Reaction to US and Israeli attacks, Özgür Özel: '160 girls were killed by bombs, and the West is silent!'

The "The Nation Protects Its Will" rallies, launched by the Republican People's Party (CHP) in March 2025, continue. Eyüpsultan was the location for the CHP's second regional rally.

As citizens gathered in the area for the rally, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik conveyed the message of imprisoned presidential candidate and elected Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu:

"My precious citizens, very valuable ladies, dear gentlemen, brave-hearted youth, children who are the crown of my head... I send a big hello and a greeting full of love from Silivri to Eyüpsultan, to Kağıthane, to my dear fellow citizens. I embrace each and every one of you with longing. I would like to thank my valuable mayor, Mithat Bülent Özmen, who has implemented our party's populist and action-oriented practices in Eyüpsultan and who serves our fellow citizens with heart and soul. My dear fellow citizens; for the last year, we have been struggling against one of the biggest operations carried out by politics through the judiciary. In this process, where intense smear campaigns are being conducted against us, even our families are being targeted and attempts are being made to wear us down with slanders. Our only goal since 2019 has been to provide equal service to all districts of Istanbul without any discrimination. Look at Eyüpsultan and Kağıthane... We have always tried to serve both with the same care and the same effort."

"WE GAVE BOTH EYÜPSULTAN AND KAĞITHANE THE VALUE THEY DESERVE"

"We put the T5 Haliç-Tram Line, which facilitates the lives of our citizens living in both districts, into service. We eased transportation to Eyüpsultan and Kağıthane with the Yıldız-Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey Metro Line, the first fully automatic driverless metro line on the European side. We solved the infrastructure problems of our districts. We opened the Haliç Water Sports Center and the 1st stage of the 1st part of the Cendere Life Valley. We opened Artİstanbul Feshane, our biomethanization facility, and the Waste Incineration and Energy Production Facility, which is Turkey's first and Europe's largest waste incineration plant. We stood by our students with our dormitories, our job-seeking citizens with our regional employment offices, and all our low-income fellow citizens with support never seen before. We spent the nation's money to make the nation's life easier and more beautiful. We gave both Eyüpsultan and Kağıthane the value they deserve."

"WE ARE ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF"

"While we try to provide the best service to our citizens without any discrimination, those in power have dragged our country to the edge of a cliff with their divisive and polarizing policies. We are on the edge of a cliff in the economy. We are on the edge of a cliff in democracy, justice, education, health, and foreign policy. Either we will unite by trusting each other as a nation and achieve peace and prosperity, or we will sacrifice our future to the ambitions of a bad mind and a privileged, narrow group. We are all under heavy duties and responsibilities in a difficult period. But no matter what, we will not bow down to those who try to bring the nation's representatives to their knees and those who strive to suppress the national will. Our struggle is the struggle of 86 million for democracy, justice, and freedom against a handful of people who have clearly revealed their intention to end the multi-party democratic regime. Our struggle is the struggle to build a free, happy, and safe Turkey where everyone attains the living standards they deserve."

"THERE IS NO ROOM FOR PAUSING OR DIVISION IN THIS STRUGGLE"

"There is no room for pausing or division in this struggle. We will continue to grow our determination and resolve for today's struggle in waves. We will never stop until we bring justice, freedom, and prosperity to our country. We will establish a productive and abundant order that operates with justice from beginning to end and aims for everyone to live better, more comfortably, and more freely. There will be no partisanship or incompetence anywhere in this new order. My faith and trust in my nation are infinite. I love you all very much. Know your worth, trust yourselves. No matter who plans what or sets what traps, you will have the final say. The future of this country will be illuminated by you. Everything will be very beautiful. Ekrem İmamoğlu. Silivri Prison."

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel began his speech with Nazım Hikmet's poem 'Like Kerem'.

Highlights from Özel's speech are as follows:

"In total, 14 of our mayors are imprisoned. Those who are inside are imprisoned even though they would not have to serve time if they received the requested sentences. Those who have already served the requested sentences are imprisoned. On the other hand, those against whom there are no allegations and who are waiting for an indictment are imprisoned. We are complaining about this most unjust and cruel system in history, the dark order of the AKP. We will resist this oppression, we will not surrender, but in the end, we will win.

Can a person be a thief, a terrorist, and a spy all at once? I have never seen anyone in my life who is so afraid of their opponent. The whole issue is Erdoğan's fear of İmamoğlu!

We are where we stood on the first day. We advocate for trial without detention against this injustice. We demand live broadcasts on television against these slanders!

Even if we expect democracy to come to Iran, it is the Iranians themselves who will do this job. Those who have the blood of Iraqis on their hands, people like Netanyahu, cannot bring democracy to Iran. Everyone who remains silent about this is an accomplice to this crime.

If 160 chicks died, you would be sad and look for the reason. 160 girls were killed by US-Israeli bombs, and the West is silent!

Unlike Erdoğan, because we do not derive our power from the US and do not seek legitimacy across the ocean, we stand against both America and Israel. Down with American imperialism! Down with Israel's genocide!

When the unhinged Israel and the unbridled Trump did these things, everyone started talking about Turkey's security. It was said that the internal front should be strong. We have always advocated for Turkey's unity and for international issues to be handled above politics. But at the hour when the US-Israel attacked Iran, the AKP attacked Bolu.

I visited Tanju yesterday and said, 'If your crime is educating poor children, we are proud of you, Mayor Tanju.' Where does this abundance of yogurt come from, Erdoğan? You hold the patent for these things. The management of all foundations is in your family. You were the one who transferred money from municipalities, let alone making the nation deposit it into TÜRGEV, the Archery Foundation, and TÜGVA. You are the one who gives all kinds of privileges and passes laws, let alone scholarships, to those foundations. When it comes to forced donations to foundations, Erdoğan holds the patent for this business. At the head of every foundation is either his child, his wife, his daughter-in-law, or his son-in-law... He shamelessly asks for accountability from people like Tanju who only think of the poor.