Suat Özçağdaş reacts sharply to judge who called him a 'clown': 'You will answer for that remark!'

The 61st hearing of the trial concerning the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), in which 414 people including IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu are being tried, began with tension. The court adjourned the hearing following arguments in the case, where 59 people are currently in detention.

THE JULY 9 DEBATE AT THE HEARING

At the beginning of the hearing, Ekrem İmamoğlu took the floor after the presiding judge stated that he planned to conclude the trial on July 9. Reminding the court that there were defendants who had not yet completed their defense, İmamoğlu objected to this decision.

Upon this, the presiding judge decided to have İmamoğlu removed from the courtroom after he asked, "Why are you insisting on finishing on July 9? Will there be a mobilization on July 9? Is there a new operation?"

ARGUMENT BETWEEN THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND CHP DEPUTIES

During the hearing, an argument also broke out between the presiding judge and CHP Deputy Chairman Suat Özçağdaş.

Addressing Özçağdaş, the presiding judge said, "Gendarmerie officers, what are you waiting for? It makes no difference whether it is a deputy or a spectator. Take them out. You cannot engage in all kinds of clownery here just because you are a deputy."

Following the tension, the hearing was adjourned.

ÖZÇAĞDAŞ: "YOU WILL ANSWER FOR THAT REMARK!"

Making a statement after the break, Suat Özçağdaş said the following:

"The presiding judge has been under incredible tension since yesterday's developments. He started arguing with İmamoğlu this morning. He invented 2 new issues. He changed the order of Ekrem Bey's speech. Ekrem Bey said, 'You said I would speak last, what happened now?' There is an insistence on July 9. You keep people inside for a year unlawfully, and now you limit the defense. When this argument dragged on, he had Mayor Ekrem removed from the courtroom. Then he asks, 'Why did the deputy shout from there?'

There is an arrogant bailiff here. He looked at my face and shouted, 'Open the doors, clear the room.' Is the presiding judge managing this place or the bailiff? I asked the presiding judge. He says, 'Remove the one who is shouting.' The room is very large, I am trying to make my voice heard. The presiding judge tells us, 'You are acting like clowns.' Know your place first. You have surrendered to a bailiff. You will answer for that remark. It is a pity for the state of Turkey. A judge can insult deputies like this. This is a special adjustment attempt for the NATO summit. I don't know if they have any other explanation. Members of the press are still having trouble following the court. You cannot wait 3 more days so that people can defend themselves."

REACTION FROM TANRIKULU

CHP Diyarbakır Deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu also reacted to the expression used by the presiding judge.

Tanrıkulu said, "This situation is shameful. He should know who he is saying this to. I hope the HSK (Council of Judges and Prosecutors) sees and hears these things. The presiding judge is not the king of this place. This courtroom is not his living room."

News Source: 12punto