CHP Youth Branch official arrested, Özel reacts

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel reacted to the arrest of CHP Kadıköy Youth Branch member Bilge Kağan Şarbat in a statement on his social media account.

Özel stated the following:

"The AK Party's dark order! In this country, those who are not ashamed to pay tens of millions of workers a minimum wage below the hunger threshold are also not ashamed to arrest the young people who protest this cruelty. Our Youth Branch member Bilge Kağan Şarbat was arrested in Kadıköy, Istanbul, for protesting the minimum wage. A bright young man of only 19, who was accepted to Boğaziçi University this year, has been thrown into prison for saying 'there is no salvation alone' and defending the rights of the working class. I spoke with Kağan and his family immediately after the arrest decision; his health and morale are quite good. We will stand behind him and by his family's side. Let it be known that this nation will no longer remain silent. The youth of this country will resist everywhere, but they will never surrender!!!"

Against the setting of the minimum wage below the hunger threshold, the CHP Kadıköy Youth Branch organized a protest last night with the slogan "We want a humane life, not a starvation wage!" CHP Kadıköy Youth Branch member Bilge Kaan Şarbat was detained following the protest. Having spent the night at the police station, Şarbat was brought to the Kartal Anatolian Courthouse at 10:30 AM. An arrest warrant was issued for Şarbat, who was referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace by the prosecutor's office with a request for his arrest.