Police Chief's 'My friend, my buddy' greeting: AKP District Chair pins ranks on police officers

One of the 2025 police promotion ceremonies held across Turkey took place in Trabzon. However, the celebratory atmosphere of the event was overshadowed by a scene that pushed the boundaries of political representation. At the ceremony organized by the Trabzon Police Department, it drew attention that AKP Ortahisar District Chair Seyit Hisoğlu took the stage to pin ranks on police officers.

According to the report by Evren Demirdaş from Sözcü, during the ceremony held on June 19, Police Chief Murat Esertürk took the podium and greeted the protocol members. During this time, Esertürk's remarks addressing the AKP's Hisoğlu as "my friend, my buddy," followed by Hisoğlu's active participation in the ceremony, became a trending topic on social media.

Trabzon Governor Aziz Yıldırım, representatives of public institutions, and representatives of some political parties also attended the ceremony.

SHARP REACTION FROM CHP: "THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF A PARTY-STATE"

Making a sharp statement regarding the issue, CHP Trabzon Provincial Chair Mustafa Bak argued that what happened was a result of the AKP's policy of turning the state into a party-state. Bak used the following expressions:

"This picture is the clearest indicator that the AKP has turned the state into a party-state. Can a law enforcement officer who receives their rank from the hands of an AKP politician carry out their duties independently and impartially? Those who planned this ceremony and those who turned a blind eye to it must be held accountable."

"This mentality is at the root of the injustices, polarization, and lack of trust experienced in the country today. The AKP has turned the state into a tool for its own party. It has built its staff based on loyalty, not merit. Institutions that should remain neutral, such as the police, the judiciary, and the bureaucracy, have become partisan."