Imprisoned Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel issues a challenge with a polling proposal

Imprisoned Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel challenged Aydın Metropolitan Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu, who switched to the AKP, in an April 23 letter he wrote from Silivri Prison. Mayor Günel's letter was shared on his social media account.

In his letter, Günel stated that even in an environment in Silivri where there are no costs for rent, heating, water, or transportation, 20,000 TL barely covers expenses, highlighting the situation of citizens receiving the minimum pension. He expressed that they were imprisoned as CHP mayors because they practiced social municipalism and shared in the poverty of the people.

Lashing out at Özlem Çerçioğlu, who switched from the CHP to the AKP, by referring to her as "the bad one in Aydın" without naming her, Günel recalled allegations that Çerçioğlu had dismissed a municipal manager due to a 17 percent approval rating that had been reflected in the public eye.

Günel described the act of blaming municipal staff for low poll results as "comical," stating, "You and your hitmen will pay that price in the conscience of the nation."

A POLLING PROPOSAL FROM ÖMER GÜNEL THAT WILL BE MUCH DISCUSSED

Continuing his letter, Ömer Günel stated that Çerçioğlu manages public perception through "fake polling firms" and "trolls," and issued a challenge that is set to be widely discussed.

Proposing that a real survey be conducted by Turkey's three most reputable polling firms, Günel made the following offer to Çerçioğlu:

"Come on, let's have a survey conducted by Turkey's 3 most reputable firms. You don't like to give money, you like to take it; we will pay for it. Are you in? Do you have the heart for the results? Do you have a heart, or is it all just stomach?"

Arguing that the names of those who facilitate injustice and lawlessness will not be remembered throughout history, Günel called for a reckoning based on the reality of poll results.

The full text of Ömer Günel's letter is as follows:

My dear fellow citizens, colleagues, companions, dear children, little friends, friends who came from other cities to support me,

Hello to you all,

After 41 days, I hugged my wife and my older son Ada for the second time, and my younger son Rüzgar Ali for the first time. It was April 23. Children's Day, National Sovereignty and Children's Day.

What a great contradiction and tragedy it was that it was the holiday of our children, who were separated from their fathers and mothers, in a process where the national will is ignored and elected officials are imprisoned on simple slanders. But I celebrated their holiday by hugging my children tightly. Because what was wrong was not that great day declared a holiday. It was those who ignore the Republic and its fundamental principles of democracy and the rule of law today. In spite of them, I smiled and hugged my children even tighter.

Happy holiday!

You too, hold on tightly to the Republic, do not get used to injustice! Do not get used to lies, do not get used to poverty, because getting used to it is the most dangerous drug. I read 6 newspapers every day in Silivri, I watch the news.

I am witnessing my country's test with justice, just like you. It is impossible to speak of the existence of justice in a country where rules are not applied correctly, and where rules are applied according to the person by politicians and their hitmen. We cannot speak of economic prosperity in a country where there is no trust in justice.

Today, even in Silivri, you can barely get by on 20,000 TL;

Heating is free - no rent.

Water is free.

There is no transportation cost, as we are between 4 walls.

There is no socializing at all, I cannot treat anyone to anything. There is no internet, the cost is zero.

2 sets of clothes are enough, no need for more.

I don't pay for books, thanks to my friends. And there is a library.

Minimum food and drink, canteen shopping (fruit, tea-coffee, cheese, vegetables).

Since the weekly spending limit is 5,000 TL, 20,000 TL a month is just enough.

So what are my fellow citizens in Kuşadası who receive a 20,000 TL pension doing? In this order that has been reached, you are imprisoned outside and we are inside. Why are we imprisoned? Because we shared your poverty with our social municipal services. Because we were good and did good. Who was disturbed? Primarily the bad one in Aydın and her hitmen.

Well, you imprisoned us, me, but were you able to break our bond of affection with the nation? No. Well, with 17 percent, do you have any bond of affection left with the nation? No. You blamed the 17 percent on the heartless person next to you; you are comical, comical. You and your hitmen will pay that price in the conscience of the nation, in the sight of God.

While I'm at it, let me say this; those who have rented out their minds to the bad one in Aydın should know that they will not be valuable. Those who are instruments of injustice and lawlessness in pursuit of position and rank, your names will not be remembered either by that bad one or by the nation.

To the bad one who has surveys done by fake polling firms and makes her trolls shout "I haven't fallen, I'm standing"; come on, let's have a survey conducted by Turkey's 3 most reputable firms. You don't like to give money, you like to take it; we will pay for it. Are you in? Do you have the heart for the results? Do you have a heart, or is it all just stomach?

Ataşehir Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel, who received the majority of the nation's votes, is being imprisoned with slanders; the Eşme Mayor's head is being stepped on by police; all judicial controls on Aziz İhsan Aktaş, the contractor the bad one in Aydın works with the most, are being lifted; the bad one in Aydın is acquitted and shamelessly lectures everyone around.

Our children are being slaughtered with guns in Kahramanmaraş; the Balıkesir Kepsut District Director of National Education shares a post with a gun in his hand and says "we must be ready." What will an educator be ready for with a gun?!

Miners who want the reward for their sweat by writing "we are hungry, we are naked" on their bare bodies are being detained for stripping. The governor of the state, whose duty is to protect the city and look after the people, is being imprisoned for killing and destroying Gülistan. Oh my country, oh my law!

By the way, in my country where the principle of the rule of law is trampled underfoot, the presumption of innocence is ignored, and the principle of judicial independence is not discussed; the representatives of the defense profession, the 3rd pillar of the judiciary, are nowhere to be seen. I saw the President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations twice in the news in 42 days:

A visit to Anıtkabir

A visit to Akbelen resistance fighter Esma Işık.

Where are you, Mr. President of the Bar Associations, where are you, presidents of the 81 provincial bar associations? If you are not going to speak now, if you are not going to appear before the nation now, when will you? You wrote in the book at Anıtkabir, "we will never leave our citizens alone in their search for rights, we will continue the struggle." You wrote the words, but what about the action? Is this all you are going to do regarding a process where the law is ignored, and the independent judiciary and legal principles are trampled underfoot?

Dear friends,

These days will surely pass; the darkness will disperse in the face of the determination and faith of the nation, of you. But we will not forget the silence of our friends.

Do not lose your hope and faith. Because there is nothing more powerful than a small hope.

Hoping to meet in freedom and labor.

ÖMER GÜNEL

Silivri 24.04.2026