Where will the CHP be on May 1st? Özel explains the 'Taksim' detail

Speaking to YetkinReport by phone while traveling from Manisa to Istanbul to meet with Ekrem İmamoğlu at Silivri Prison after canceling his weekend programs following the latest wave of detentions targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Özel said, "It would not have been right for me to be at the Festival while a new wave of detentions is being carried out in Istanbul."

Özgür Özel responded to questions regarding the developments as follows:

WHY DID HE CANCEL HIS WEEKEND PROGRAMS?

“We won the Manisa Municipality for the first time. This is the first time a CHP mayor is organizing the Mesir Festival, and I attached great importance to attending it; it is a 500-year-old festival. But circumstances required it; I am sad that for the first time since my childhood, I will not be attending the Mesir Festival. It would not have been right for me to be at the Festival while a new wave of detentions is being carried out in Istanbul. Tomorrow, there was also the opening of the 4th Phase Treatment Plant for the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality's Gulf cleanup and an inspection visit to the ships cleaning the gulf; we had to cancel that as well.

Actually, we had a meeting scheduled with Mayor Ekrem on Wednesday. We were going to talk about the earthquake. We were going to talk about Kanal Istanbul and the allegations of unproven evidence. However, when new detentions took place on Saturday morning (April 26), we felt it was necessary to have a face-to-face assessment, although we have been communicating through lawyers.

IN KADIKÖY ON MAY 1ST

We will have a busy schedule in Istanbul. On Tuesday, we will be at Mr. Ümit Özdağ's hearing with our deputies, and on Wednesday, we will be with our Youth Branch President Cem Aydın...

We held a rally in Saraçhane for a week. Then we crossed the bridge and started to open up to Anatolia. After the Maltepe rally, it became five with Samsun, Yozgat, Ankara, and Mersin. It will continue. On Wednesday, we will have a rally in the Kanal Istanbul region, probably in Bahçeşehir.

Thursday is May 1st. Unless there is a last-minute change, I will be in Kadıköy with DİSK, KESK, TMMOB, and TTB. But we will also participate in the Türk-İş rally as the CHP. If the unions had said Taksim, we would have said Taksim. May 1st is Labor and Solidarity Day, Workers' Day. It would not be right for a political party to steal the role from labor unions. That is why we said Kadıköy.

51 PEOPLE DETAINED

About two weeks ago, the pro-government press first said 100 more people would be taken, then it dropped to 50; as a matter of fact, 53 detention warrants were issued on Saturday morning; perhaps they are preparing another fifty.

Detention operations can now happen on Saturday mornings; out of concern that the stock market is closed and markets will be less affected.

This is the fourth phase. The first phase was trying to produce evidence with secret witnesses codenamed plane tree, spruce, and oak; it didn't stick. The second phase was to find pro-government witnesses from contractors who worked with the İBB during the AK Party era and are now bidding for ministry tenders. Things came out like they heard it happened. The third phase was to obtain confessions or slander from existing defendants through pressure, threats, and blackmail. For example, they take them to the prosecutor's office under the guise of a doctor's examination. When they ask for their lawyer, they say, “You can't talk comfortably with your lawyer present, give the statement we want, 'Get out of here and go home',” saying things like, “Ekrem will get out, you won't, you won't see your child for 10 years.” Prosecutors are interrogating everyone without a lawyer; it is completely lawless. One effective remorse statement emerged, but there is nothing in it that links to Mayor Ekrem. Now the fourth phase, they will try with 50 new people. They are going crazy as they cannot find evidence.

“WE ARE NOT BEGGING FOR İMAMOĞLU’S FREEDOM”

A figure close to the MHP leader made serious allegations, and a mild denial came from the MHP a few days late under heavy provocation from the AK Party front. We know the harsh expressions, insults, and heavy tone they used in a real denial.

We are on the same page regarding early elections. Turkey must go to elections as soon as possible. We are also on the same page regarding İmamoğlu's candidacy. Whether our presidential candidate is inside or outside, our candidate is Ekrem İmamoğlu. He no longer even has the right to withdraw from candidacy; the public wants to see him as a candidate. We are not taking a step back.

From the very beginning, we have been saying that he should be tried without arrest, and even that the hearings should be broadcast live. Yesterday in Mersin, I challenged Erdoğan to a political duel, although I don't think he will come.

There is no bargaining or anything like that. I am not in a position to go and beg Erdoğan for early elections or İmamoğlu's freedom. Is there any bargaining for democracy or freedom? I am doing what is expected of me. What is expected of me is to travel from city to city, square to square, and tell the people the truth. We will continue to do that.”