They will take Şişli from the CHP with a trustee after 26 years: Resul Emrah Şahan has been arrested!

Following investigations launched against 7 suspects, including Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, on charges of "aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization," a decision for arrest was issued. It is being discussed that a trustee may be appointed to replace Şahan, who was arrested on 'terrorism' charges.

If a trustee is appointed to the Şişli Municipality, it will be the first time since 1999 that the municipality will be taken from the CHP and placed under trustee management.

"URBAN CONSENSUS" ARREST

Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık, İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, and Reform Institute Director Mehmet Ali Çalışkan, who were referred to the duty magistrate on charges of "aiding an armed terrorist organization" in the 'urban consensus' investigation, have been ordered to be arrested.

STATEMENT FROM HIS LAWYER

Resul Emrah Şahan's lawyer, Hüseyin Ersöz, stated that the decision was unjust and announced that they would appeal. "It was a 5-day process where we followed the allegations, evidence, and arrest and release decisions from the press. It is legally inexplicable that in the same file, with the same evidence, the request for the arrest of İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was rejected while Emrah Şahan was arrested," he said.

"WE ARE ENTRUSTED TO OUR NATION"

Arrested Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan said in a post on his X account, "Both the Şişli Municipality and we are entrusted to our nation. We will not take a step back from our struggle."

FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S TESTIMONY

During his testimony at the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Terrorism Crimes Investigation Bureau, Şahan was asked about statements made by PKK leaders Duran Kalkan and Bese Hozat. Stating that he did not know these individuals, Şahan replied, "As the CHP, we reached a consensus in 2019 that we called the 'Istanbul Alliance.' All political parties were within this consensus. The statements of organization members bind only themselves."

Şahan was asked about allegations that some individuals working in the İBB and district municipalities had records for "terrorism" crimes and that these individuals had switched from the HDP to the CHP shortly before the 2024 local elections. Şahan said, "I know that there were no legal obstacles during the candidacy processes of these individuals. It is not possible to understand that candidates who have passed the Supreme Election Council (YSK) checks are associated with terrorist organizations."

When asked about his acquaintance with former HDP Deputy Chairman Azad Barış, Şahan stated, "I met this person after 2019. I know him as a sociologist and political scientist. I do not have information about the details mentioned in open sources."

Regarding the allegations that "individuals linked to a terrorist organization" were hired at the municipality, Şahan stated that he adopted the principle of merit and did not attach importance to political affiliations, adding, "This can be clearly seen when looking at the appointments I have made in the last 11 months."

He concluded his defense by saying, "Neither a criminal nor someone who supports terrorist organizations can be found in me. I am a mayor who has grown up with the Republic's equality of opportunity. I do not accept or find any of the allegations that are the subject of the investigation to be true."