party. Later, he served as the High School Commission President for one term, as a member of the board of directors of the CHP Beylikdüzü Youth Branch for two terms, and as the President of the CHP Beylikdüzü Youth Branch for two terms. Aydın, who served as the Istanbul Youth Branch President, was on Özgür Özel's Party Assembly list at the November 4-5, 2023 congress. Shortly after, he also served as an assistant to Secretary General Selin Sayek Böke.

A graduate of the 2019 Boğaziçi European School of Politics, Cem Aydın is also a member of the Atatürkist Thought Association, the Association for Supporting Contemporary Living, the Elele Life Association, and the Evimiz Beylikdüzü Association. Between 2016 and 2018, he served as a member of the disciplinary board of the Beylikdüzü Sports Club.