MHP member assaulted by MHP officials

In Kandıra, Kocaeli, 41-year-old MHP member Üzeyir Bacacı was assaulted by the MHP district chairman and 5 people accompanying him after he filed an application with the provincial election board stating that certain MHP figures could not legally be nominated as candidates. 

According to the report by Dinçer Gökçe from Halktv.com.tr, Bacacı stated that the day before, around 16:00, MHP Kandıra District Chairman Emrah Çolak, Oğuzhan Özdemir—the brother of Kocaeli Ülkü Ocakları President A. Özdemir—and 5 people accompanying them went to his workplace. 

At that time, Bacacı’s secretary H. İ. and 3 other tradesman friends were also in the office. Emrah Çolak and those who came with him brought up the issue regarding the objection Bacacı had filed.

The individuals who arrived told Bacacı that he needed to come with them to the provincial headquarters. Bacacı refused this offer.

As the conversation between the parties continued, an argument began between Bacacı and Çolak. Following this, the 5 people who came with Çolak, introduced as members of the provincial disciplinary board, directed the others to another room and remained alone with Bacacı.

In his statement to the Kandıra Police Station, Bacacı said regarding what happened in the room where he was left alone with these individuals: "In the room, it was just me and these 5 people. One of these individuals, wearing a green shirt and blue jeans, locked the door from the inside."

Bacacı explained that two of the individuals, whose descriptions he provided, drew guns from their waistbands and said, "The provincial chairman summoned you. How can you not come?" He continued, "At this moment, the person in the green shirt who locked the door punched me in my left eye, and these 5 people started to assault me."

"THEY RAIDED THE PLACE WITH GUNS IN THEIR HANDS"

In the continuation of his statement, Bacacı said: "My other friends in the other room, who heard the sounds of the scuffle, forced the door of the room we were in. They forced the door open, and subsequently, these 5 individuals I did not recognize left the room." 

Bacacı noted that he saw Emrah Çolak and Oğuzhan Özdemir with guns in their hands as these individuals were running away from the workplace.

Stating that the people who came to his workplace had been drinking coffee before the assault and threats, Bacacı said, "The cups from which the individuals drank coffee are still sitting in my shop unwashed. I want fingerprints to be taken from these cups for evidence collection." Bacacı requested protection, stating that his life was in danger.

"WHEN WE ENTERED, HE WAS ON THE GROUND, 4 PEOPLE WERE ASSAULTING HIM"

In addition to Üzeyir Bacacı’s secretary H. İ., his tradesman friends B. Ç., I. O., and M. D., who were at the workplace at the time of the incident, also provided information at the police station that matched his statement. B. Ç., who stated he is a contractor, described a similar attack that occurred in the room they were in while Bacacı was in the other room with the 5 people: "Oğuzhan Özdemir said to M. D., 'Who do you think you are, telling Emrah (Emrah Çolak) to be quiet,' and hit M. in the face with his hand. We tried to take M. away from Oğuzhan. At that moment, sounds of a scuffle started coming from inside as well. We forced the locked door, and the door opened. When I entered, Üzeyir Bacacı was on the ground, and 4 people I did not recognize were on top of Üzeyir Bacacı and were assaulting him."

"HE MIGHT HAVE HIT HIS FACE AGAINST THE WALL"

The accused District Chairman Emrah Çolak said, "I did not go to Üzeyir Bacacı’s office today."

Çolak stated that he was in İzmit at the time the incident allegedly occurred and that he was with Oğuzhan Özdemir. MHP Kocaeli Provincial Chairman Murat Nuri Demirbaş claimed that Üzeyir Bacacı was not in good mental health, suggesting that the accounts in his statement might be a product of his imagination. Regarding the injuries on Bacacı’s face, Demirbaş said, "He might have even hit himself against the wall." Demirbaş stated that Emrah Çolak was at the provincial organization building during the time the incident allegedly occurred.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO SİNAN ATEŞ COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME"

Üzeyir Bacacı, who stated that he was assaulted by 5 armed individuals and has been an MHP member for 22 years, told Halktv.com.tr: "They nominated two people as council members unlawfully. I opposed this. Because they thought I was opposing the cause, the matter reached this point. If I had gone with these people, anything could have happened to me. What happened to Sinan Ateş could have happened to me. The people who threatened and assaulted me with guns in my own workplace could have done anything anywhere else."

Bacacı noted that he identified the individuals who assaulted him as MHP Kocaeli Provincial Disciplinary Board members Fikri Kalaycıoğlu, Cemal Yalnızoğlu, Ferdi Gürel, Süha Onaran, and İsmail Kayabay.