CHP's Tanrıkulu reads the ruling: Proof that İmamoğlu is being held in prison for political purposes

CHP Diyarbakır MP and Deputy Chair of the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Human Rights Investigation Commission, Sezgin Tanrıkulu, shed light on the detention status of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor and CHP's imprisoned presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu during his speech at the Turkish Grand National Assembly today regarding the DEM Party's group proposal, citing the ECHR Grand Chamber ruling on Selahattin Demirtaş.

Sezgin Tanrıkulu made the following statements in his speech:

"Article 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights prohibits, in summary, the following: It prohibits member states from using the rights and obligations in the convention against their citizens. This is essentially a moral article. And it is a criminal record for the contracting states. Therefore, it is the least violated article throughout its history. Who has violated it? States like Russia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Finally, Turkey was added to this list.

We became a party to the convention in 1988 and signed it. That is, for thirty years, Turkey did not see a violation of this article. It saw it for the first time with the Demirtaş ruling. Then Osman Kavala, then Figen Yüksekdağ and her friends, and finally Aysel Tuğluk.

Now, as a citizen, as a member of this parliament, I am ashamed. I am ashamed that Turkey has fallen into this state, that it has fallen into this state because of judges, that it has fallen into this state because of politicians.

That is why I will read it to you. Look, this is a sentence from the Tuğluk ruling: 'Although the detention was based on a seemingly legal justification, the justification was intended to suppress pluralism and limit political debate.' I am reading from the court ruling. Again from the court ruling, 'Instead of performing independent oversight, the judiciary acted in a manner consistent with the political goals of the executive, that is, you. For this reason, the court has stated that the judicial decisions are not isolated but systematic, meaning they have become part of a policy.' (Paragraph 170.)

Friends, these are documents of shame. I say this for those who understand. For those who understand.

Look, there is the Demirtaş ruling here. What does the court say in the Demirtaş ruling? It is telling you, not me. Why does it say this? Look, I am reading exactly: “The Court concludes that the purposes for which the authorities advanced the detention were merely a cover for a hidden political purpose, which is an indisputably serious issue in terms of democracy.” (Paragraph 104. Ruling date December 22, 2020, Grand Chamber Ruling.)

Friends, the high court that did these things, look, that made these findings, is the European Court of Human Rights. It did this for you. There are other paragraphs I can read. The same findings are also in the Osman Kavala ruling. The same findings are in the Figen Yüksekdağ ruling.

These are, in conclusion, proofs of what the judiciary has become, that it continues the same systematic violations today, and that it is holding a political opponent, Ekrem İmamoğlu, in prison for these purposes, for political purposes.

Tomorrow or the next day, these rulings will come again. But do you know what we are leaving as a legacy to our children? Your heavy political burden, your heavy political burden. These rulings are also the legacy of this state. To future generations. That is why our citizens are hopeless, the youth are hopeless. This really does not suit you. I say, do not carry the burden of this judiciary and do not conduct politics in this way. I offer my respects and love to you all."

News Source: 12punto