Two mayors visit detainees in Silivri

Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer visited Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş, Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, and Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who are being held in custody at Marmara Prison in Silivri.

Speaking to the ANKA News Agency after the visits, Vahap Seçer stated the following:

“Today, Silivri has already become a symbol of lawlessness and political detentions in Turkey. Silivri was the place where politicians were detained and arrested through the conspiracies of FETÖ during the periods when they were influential. Unfortunately, we are experiencing the same picture, a déjà vu, in this period as well. The recent detentions and arrests in Turkey, and the concerns regarding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the rule of law that worry society, have completely come to the fore. In particular, the concern about political interference in judicial processes continues to grow in society every day. This has huge effects on Turkey's democracy, creates problems, and weakens it. As mayors in office and as politicians, we would of course like to serve in a country where the judiciary is independent and impartial, where the rule of law prevails, and where democracy functions with its institutions and rules, but it is not possible to say this today.”

Stating, "We are trying to keep our hope alive," Seçer added, "Ahmet Özer and Rıza Akpolat, the way these two mayors were detained, the fact that they were held in custody for days and had to give their statements under great difficulties, and the fact that they are being held in prison today with empty files that do not contain any definitive evidence or crimes that would require their arrest."

'THESE DAYS WILL ALSO PASS'

Zeydan Karalar also drew attention to the large number of detainees in Silivri and made the following statements:

“All three were in very good spirits, and all three were confident. All three clearly stated that they are facing a punishment they do not deserve. Frankly, we think so too. They hope to be released in a very short time because they believe they have committed no crimes. Ultimately, the point the country has reached is very clear. As a philosopher says, ‘If you want to see how a country is governed and what state it is in, look at how people die.’ I will add, ‘Look at how they are arrested too.’ It is astonishing. Our country has never seen anything like this; the point it has reached is very distressing. If there is no democracy in the country, there is no need to talk about anything else. We are sad, but we are hopeful. These days will also pass. Our country will reach days where the rule of law and democracy prevail. This is our will, our effort, and our resistance.”