Breaking News: Özgür Özel's statement on the CHP convention investigation: 'Some fell for this game...'

Speaking about the investigation launched into the CHP's 38th convention, CHP leader Özgür Özel said, "They had a petition filed by a deranged person. The file is empty; there is no evidence, no documents, no witnesses. Now they are trying to invent secret witnesses." Özel also reacted to reports in pro-government media.

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Breaking News: Özgür Özel's statement on the CHP convention investigation: 'Some fell for this game...'

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel spoke at the opening of the Geothermal Welcome Center in Manisa.

On Özel's agenda was the convention investigation launched against his party following AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's remarks about a 'dubious convention'.

Stating that "Our party is under an ugly attack," Özel said, "They had a petition filed by a deranged person. The file is empty; there is no evidence, no documents, no witnesses. Now they are trying to invent secret witnesses."

Emphasizing that there is no concrete evidence, Özel reacted by saying, "But Tayyip Erdoğan keeps telling me every 3 months, 'Answer for the dubious convention.' He is trying to drag us into a septic tank. We will not fall into that dirty pit."

REACTION TO PRO-GOVERNMENT MEDIA

Özel also reacted to reports in media outlets close to the government regarding the convention investigation.

Stating, "We did not fall for this game," Özel added, "Some did, and now they are trying to slander and insult us with headlines in their pro-government press."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had summoned Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Akif Hamzaçebi to testify as witnesses regarding allegations that "votes were cast in exchange for money on the day of the convention" during the CHP's 38th Ordinary Convention held on November 4-5, 2023.

In a statement from the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was noted that following a report made to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding "votes being cast in exchange for money" at the CHP convention in Ankara, the documents were sent to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office with a decision of lack of jurisdiction, and an investigation was subsequently launched in January 2024.

ERDOĞAN HAD CALLED IT A "DUBIOUS CONVENTION"

Following the launch of the investigation, the remarks of AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who said, "They ousted 'Bay Kemal' from the party with a dubious convention," came to mind.

KILIÇDAROĞLU: IF THERE IS SOMETHING, THE PARTY MUST BE PURIFIED OF FILTH

CHP's 7th Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu had previously said regarding Erdoğan's 'dubious convention' remarks: "This bothers me. It should also bother the party's administrators. I don't know what Erdoğan means. I don't know the reason why Erdoğan is coming down so hard on the party and the party management, and I have difficulty understanding why the party remains so silent. This bothers me. The CHP is a party with over 100 years of history. There is never any filth in any CHP convention. This can be interpreted in many ways. What is the doubt? They should either 'come out and explain' or say 'there is no such thing.' It's that simple. The addressee is the party management; they must make a clear and explicit statement. If you don't, well, silence implies consent, which means there is something else going on here. If there is something, the party must absolutely be purified of filth."

News Source: 12punto