Özgür Özel's 'There is no statute of limitations on ill-treatment' statement: 'We will pursue this!'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel went to visit Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is being held in Silivri Prison.

Speaking to members of the press in front of the prison before the visit, Özel drew attention to and reacted to the ill-treatment of young people who were detained and arrested during the protests.

Özel said, "I swear, I will not forget the reverse handcuffing, the ill-treatment, the leaving of these young people hungry and thirsty, and the insults. There is no statute of limitations on torture and ill-treatment. We will pursue these crimes. Nothing disappears in the state; I will find that trail and hold them accountable."

Özel stated the following in summary:

"I WILL VISIT THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN 4 PRISONS"

In the morning, I was in Ekrem İmamoğlu's village in Trabzon. Now I have come to Silivri. We are in prisons on another holiday.

As a party, we are concerned about the situation of the students in custody. I will also meet with the young people held in 4 prisons.

We withdrew from the holiday celebration programs in Ankara. They have stripped the holiday of its meaning. With so many young people having empty holiday tables at home, we withdrew from these celebrations and are meeting with our victimized friends in prisons.

"THERE WERE THOSE WHO WERE HAPPY BECAUSE THEY COULD EAT WHEN ARRESTED"

None of our young friends held here have committed a crime. An independent judiciary should decide who enters these prisons. However, thousands of young people in Turkey were detained and held in custody for 4 days.

Members of parliament go to the police station and inspect detention centers on behalf of the nation. Now, members of parliament are not being allowed in.

Among our friends who were arrested, there were those who were happy. They said, at least we will be able to drink water and eat food.

Prisons were not prepared for this many detainees, and the police were not prepared either. That is why young people are being placed in whichever ward has an empty space.

"I WILL DEFINITELY HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE"

They say they were arrested for violating the law on meetings and demonstration marches. This does not carry a 1-day prison sentence.

Erdoğan's power was not enough to stop the youth. He is trying to break the courage of potential struggle by depriving them of their freedom.

The day will come when my Minister of the Interior will say, who gave the order for reverse handcuffing to these young people? We will pursue the reverse handcuffing of young people, leaving them hungry for hours, the ill-treatment of young people, and the insults.

I will find the person who told 40 people that this much water is enough for you, the one who put reverse handcuffs on an 18-year-old child, the one who left them hungry, the one who committed ill-treatment, and the one who used sexist slurs.

You are applying Mussolini's pre-execution method. You are saying, 'If you protest Erdoğan, you will end up in Silivri.' You cannot imprison someone for a crime that does not carry a one-day sentence...