Erdoğan's 'jammer' response to Özgür Özel: 'I am not going to account for what devices are in my office!'

President Erdoğan, regarding the use of signal jammers by bodyguards at a meeting of IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been detained since March 23, and CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's remark, "If a jammer is operated for Erdoğan, it is operated for the future President for the same reason," said, "Our Minister of Interior has already given the best answer to this and stated that such a practice does not and cannot exist. I am certainly not going to account to Özgür Özel for what devices are in my own working office, in my own room. Taping cameras, dealing with such things, these kinds of behaviors are not in our book. We do not have such a practice, nor is there any need for it. Because we do not resort to such corruption," he said.

Regarding the taping of cameras by İmamoğlu's bodyguards, Erdoğan also said, "The CHP must explain to the nation what they are hiding behind the tapes again and what suspicious activities they are engaging in."

Regarding the IMM protests, Erdoğan stated, "They have lost their sense of judgment to the extent that they would not hesitate to set the country on fire to save themselves. Think about it, a political party—and we are talking about the main opposition party—is cooperating with illegal organizations to cover up corruption allegations, violating the Commercial Code, and furthermore, reaching a point that threatens national security!" 

President Erdoğan answered journalists' questions on the plane following his visit to Italy. 

QUESTION: There is footage in the İmamoğlu case. It is footage that Turkey has been discussing for 3-5 days. Two suitcases are being carried at a hotel entrance and cameras are being taped over. It is said that there are signal jammers inside the suitcases. This was naturally met with surprise. When people asked what this was, Republican People's Party Chairman Özgür Özel said that this was a very natural thing, that security cameras are taped over in hotels at every meeting he attends, and that security cameras are closed with tape in halls during meetings attended by ministers and even you. He said that jammers are used in the meetings of all state officials, that signal jammers are used, and therefore it is very natural for the mayor of Istanbul to both tape over cameras and use a jammer. Do you have cameras taped over when you go to hall meetings sometimes? Do you carry jammers in suitcases, or have them carried? Do our ministers tape over cameras, or have them taped over? Do they carry jammers?

"I AM NOT GOING TO ACCOUNT TO ÖZGÜR ÖZEL"

Erdoğan's response is as follows:

Our Minister of Interior has already given the best answer to this and stated that such a practice does not and cannot exist. However, the person at the head of the main opposition, believe me, if you asked him, “where is a jammer, what is it used for?”, he wouldn't even know. I am certainly not going to account to Özgür Özel for what devices are in my own working office, in my own room. Taping cameras, dealing with such things, these kinds of behaviors are not in our book. We do not have such a practice, nor is there any need for it. Because we do not resort to such corruption. What was carried in the suitcases there? Is that my business? Let them account for who brought what and took what with those suitcases. But they don't do it, they can't do it. They are in a panic. In this process, all allegations have been referred to the judiciary. You remember, in the past, newspapers would publish photos of those doing shameful things and put tape over their eyes. The CHP, the focus of shameful politics, must explain to the nation what they are hiding behind the tapes again and what suspicious activities they are engaging in. Furthermore, it has been clearly revealed by the statements of our security forces that the issue is not about security concerns.