Striking remarks from Özgür Özel at the Çatalca rally: 'I am putting this on record before history'

The CHP's imprisoned presidentialcandidate Ekrem İmamoğlu said at the rally, "Because theycanceled my diploma, which is aspure as my mother's milk,I am appearing before a judgefor the third time inthe case where a verdict is expected again did notemerge. That decisioncannotemerge. Because the diploma casehas no place in law or in the conscience of the nation. That case is also political from start to finish, from start to finish asham" messagethatled.

Following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and Republican People's Party (CHP) presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 23, the party continues to organize rallies titled 'Standing Up for the National Will'. CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman

Özgür Çelik Özgür Çelik, conveyed the lettersentby İmamoğlu:

"Hello Çatalca, hello dear Istanbulites, distinguished ladies, esteemed gentlemen, dear youth, my dearmy children, welcome. Welcometothe square offreedom. Welcome to the square of justice and liberty.welcome to the square of democracy. Welcome to the square of democracy. I embrace each and every one of you with longing.I embrace you with love and yearning. I have been away from you for 9 months. For 9 months, I have not been able to look intoyour eyes,I cannot hold your hands in the streets or at the market. I cannot share your troubles. Our captivity, which began at the start of spring, is approaching the final daysof the year.Know that I am standing tall behind bars. I am living without bowing down to conspiracies, blackmail, or threats, and most of all, I draw my strength from you.I am. My greatest power is you. My greatest hope is you.”

“THERE IS NO PLACE FOR IT IN THE NATION'S CONSCIENCE”

“Those in power, who have exhausted their time and are aware that they are nearing the end of the road, are using all the state's resourcesto keep the Republican People's Party under pressurethey are spending.They have set aside serving the nation and are concerned only with protecting their seatstheyhavefallen. The nation knows, and they know themselves, that this governmentcannot compete with us in terms of service and performance. That is whyagainst usevery kind ofpressure,lies, harassment, and blackmail are deemed appropriate,and they are trampling on law and democracy.Because they canceled mydiploma, which is as pure and legitimate as my mother's milk,for the 3rd time, a judge's decisionis being soughtin the case I appeared before, no verdict was reached again. That verdict simply cannot be reached. Because the diploma casehas no place in law or in the conscience of the nation. That case is political from start to finish, from start to finisha fabrication."

"YOU HAVE NO FACE LEFT"

"So that the lawdoes not function and justice is not served, you do everykind of evil"they are doing. The judge of theBüyükçekmece case in which I was acquittedwas exiledto Kahramanmaraş.The first judge of thediploma casewas alsoexiled.They alsoexiled thejudge in the same way. I ask those who exile judges, those who disregard law and justice, those who tremble when they see their rivals, and those who runaway fromthe ballot box: Why are you so afraid? Many governments have come and gone through elections. None of them were as afraidof losing power as you are. Fear is of no use against the inevitable. You, too, will go. Because you have turnedyour backs on the citizens.you have turned your back, you have no respectfor the nation, no love left. You have no face leftto appearbefore the nationanymore.”

“IF I WERE TO LEAVE SILIVRI NOW…”

"If I were to leave Silivrinow, I would walk through the streets of Çatalcawith my head held high and with pride. There is not a single neighborhood or street in this citythat Icannot walk through." I walk around with the pride of serving withoutdiscriminating against anyone. I walk around with the pride of having given the nation's money back to the nation and not having signed off on a single zoning scandal. Just like in every corner ofIstanbul,I walk around with the pride of having worked with all my heart and soulfor Çatalcaas well. Çatalca knows the value of the Republican People's Party's populistand service-orientedmunicipalismvery well. On this occasion, I would like to thank our esteemed mayor Erhan Güzel for the services he has providedto Çatalca,and for his efforts.thankyou.We have carried out major infrastructureand natural gas investments in Çatalca.We havebuilt roads and streets... We opened City Restaurants and nurseries...Wehave provided support to families, social support and scholarship opportunities for children and young people we provided... We opened our Regional Employment Office and mediated for our fellow citizens in Çatalca to find jobs... More for our fellow citizens engaged in livestock farming we provided the support theyhad never received before.”

“THE NATION IS CALLINGUS TODUTY”

“We have done what the government has failed to do for years. And what they have done, we have done much more correctly,than them.” much fairer, much more economicalwe did. That is whythe nation is calling us to duty:‘You did it in the municipalities, do it in thegovernment as well.’‘You became the remedy for the cities, become the remedy for the country’they say. They will not be able to stop the flow of history. The ballot box is the nation's will come before us and together we will achieve thefuture we deserve. In complete unity and solidarity,we will accomplish many greatthings. We will rebuild thatbeautiful and happy countrythat each of ushas been longing for. With justice andrightsThis beautiful country, where freedom will prevail for everyone and everywhere,will be a countryof hopes, not fears.Scarcity and poverty, injustice and unfairness will be erased from thesacred lands of this homeland never to return again.Everyone will live the honorable, happy life they deserve, free and brotherly life will beachieved. Everything will be very beautiful. Ekrem İmamoğlu. Silivri Prison.”

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's speechHighlights from his speech are as follows:

"Our mayor Erhan Güzel, who was elected with 50 percent, has solved the problems of Çatalca. Aculture, art, and green space problems have been resolved. Rehabilitation issues have been solved,and a women's cooperative has been established. Then, there was amuftiwho spoke rudely after our beloved artist Volkan Konak.I had said we would hold him accountable,and let's see who is tougher; look, he ended up in ruins himself. The street where he made those rude remarks is now named Volkan Konak Street.

In this country, the governmentwill change soon. It will happen in 3 months, or in 2.5 years when there is a mandatoryelection. AK Party members and MHP members should not think that they will be treated unfairly when the CHP comes to power.They said that when the CHP came to power, terrorists would distribute water bills in Ankara,they said terroristswould manage İSPARK, but nothing of the sorthappened.In none of themunicipalities we have taken over have we caused any harmto anyone who is not a CHP member, and no one's party affiliation was considered. There is no one who voted for the CHP and regretted it; todaythere are many AK Party and MHP supporters who see these services and askwhy they did not vote for the CHP in the past. If anyone should be afraid of us, it is those who oppress. This homeland

and this nation'svalues.enemies should be afraid. No matter which party our citizens belong to, do notbe afraid at all,we are coming tomake them smile.Today I visited Mayor Ekrem.

He said he missesthem all dearly.He said he misses them all. 

The government in Turkey will change. The people's government will come. We will collect more taxes from those who earn more, less from those who earn less, and no taxes from those who earn nothing.

Are we enemies of capital? We arethere is no such thing. When there is democracy and justice in Turkey, both domestic and foreigninvestors will come much more. We will develop.With a fair tax system, we will all get ourdue. We will not leave a single person in poverty.

The sector that has shrunk the most in the country is agriculture, by 12.7 percent.We are stating thisopenlyandclearly. The AKP's planisclear.he announced. Under a CHP government, diesel will be provided without SCT and VAT. Farmers have loan debts. We will erase the interest on farmers' loan debts.Once we come to power, we will be the first to make yousmile.We will. 

Before the AKP came to power, retirees before, they were receiving one and a half times the minimum wage. The minimum wage is very low, but today, if they were receiving one and a half times the minimum wage, it would be 33 thousand liras. Today, they have condemned retirees to 16 thousand liras. Again, minimum wage earners were buying 7 quarter gold coins with one month's salary. Now they can barely afford 2. The CHP's minimum wage for this year wage proposal is 39. A fellow workersaid to me:We are fed up with lies and deceit, the minimum wage should be39.

Our minimum wage proposal is 39, we will not accept anythingbelow that. We object to the starvation wages of retirees, it should be a minimum wagewe say. Under a CHP government, the holiday bonus will not be a joke. Every retiree will receive one minimum wage for the holiday. We promise.

We are calling out once again from here. We trust ourfriends, we trust Mayor Ekrem.Let anyone who truststheir prosecutorcome outand face the screenlet us weave!

Iam announcing it from here today. We are at our 74th rally today. We are heading to Kayseri for our 75th.

I am putting this on the record before history. The target of the White Toros gang is the judiciary. They exiled the judge presiding over the 'fool' case to Samsun.They also exiled the judge whovoted for the acquittal of Mayor Ekrem.They exiled them.

Have you ever seen Özgür Özel make apromise and not keepit? I swearthat we will not forget the white Toros vehicles that inflicted this oppression on us, nor will we forget these honorable and decent people.We will not forget these honorable and decent people.

We will bring back the lieutenants who were dismissedfrom the army and with our own hands, we willwhoever does not wear their badge is dishonorable, is a scoundrel!

It is a debt of honor for all of us to protect whoever this regime has saddened and to stand by whoeverit has oppressed.

News Source: 12punto