He had accused him of racism: Flash statement from Ümit Özdağ regarding Sezai Temelli
Zafer Party leader Ümit Özdağ, who is currently detained at Silivri Prison, will file a criminal complaint against DEM Party Group Deputy Chairman Sezai Temelli for "attempting to influence a fair trial."
12punto
DEM Party Group Deputy Chairman Sezai Temelli had accused Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ, who is currently detained at Silivri Prison, of racism during a live broadcast he attended.
Temelli had said the following about Özdağ:
“Racism is a crime everywhere in the world. Ümit Özdağ has openly engaged in racism. He has incited the public against each other with racist sentiments. If he is inside because of this issue, he should remain inside. Because racism cannot be supported. If it is not because of racism, of course he should be released. But this country must understand that racism is now a crime.”
While public reaction to Temelli's scandalous remarks poured in, a move came from Zafer Party leader Ümit Özdağ.
Özdağ announced that he would file a criminal complaint against Temelli, who accused him of racism, through his lawyers for “attempting to influence a fair trial.”
Özdağ’s statement is as follows:
“My lawyers will file a criminal complaint against DEM Group Deputy Chairman Sezai Temelli this week on charges of “attempting to influence a fair trial.”
DEM’s Sezai Temelli argued in a television program he attended that I should remain in prison by accusing me of racism.
When Ümit Özdağ says, “From Edirne to Hakkâri, we are all children of the Turkish nation. Kurds and Zazas are an inseparable part of the Turkish nation,” he becomes a racist; but when Sezai Temelli says, “Do not disrupt the ethnic fabric of Ahlat” when 15 Meskhetian Turk families are settled in Ahlat, he becomes a democrat, is that it?
I know that Sezai Temelli’s call for Ümit Özdağ to remain in prison is not just a personal request, but that this request is the common desire of the DEM and those with the DEM mentality who have infiltrated other parties.
Sezai Temelli and his friends will always stand against the Turkish nation and the Republic of Turkey.
Ümit Özdağ, on the other hand, will always stand with the Turkish nation and the Republic of Turkey, no matter where he is.”
DEM Grup Başkanvekili Sezai Temelli hakkında, avukatlarım bu hafta içinde “adil yargılamayı etkilemeye teşebbüs” suçlamasıyla suç duyurusunda bulunacaklar.
— Ümit Özdağ (@umitozdag) May 27, 2025
DEM’li Sezai Temelli, katıldığı bir televizyon programında beni ırkçılıkla suçlayarak cezaevinde kalmam gerektiğini… pic.twitter.com/2n8wtOq8Sn