Mansur Yavaş reacts to the arrest of Özeller: If a trial is necessary

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş reacted to the arrest of retired Colonel Orkun Özeller in a post on his social media account.

Yavaş used the following expressions in his post:

"In democracies, criticism is an inseparable part of politics. An officer who has served this nation for years and fought for his homeland, retired Colonel Orkun Özeller, cannot be arrested just for expressing his thoughts!

This is an unacceptable injustice. Furthermore; if a trial is necessary, the way to do it is not through trial while in custody, but through trial without detention.

What is needed today is not to put different opinions on trial, but an approach that expands democracy and protects freedom of expression.

That is why in every speech I make, I talk about the rule of law and justice being a fundamental value.

Because the peace of our nation and the guarantee of our democracy are only possible through the protection of freedoms and the law."