Ekrem İmamoğlu sends letter to Tandoğan rally: 'The nation's conscience will prevail'

The CHP held a rally in Ankara's Tandoğan square with the participation of thousands, led by Chairman Özgür Özel, under the slogan: "Politics, not guardianship! No to trustees, no to coups!"

Imprisoned Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu also sent a message to the Ankara rally, stating, "The government is looking for ways to win the upcoming election today through the judiciary. They are trying to force our nation to accept a sham election to be held at a table they set up, with opponents they have chosen themselves. To this end, they are first trying to bring the nation's elected representatives to their knees. They will not succeed." İmamoğlu added, "Our Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik in Istanbul and our Chairman Özgür Özel across all of Turkey will continue to carry out our party's struggle in an honorable, legitimate, and powerful manner."

In his letter, İmamoğlu said the following:

“Greetings to the capital of our Republic, the center of our struggle for independence, and the beautiful people of Ankara, the fellow citizens of my Mayor Mansur. Dear ladies and gentlemen, esteemed youth, dear children... I greet you all with longing and yearning from my cell in Silivri. I embrace you all one by one. For everyone who loves the homeland, the republic, and independence, Ankara is a very special city. Ankara is the Republic. Ankara is independence. Ankara is democracy. Ankara is resistance. Ankara is the heart of the national will. Ankara is Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. As a nation, we set out on the journey of the Republic from Ankara. We wanted the country to be governed by the Parliament, not the Palace; we wanted the will of the nation to prevail, not that of one person. Throughout history, there have always been those who could not stomach this decision of the nation and who saw themselves above the nation's will. Our nation has taught them all a lesson, and it will do so again.”

“Since the March 19 Coup, we have been fighting against the most significant and costly political operation in our democratic history, which has further impoverished the nation. The government's policy of imposing its own will on the nation through the judiciary and trustees undermines our democracy, our economy, and, in fact, the nation's bread. It causes great harm to the reputation of our state and the unity and brotherhood of our nation. Because of this mentality that disregards the nation, my fellow citizens wake up every morning to a poorer, more insecure, and more uncertain life. Our people can no longer breathe because of the crisis and chaos politics they have created. There is a great siege not only against the Republican People's Party members but against all opposition segments. The government is looking for ways to win the upcoming election today through the judiciary. They are trying to force our nation to accept a sham election to be held at a table they set up, with opponents they have chosen themselves. To this end, they are first trying to bring the nation's elected representatives to their knees. They will not succeed. Our Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik in Istanbul and our Chairman Özgür Özel across all of Turkey will continue to carry out our party's struggle in an honorable, legitimate, and powerful manner.”

“Those who try to stain our municipalities, our Istanbul Provincial Congress, and our party's Grand Assembly with judicial setups will drown in the mud of slander they try to smear on us. They will not be able to exploit the state's law, the nation's conscience, and Turkey's future. We will show that Turkey is greater than one person and that the true owner of this country is the nation. We will put up a great fight, despite all kinds of pressure and oppression, so that this nation can attain the peace it deserves. We will win by uniting and by resisting. We will resist against all their violence and tyranny without ever becoming like them. We will resist together, as if singing a folk song, as if dancing a halay or a horon. We will resist with our smiling faces, our clean hearts, and our belief in our righteousness. We will resist with the strength we receive from the nation and the responsibility we inherit from Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.”

“This is our nation's struggle to protect its own will and its own future. If we cannot protect democracy, if elections lose their meaning, we will lose our historical gains as a nation, and a great destruction will remain. No matter where we are on the political spectrum, and whatever our dreams for the future of this country may be, we have a very important and urgent common duty: We are obligated to ensure that our nation can fully exercise its right to vote and be elected. We are obligated to make political competition take place within the law and solely in the eyes of the nation. In this context, I invite all political parties, non-governmental organizations, and labor and employer unions to act together in the duty of 'election security and democracy.' Before it is too late, let us act together with common sense and common strength, and let us protect democracy, the law, and Turkey.”

''I believe that with the determination and solidarity we will show today, we will bring democracy to this country all together in the very near future. We will ensure the rule of law, prosperity, and abundance. Justice and freedom will prevail in every field of life. Because where there is no justice and freedom, the value of a human being is not known. Where there is no justice and freedom, the value of the homeland is not known. Those whose time is up, those who have nothing left to give to this country, will go. Those who cling to their seats will lose, and those who cling to their nation will win. Those who give hope, those who will beautify this country, and those who love and respect their nation will come. But whatever authority the nation gives us, we will not do to anyone what has been done to us. We will see everyone as we see ourselves. We will want for everyone what we want for ourselves. The 'era of me' will end in this country, and the 'era of we' will begin. One person will lose, and the nation's conscience will prevail. The sun rises again every morning. But that Sunday morning when we all run to the ballot boxes together, it will rise differently, and this beautiful country will be illuminated by the warmth of justice and freedom. Everything will be very beautiful. Ekrem İmamoğlu. Silivri Dungeon.”