Statement from Buğra Gökçe: We are honest people, we live on our civil servant salaries

Istanbul Planning Agency President Buğra Gökçe thanked those who offered him assistance following his interview with 12punto via his social media account.

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Statement from Buğra Gökçe: We are honest people, we live on our civil servant salaries

Istanbul Planning Agency President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Buğra Gökçe, who has been imprisoned at Marmara Prison in Silivri since March 23, 2025, as part of an operation targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, had answered questions from 12punto and made statements to the public.

In the interview, Gökçe stated, “I say with honor and pride that I am experiencing financial difficulties during my time in prison. Because we are people who live on a salary. I am in financial distress because my salary has been seized. My father told me, ‘Son, never touch the public treasury.’ I have never touched the public treasury,” expressing the hardships he has been facing.

Following the interview, Buğra Gökçe made a new post regarding the offers of assistance he received, stating, “I thank everyone who showed sensitivity to the matter.” Gökçe indicated that he was not in a difficult situation, noting, “Thank God, my family and I are getting by on our own means. We are standing tall.”

Here is that post by Buğra Gökçe:

Information: // One of my statements the other day went a bit beyond my intent.

We are honest people, we live on our civil servant salaries.

Judges, using almost template decisions, issued “pretrial detention” orders not only for me but also for my fellow travelers.

When a pretrial detention order is issued, the majority of salaries are cut.

The budgets of many families are affected by this. There are those with new children, those raising children, those helping their families; hundreds of families are also facing a heavy financial burden.

Our honest friends are facing such a situation due to the slanders leveled against them.

I wanted to express this,

That judges who make decisions “in the name of the nation” should truly make decisions in the name of the nation,

That they should apply pretrial detention very sensitively, as an exception,

And that people are both losing their freedom and being subjected to other irreparable material and moral damages.

Thank God, my family and I are getting by on our own means. We are standing tall.

While thanking everyone who showed sensitivity to the matter,

I would like to remind you that all proceeds from the book “Millete Emanet” (Entrusted to the Nation) by dear Haluk Hepkon and Yavuz Oğhan will be transferred to the students who were victims on March 19.

We will succeed with solidarity, love, and by holding hands.

Our nation will win, Turkey will win!

?? Information: // One of my statements the other day went a bit beyond my intent.

We are honest people, we live on our civil servant salaries.

Judges, using almost template decisions, issued “pretrial detention” orders not only for me but also for my fellow travelers.

When a pretrial detention order is issued, the majority of salaries… pic.twitter.com/9EOBDL2tIt
— Doç. Dr. Buğra Gökce (@gokcebugra) September 24, 2025