Özgür Özel calls out to Tarkan: 'Kocaeli expects support for Kartepe from Tarkan too'

The 91st of the 'Standing Up for the National Will' rallies, which began following the imprisonment of CHP's presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, is taking place today in Kocaeli.

Before CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's speech, a letter written by presidential candidate and IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu from Silivri Prison, where he is being held, was read.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel is speaking at the rally site.

Özel's statements are as follows:

'The wind has turned, it is blowing from the workers, from the workers. The north wind that will scatter the smoke has begun. It means spring is near, the season has wintered like this. This storm is worth the calm seas of tomorrow. The wind has turned, it is blowing from the workers, from the workers.

I greet this beautiful square with respect in the capital of labor, in the capital of sweat, in the capital of solidarity and brotherhood; welcome, all of you. Hello to the greenery of Kocaeli, my dear Kocaeli, hello to its sea. Hello to all the democrats of Kocaeli who fill this square; who are from every viewpoint but who stand up for their will, stand up for whom they elected, stand up for the ballot box, and stand on the side of rights, law, and justice.

In a place like Kocaeli, where the most tax per capita is collected, for example, they haven't finished a single metro line for 5 terms; they are incapable of finishing a metro. I made a comparison regarding this to the Justice and Development Party; it both pleased the city very much and annoyed the AK Party members. I went to Trabzon, just like this; the municipality has been in the hands of the AK Party for 5 terms, there is not a single metro. I said, 'How is this possible? How is this possible?' A person from Trabzon in Istanbul is building 10 metro lines; in Trabzon, four are members of parliament, four are ministers, one is the metropolitan municipality, one is the Ortahisar municipality, 10 AK Party members haven't been able to build a single metro.'

'KOCAELI EXPECTS SUPPORT FOR KARTEPE FROM TARKAN TOO'

'Kocaelis should not forget those who cannot build a single metro here, who receive so many votes but turn their backs on the city. There is so much empty land in the city, yet they have decided to build houses on agricultural lands in a place like Kartepe.

We are saying this all together to Kartepe: We are behind the people of Kartepe, the environment, and nature. We will not allow the AK Party to ruin Kartepe just to keep a promise made to a crony. Keep up the struggle, we are with you, we are behind you, we will resist to the end.'

In his speech, Özel called out to the jimmy jib operator, saying, 'I know you are listening to Tarkan. I love Tarkan very much too, our team loves him too, but shoot this area again. Play 'Oynama Şıkıdım Şıkıdım' on the side, give us the music. We will not let Kartepe become 'Kansertepe' (Cancer-hill) and Izmit become 'Kanserovası' (Cancer-plain). I hope Tarkan hears this too, and I hope Tarkan sends some support to Kartepe this evening. A huge round of applause for Tarkan. He returned after years, he is putting on wonderful concerts. He has great respect for Atatürk, he loves this country, he loves its nature. Kocaeli expects support for Kartepe from Tarkan too.'

HE CALLED OUT TO ERDOĞAN: YOU WILL SOON GET OFF THE NATION'S BACK

Regarding the 'Government resign' chants, Özel noted the following:

'You are inviting the President of the country, that is, the head of the executive, to resign. Are you right? You are right to the end. Why? Because he says, 'I know,' he says, 'I am the one responsible, me.' Then you are also responsible for Dilovası, you are also responsible for what is happening on the other side in Gebze; you are also responsible for all this hunger, absence, poverty, unemployment, the lack of water here, and the power outages. And there is no possibility left for Turkey to be saved from any of these; before getting rid of Tayyip Erdoğan.

Look, actually, could you be being unfair to Mr. Erdoğan? But he is a record-holder, he has five medals, I swear he does, he has five medals. The Turkey he governs is number one in Europe in poverty, number one in Europe in high inflation, number one in Europe in high interest rates, number one in Europe in unemployment, and number one in Europe in income and tax injustice. Five medals, he has hung them all around his neck; five black medals around his neck, but I am calling out to him from here; if the squares, if the squares all over Turkey are demanding ballot boxes, demanding elections, and groaning for resignation, you will soon get off the back of this nation!'

'WHAT KIND OF SEAT CALCULATION IS BEING FULFILLED'

İmamoğlu wrote the following in his letter:

My beautiful people of beautiful Kocaeli with big hearts, precious ladies, respected gentlemen, brave youth, smiling children; I greet each of you with respect, love, and longing, and I embrace you with all my heart. I thank my precious provincial chairman Erdem Arcan, who represents the strong will of our organization that brought us together today. May our month of Ramadan be blessed. I hope Ramadan fills our souls with love, patience, and tolerance. I wish it brings abundance to your homes and your businesses.

Unfortunately, everyone all over our country is complaining about the lack of abundance. Both those who earn little and those who earn much are looking for those old, abundant days. This government, which has exhausted its energy and has no respect or love left for the nation, is driving away the country's abundance. They have moved so far away from justice and virtue that none of their actions are for the benefit of the citizens. There are two keys to the door of abundance: Effort and Justice. If you do not show effort and do not act justly, there will be no abundance in any of your work. Your power and your wealth will bring no benefit to you or anyone else.

The government is in exactly this situation. It has no energy, enthusiasm, or staff left to show effort to solve the country's problems. They have moved so far away from the nation, they have been so defeated by arrogance and ambition, that they have completely lost their conscience and sense of justice. They are no longer in office to solve the country's problems; they are only after business. They are after dirty and dark dealings to protect their seats.

Because they know they can never win an election under democratic conditions, they are trying to obtain what they want by putting pressure on the national will and through bullying. There is no other politician in our democratic history who is so afraid of entering a fair election race with their opponent. This country has not seen another administrator who abuses all the state's resources so much to eliminate their opponent.

This mind, which bans my social media accounts, my voice, and my image, is now trying to isolate me completely in the dungeon. Since the new Minister of Justice took office, they have not allowed members of parliament to visit me. They are trying to introduce regulations that will make it difficult for lawyers to visit their detained clients, solely for the purpose of isolating me.

In this regime they call the Presidential Government System, ministers are not ministers of the state and the nation, but only of one person. And this one person's Minister of Justice has personally taken on every kind of supporting role in the farce of judging me and my friends.

I am calling out to the person who writes and directs this farce of a trial: You were also tried in the past. You were tried without being arrested for even a single day, as a defendant, with all your rights respected. You were neither threatened with your family nor was your meeting with members of parliament or your lawyers prevented. On that day, the requirements of the law were fulfilled for you. Today, for what political project, for what seat calculation are the requirements being fulfilled for me and my friends?

My dear brothers and sisters; governments that move away from law and democracy also move away from the nation. Because law and democracy are the guarantee of the nation's justice and freedom. Law and democracy are the guarantee of a humane life and a secure future. That ballot box, which they try to ignore and disregard by turning a deaf ear to the nation's demands, will be established, and we will stand up for the law, democracy, and the republic as a nation.

Turkey will never again be one of those oppressive regimes where those seeking their rights are suppressed and persecuted through the judiciary. Turkey will never again be one of those merciless regimes where shameful injustice in income distribution is experienced.

We will establish a humane and fair order under the guarantee of law and democracy. Our longing as a nation for peace, prosperity, and happiness will end. From now on, only justice, freedom, abundance, and prosperity, unity and brotherhood will prevail in these lands.

Everything will be very beautiful.'

Ekrem İmamoğlu, Silivri Prison.