Statement from Ahmet Özer on Ekrem İmamoğlu: They met before he left prison

Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, a member of the CHP who was released yesterday, spoke at the Republican People's Party (CHP) Esenyurt District Headquarters. In his speech, Özer thanked CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and DEM Party Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan.

Highlights from Ahmet Özer's speech are as follows:

"What did anyone gain from me being inside for a year? This is not a personal matter for me. I experienced sadness inside. A peace process has begun. There are those who pay these prices inside so that we may live in a better environment. We knew why we were inside, so I did not suffer great distress. Our esteemed Chairman Özgür Özel never left us alone. DEM Party Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan came to visit us. I thank them all.

Even though I have regained my freedom today, I am experiencing a bittersweet happiness. I hope Turkey operates democracy with all its institutions. This is the logic of the peace process we are going through. Look at the winners in history; they achieved this through unity. We need this as well. First, we need to be united among ourselves, and then with society. I never let the trust the people of Esenyurt placed in me fall to the ground. You trusted me, and I cared about two things. The people of Esenyurt trusted me, and I will not let their trust go to waste. Secondly, as it happened, I became a professor who studied in this society. Let us make a difference so that the Auntie Ayshes and Uncle Mehmets of Esenyurt can say that education is a good thing, and that we should educate our children too. The essential thing is not the position or the office. It is to have a place in the hearts of my people.

I am not very happy or joyful. I am experiencing a bittersweet joy because we left half of our hearts inside. There are many mayors inside, starting with our Mayor Ekrem. There are journalists. We have friends there because of Gezi Park. There is Osman Kavala, there is Can Atalay. We have our municipal council members and bureaucrats. Therefore, freedom is the most beautiful thing in the world, but if even one person is not free, none of us are free.

We happened to run into Mayor Ekrem as I was leaving. He said he was very happy and joyful. I told him, 'Mr. Mayor, I am not that happy or joyful. I am leaving here, but I am leaving half of my heart behind.' He said, 'Be that as it may, your release is extremely important because you were the first to enter, and your release has been a great morale boost for us. Give my regards to all our friends and companions.'"