Details of the Tanju Özcan investigation revealed: 'No one can treat me like a stepchild'

It has been learned that the investigation launched by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into Mayor Tanju Özcan will be conducted on charges of 'hate and discrimination' and 'misconduct in office'. 

The details of the investigation, which the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated following Özcan's remarks regarding Syrians during a program he attended, have emerged. 

In the statement made by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the following expressions were included regarding the details of the investigation: 

"Following the statements made by Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan in some press outlets and social media accounts regarding Syrians, such as, 'I said they receive enough aid from the state, I will not provide a single penny of aid from the Bolu Municipality budget. I removed the signs in one night, I unlawfully canceled the licenses they received. Of course, they couldn't even file a lawsuit with the power at that time. Currently, there is not a single Arabic sign in Bolu. If they had gone to the Administrative Judiciary, they might have won, but when you are strong in politics, it is when you are newly elected. It created a shock wave, they couldn't understand what was happening. Then I saw there wasn't enough initiative. I am a lawyer myself. I increased marriage fees and water bills by 10 times. This was not legal either,' an investigation has been initiated by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office ex officio within the scope of Article 122 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which regulates the crime of hate and discrimination. In addition, permission for investigation will be requested from the Ministry of Interior regarding Mayor Tanju Özcan for the crime of Misconduct in Office within the scope of Law No. 4483." 

'I HAVE NOT HEARD A STATEMENT SUPPORTING ME' 

Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan met with journalists regarding the investigation opened against him. Making a statement at the press conference held at the municipal building, Özcan stated that he did not regret his words, saying, "Let those who can appoint a trustee do so." 

Özcan said the following: 

"I do not regret anything I said about the asylum seekers. I am here, let those who can appoint a trustee do so. Let those who can arrest me, arrest me. I am here, my brother. I don't have any immunity or anything. Come on, I challenge you. Honestly, I am bored with this issue now. I want to be tried. Let the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office try me. Let them file a lawsuit. Let those courts try me. Let them try me, I will see how society reacts. I think the decision that will emerge as a result of this trial will definitely take its place in a corner of Turkish history. Try me and be at ease. History will not judge me for what I did and said today. History will judge those who did these things to me today. I will not be remembered in Turkish history like 'Damat Ferit'. But those who made me face this investigation today, those who are trying to appoint a trustee to me, those who are trying to remove me from office, will be remembered in history like Damat Ferit."

Answering a journalist's question, "Do you think you have received enough support from your party?", Özcan stated that he expected the CHP to stand by him and said the following: 

"I have not heard a statement from my party so far that supports me or stands by me. My friends did not convey it to me. But no one can treat me like a stepchild. Because I am not a stepchild of this party, I am a biological child. Do I expect my party to stand by me in such an environment? Of course, I do."