BREAKING NEWS... Özgür Özel speaks in front of Silivri Prison: Sharp reaction to bargaining claims... 'Our candidate is Ekrem İmamoğlu'

A dawn operation was carried out yesterday morning targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB). Within the scope of the operation, 51 people were detained, including İSKİ General Manager Şafak Başa, İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s Chief of Staff Kadriye Kasapoğlu, and İSKİ Deputy General Manager Begüm Çelikdelen.

Following the developments, Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel canceled all his programs in Manisa and İzmir and arrived in Istanbul urgently. Özel visited CHP's presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is being held at Silivri Prison, along with other detained İBB officials.

The highlights of the press statement made by Özel are as follows:

I just left Ümit Özdağ. We evaluated the indictment. The indictment is completely empty; it has no substance. He is not detained for this file, but he is detained for the file dated June 11, and he expects to be released there, as do we. We advocate for the removal of a great shame in terms of the country's democracy.

Erdoğan should be the one most saddened by the treatment of Ümit Özdağ. I must express that the detentions of Selahattin Demirtaş, Figen Yüksekdağ, and Ümit Özdağ are a shame for all of us, and their freedom is a common demand for all of us.

In our meeting with Mr. Ekrem, we made very important evaluations regarding all of Turkey's issues and national policies. However, we also chatted about the situation we are in today. Our common point with Mr. Ekrem is this: if anyone has declared war on nepotism and cronyism in politics in this country, one is Ekrem İmamoğlu and the other is Özgür Özel.

''THERE IS NO REVENGE FOR THIS IN OUR BOOK''

A process is being carried out with such rhetoric that if there are those who show sensitivity to family, they are on this side, and those who deal with family are on the other side. Even in war, they do not touch spouses and children. If a spouse has committed a crime as an individual, that is another matter; but you will put a spouse on trial, keep them in Silivri, and then send them to another prison. Then, because she is his spouse, you will detain the lady while her small child is at home. This is dealing with the family, dealing with a small child. Dealing with children and spouses is cowardly! There is no revenge for this in our book.

''We will carry out our work at the Istanbul Provincial Headquarters tomorrow. We will follow Ümit Özdağ's hearing at the Çağlayan Courthouse on Tuesday, and the hearing of our Youth Branch Chairman Cem Aydın at the courtroom in Silivri on Wednesday. We will be in the squares with the laborers on Thursday, May 1st."

EVERYONE SHOULD COME TO THEIR SENSES

Our candidate is Ekrem İmamoğlu. Everyone should come to their senses. Just as Mr. Tayyip is afraid of Mr. Ekrem and puts him inside, Mr. Akın is also afraid of the lawyers. Nothing came out of the MASAK reports. All allegations were refuted. That is why he started dealing with the lawyers. I am addressing all judges and prosecutors in Turkey. Turkey is going through shameful times. I thank all prosecutors who are loyal to their position.

News Source: 12punto