Yeni Akit targets İmamoğlu: 'Sülün Osman' comparison

Ali Karahasanoğlu, a columnist for the pro-government newspaper Yeni Akit, criticized the release requests based on health grounds made by politicians arrested as part of corruption investigations into CHP municipalities in his column today. Without naming him, Karahasanoğlu targeted Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, claiming that he was making statements to discourage confessors.

Reacting to İmamoğlu's social media call, "Protect your honor, your children... Do not sign the fabricated slander documents knowing they are fake," Karahasanoğlu described this statement as a "perception operation conducted to suppress confessions."

"WHAT ARE THOSE FORCED TO GIVE FALSE STATEMENTS LEAVING FOR THEIR CHILDREN?"

Karahasanoğlu included the following statements in his column:

"They portray everyone who tells the truth as people who sign false statements to protect their children. But can one give a false statement to protect their children? If Ekrem Bey is being slandered, this would be contrary to both law and morality."

Reminding readers of İmamoğlu's messages that he would "ruin the lives" of those who slander him in the future, Karahasanoğlu argued that this approach was an attempt to exert pressure on confessors.

"SOON HE WILL SAY 'I AM SICK'"

Claiming that CHP mayoral candidates used public resources during their election campaigns, Karahasanoğlu stated that the same individuals are now requesting release by citing health problems after entering prison.

"SÜLÜN OSMAN" COMPARISON FOR İMAMOĞLU

Karahasanoğlu concluded his column with a "Sülün Osman" comparison directed at İmamoğlu. He criticized the İBB Mayor and presidential candidate with the words, "When Sülün Osman could not prevent the confessions, he began to portray them as slander. Thus, he is trying to gain time."