Censorship of İmamoğlu had sparked debate: Erdoğan's former advisor also reacts

Prof. Dr. İzzet Özgenç, former legal advisor to President Erdoğan, opposed the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's instruction to remove visuals belonging to Ekrem İmamoğlu.

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Censorship of İmamoğlu had sparked debate: Erdoğan's former advisor also reacts

The allegation that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had issued an instruction to remove the photographs and messages of the detained CHP Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu from public transport vehicles and municipal buildings had caused a wide stir in public opinion.

While reactions to the decision in question came from the political world and legal circles, a notable statement also came from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's former legal advisor, Prof. Dr. İzzet Özgenç.

“THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE CANNOT ISSUE THIS ORDER”

Pointing to the legal framework in a post on his social media account, Özgenç reminded that even though Ekrem İmamoğlu is detained, he still holds the title of Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and stated that the prosecutor's office does not have the authority for such a ban.

Özgenç's post is as follows:

“The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office cannot ban the messages and images of a person who, even if arrested, still holds the title of Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, in the Metropolitan Municipality's public transport vehicles and service buildings; it cannot order their removal.”