Tent set up in support of Ümit Özdağ dismantled by gendarmerie at night

The tent set up by Victory Party members across from Silivri Prison to support Chairman Ümit Özdağ was dismantled by gendarmerie teams at midnight following a decision by the Istanbul Governor's Office.

Following the arrest of Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ, party members had begun a vigil by setting up a tent in front of the Marmara Penal Execution Institution. On the 5th day of the vigil, the Istanbul Governor's Office ordered that the tent set up in front of the prison be removed and relocated 1 kilometer away from its current position.

"WE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL OUR CHAIRMAN IS RELEASED"

Making a statement on the matter last night, Victory Party General Administrative Board (GİK) member Mehmet Akif Cenkci said, "We, as Victory Party members, will continue our vigil in the tent we set up in front of Silivri Prison until our Chairman, Professor Doctor Ümit Özdağ, is released. However, the Istanbul Governor just reached out to prison officials via WhatsApp and demanded the immediate removal of this tent. This information was conveyed to us by the gendarmerie. We rented this land by paying for it ourselves. And we set up our tent here. We will continue our vigil here by taking turns with all our fellow organization members until our Chairman is released. What the Governor wants to implement here is for us to disperse to our homes. Mr. Governor, we will not leave here. We will continue our vigil here with our fellow fighters until our Chairman is released".

GENDARMERIE DISMANTLED IT AT MIDNIGHT

While Victory Party members were continuing their wait, gendarmerie teams arrived at the area where the tent was located, formed a barrier with shields, and dismantled the tent at midnight around 24:00 as the vigil entered its 6th day. The party members' wait in front of the prison continues.