Striking remarks from Özel at CHP's Kartal rally: 'You lost at the ballot box, you will find it there'

Following the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19 and his arrest on March 23, the day he was selected as a presidential candidate, the CHP began its 'The Nation Protects Its Will' rallies.

The rally's stop this evening was the Kartal district. 

Tens of thousands of Istanbul residents filled the square where the rally was held in Kartal with their banners.

CHP CHAIRMAN ÖZGÜR ÖZEL SPOKE

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel took the stage alongside the parents of imprisoned Party Assembly member Baki Aydöner, Kartal Mayor Gökhan Yüksel and his wife Sibel Yüksel, and Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Nuri Aslan.

Özgür Özel began his speech by greeting the massive crowd in Kartal. Özel continued his speech as follows:

"On March 19, they attempted a coup, and we called for people to gather at Saraçhane, the site targeted by the coup, to protect it. We called, they banned it. They tied up ferries, stopped trains and subways. They said, 'Don't let two people come together.' We were 100,000 on the first day, then 250,000, and then we became millions."

Touching upon the difficult working conditions of police officers, Özgür Özel stated that they are awaiting regulations for police, watchmen, gendarmerie, and the coast guard. Saying that they saw a lot when they looked into the eyes of the police in Saraçhane, Özel asked for greetings and applause for them.

PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS TO STRIKE ON AUGUST 26

Reading the 'The Knife is at the Bone' banner of the Harb-İş union, Özel said, "They are doing everything that Erdoğan boasts about so arrogantly. These laborers work with sweat, tears, and calloused hands. They are paying them 39,000 liras." Announcing that public sector workers will go on strike on August 26, he added, "Do not leave them alone in the squares. They will surely succeed."

Özel continued his speech as follows:

"If this were a rally, it wouldn't be like this. Everyone is in their hometowns or on vacation. The temperature is 40 degrees at night. But we are not holding a rally. We are taking action. We are resisting a coup. We are pushing back the March 19 coup plotters. We are standing behind Ekrem, who has defeated those who have been saying 'I won' for 23 years, four times over!"

"YOU WILL FIND YOUR GOLD WHERE YOU LOST IT"

That coup cost Turkey a very heavy price. The cost is 150 billion dollars. They placed the burden of it all, especially on the low-income earners. Turkey is first in Europe in poverty. It is first in the world in food inflation. It is first in the world in meat imports. It is 117th in the world in the justice rankings. This is why the country cannot make ends meet.

Look at the money they have spent. We say let the minimum wage be 30,000 liras, but they spent 120 times that amount. They spent 150 times the raise they gave to retirees. He called February 6 the 'disaster of the century.' The disaster of the century cost 100 billion dollars. If we divide the foreign currency and stock market losses they caused by this coup among all of us, 76,000 liras have been stolen from the pockets of each of the 86 million people. They stole 10 quarter-gold coins from each of our pockets. Everyone who was a victim on March 19, will you look for what you lost? You will find it where you lost it. You lost it at the ballot box on November 3, 2002. You will find it there."

"THE MAN THEY CAMPED WITH AT THEIR HOTEL IS SLANDERING OUR FRIENDS"

Do you know who Gürkan Dölekli is? He is the one who took a photo with Mehmet Şimşek in England. He owns a hotel. Ten retirees couldn't afford to stay there even if they pooled their money. This hotel is in Kızılcahamam. Erdoğan held a camp with all his deputies and executives in Kızılcahamam this weekend. The owner of the hotel is that man. They are having our friends slandered by the man they are holding a camp with. They are putting them in jail because they wrapped cars during the election period. Yet, they themselves go to the hotel of those slanderers for their camp.

I saw baklava boxes in Manavgat. I was horrified. We are not people of the mindset that says, 'My thief is good, yours is bad.' May God damn them all. Our only fault is that we made him a municipal council member. They have been holding onto his tail. We watched 32 hours of video. Do they know it as baklava now? You shameless, corrupt seed, what happened to the baklava box? AKP came out of the box.

Someone in Kızılcahamam came out and said, 'We cannot go out on the streets, let's raise the minimum wage.' I am addressing the AKP deputies who cannot keep their promises to the nation and are ashamed. If you cannot keep your promise, leave that party. Resign with your honor.

"JUSTICE FOR BOTH RABİA NAZ AND SOMA"

They murdered 11-year-old Rabia Naz. Her father, Şaban Vatan, has been seeking justice for 7 years. He was saying that a mayor's son murdered the girl and that the AKP Minister of National Defense at the time was trying to cover up the incident. During this struggle, they took him and detained him. They put the grieving father in jail. May their hands be broken. I call him every holiday. Let this be a promise to brother Şaban: this era will end, the people's government will come, and justice will come for both Rabia Naz and Soma.

Today, Murat Çalık arrived at the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute. We hope he regains his freedom as soon as possible. We send a heartfelt round of applause to the brave son of Maçka.

"YOU STOLE THE SWEAT OF THEIR FATHERS, YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR STEALING THE FUTURE OF THE CHILDREN"

There are very few people in the country who are satisfied with their situation. If you touch one, you hear a thousand sighs. The biggest complaint is among women. Satisfaction with the education their children receive is at rock bottom. In the LGS results this weekend, which unsettled 1 million families, there were 719 first-place winners. Anxiety took hold of the families. Instead of responding to this like a gentleman, the person who is supposed to be the Minister of National Education first said, 'I explained it as if explaining to an idiot,' and then said, 'Foul odors are coming from CHP municipalities.' Now he admits that the questions were leaked before the exam was over. But he still continues to rain down insults with arrogance. Let this be a promise from Kartal: Yusuf Tekin, that Supreme Court will be established. You, too, will be tried! You stole the sweat of the children's fathers. But you will be held accountable for stealing the children's future. We are coming to power with a roar.

They claim to be in an alliance with parties they are not actually allied with. Oh Erdoğan, you will walk this path alone. You will be held accountable for all the crimes you have committed and caused to be committed."

EKREM İMAMOĞLU'S LETTER WAS READ

The letter from presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was read by CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Çelik.

In the letter shared with the public by Çelik, İmamoğlu stated the following:

“Dear residents of Kartal, my kind-hearted, brave fellow citizens; our country has been in the midst of a major political crisis for 4 months. This is a crisis that deepens the severe economic crisis we have been experiencing for years, making everyone even poorer and more insecure. The cause of the political crisis we are in is the government trampling on law, democracy, and the national will so as not to leave the seat it has occupied for 23 years. An exhausted government that offers no hope for the future is using all state resources to eliminate its strongest rival. A handful of people who cannot win the hearts of the nation with their actions and services, and who know they can never win a free and fair election, are looking for ways to stay in power through pressure and oppression.

“WE WILL END THIS UNJUST ORDER TOGETHER”

The Republican People's Party is under an unlawful attack in its entirety, with its mayors, administrators, members of parliament, presidential candidate, Chairman, and institutional presence. It is being subjected to great injustice and complete tyranny. Because the Republican People's Party is the unifying force that will bring together everyone who desires democracy, justice, peace, and prosperity around common values, and will provide the change in government that our nation longs for. This power is the power of the nation, and the government's real fear is the nation and the national will. Fear is of no use against the inevitable. We will end this unjust order, established for the benefit of a handful of people, together. We will build a just Turkey where no criminal goes unpunished, but not a single person is unjustly kept in prison, and where laws are applied equally to everyone. We will establish justice everywhere for everyone—not just in courts, but in the marketplace, at work, at school, and in hospitals. We will ensure justice in access to basic rights such as housing, nutrition, education, and health. We will ensure justice in income earned and taxes paid. We will not leave anyone at the mercy of ruthless market conditions. Those who produce and create employment will have the healthiest investment and trade conditions.”

“WE HAVE DRAWN OUR STRENGTH, DETERMINATION, AND COURAGE FROM OUR NATION, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO”

Our nation will feel in the most powerful way that it is the sole owner of this country and state, and will experience it firsthand. The state's primary duty will be to ensure and develop rights and freedoms equally for everyone. We will develop and strengthen the 'freedom to seek justice,' which is the most fundamental guarantee for citizens, to the fullest. Our goal is not just to save our nation from these corrupt and decaying government practices. We have set out to build a new life that will carry our country to the level of justice, freedom, and prosperity it deserves. We are paying a price for this. On this path we have taken for the nation, we have drawn our strength, determination, and courage from our nation, and we will continue to do so. We will not give up, we will not tire, we will surely succeed. Everything will be very beautiful. Ekrem İmamoğlu. Silivri prison.”

CHP İstanbul PROVINCIAL CHAIR ÇELİK SPOKE

CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik addressed citizens in Kartal. Stating that they went to the hearing for the case opened against İmamoğlu in Silivri, Çelik said, "Even when the final link was added to the chain of persecution against our presidential candidate, he held his head high, his face was smiling, and he was hopeful. I have brought you greetings from Turkey's hope, Ekrem İmamoğlu."

Emphasizing that the health condition of Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık is critical, Çelik said, "We are waiting for a report from the Forensic Medicine Institute. Our Mayor Murat Çalık, who has survived cancer twice and whose condition is worsening day by day under prison conditions, must be released immediately."