Breaking News... He had been expelled from the party: Former AKP MP detained

Former AKP İzmir MP Hüseyin Kocabıyık has been detained. Kocabıyık was detained on charges of insulting President Erdoğan.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

On April 11, 2025, former İzmir MP Hüseyin Kocabıyık, who was expelled from the AKP after using the phrase "You staged a coup against yourself" in reference to AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding the imprisonment process of Ekrem İmamoğlu, made statements regarding the current agenda.

Speaking to İklim Öngel from the Cumhuriyet newspaper, Kocabıyık said, "The AK Party distributes something to everyone. They gave me something too. They had made my wife a governor. At that time, two minister friends called me and joked, 'How we nailed you by your feet.' They took it back because I objected to certain things. This is the system. That's why they are silent."

Regarding the statements that led to his expulsion from the AKP, Kocabıyık used the expression, "Whatever kind of coup was staged against Tayyip Erdoğan on February 28, the same is being done to Ekrem İmamoğlu."

Kocabıyık said the following:

"What made Tayyip Bey a historical political figure were the things that happened to him and were brought upon him on February 28. In other words, they staged a coup against him to block his path. This coup carried him to the prime ministry and to where he is today. Now, he is doing something even worse than what was done to him back then to his opponent. I made that statement with great sadness. Whether you like Tayyip Erdoğan or not, he could have taken his place as a very important figure in our political history. But the politics he has pursued in recent times are destroying his entire legend. I fear that if it continues like this, he will not leave behind a very brilliant biography for history."

HE REMINDED OF ERDOĞAN'S WORDS IN 2001

Stating that he had also shown reaction for Osman Kavala in the past, Kocabıyık said, "You are not punishing Osman Kavala; you are hanging the Turkish judiciary. Look, let me say this as someone who has studied political history; those who make these unlawful decisions will one day definitely be judged by an independent and impartial judiciary. It is that clear."

Reminding that Erdoğan used the phrase "In our era, the judiciary will not be used as a tool for punishment" in a speech he gave in 2001, Kocabıyık continued his speech as follows:

"I said, 'The judiciary is being used for politics. Do not do this. Mr. President, you should prevent this.' After this call of mine, no one asked me, 'My friend, why did you say such a thing,' but they immediately tried to hit me through my wife. They supposedly punished me."

"THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING FOR THE DISSENTER TO LOSE"

Saying, "I wouldn't want to say this, but unfortunately the system was set up that way," Kocabıyık continued his words as follows:

"Everyone was somehow drawn into a relationship of interest with the state. I mean, someone's wife, someone's daughter, someone's son, son-in-law, grandchild... The AK Party distributes something to everyone. They gave me something too. As a matter of fact, they took it back because I objected to certain things. They had made my wife a governor. At that time, two minister friends called me and joked, 'How we nailed you by your feet.' This is the system. There is always something for the dissenter to lose. That's why they are silent; one has put their grandchild to work, another's son-in-law is getting a tender. Should they ruin their lives? The man is silent."

"ADVISORS DO NOT HAVE AS MUCH INFLUENCE AS IS SAID"

Stating that the advisors working in the Palace do a different job than the consultancy of past years, Kocabıyık said, "We did not get involved in matters that were not our duty and were beyond our capacity. We would prepare files regarding Turkey's important problems and present them to the leaders. That is how consultancy works. Now a new type of advisor has been invented. They use the Palace's prestige, phone, and vehicle, receive a good salary, deal with matters outside of consultancy, and encourage the president to use more autocratic tools."

Stating that the advisors are trying to steer Erdoğan, Kocabıyık said, "Those who know Tayyip Erdoğan closely know that he is not someone who will easily change direction based on someone else's guidance. His own world and logic are decisive. Therefore, Erdoğan always has the final say. Advisors do not have as much influence as is said."

"ERDOĞAN CANNOT BE A CANDIDATE UNTIL İMAMOĞLU IS RELEASED"

Stating that "there is a category in our political life called 'Devlet Bey's surprises'," Kocabıyık claimed that Bahçeli could call for an early election at any moment.

Stating that there is only one condition for Erdoğan's candidacy once again, Hüseyin Kocabıyık said, "Erdoğan cannot be a candidate until İmamoğlu is released. They are connected to each other."

Kocabıyık said the following:

"An election held before İmamoğlu is released from prison would not be legitimate. Because you have taken an ambitious candidate, behind whom there are millions, and thrown him into prison, liquidating him through the judiciary. No one believes the corruption allegations. If İmamoğlu is released, perhaps some constitutional problems regarding Erdoğan's candidacy can be overcome.

In the 2002 elections, why did Deniz Baykal lift Erdoğan's political ban? Everyone should think about this again today. Because the CHP chairman, political science associate professor Deniz Baykal, saw after the November 3 Elections that a system in which Erdoğan was not included would have no legitimacy. In a democracy, if your opponent is blocked unfairly and unlawfully, your own legitimacy also becomes questionable."