CHP's Yazıcı reacts to Ahmet Özer verdict: Reminds of Bahçeli's words

Republican People's Party (CHP) Esenyurt Municipal Council Member Serkan Yazıcı reacted sharply to the 6-year-and-3-month prison sentence given to Ahmet Özer. Arguing that the decision in question was political rather than legal, Yazıcı said, "This decision is not a judicial ruling; it is a clear confession of a system established against the ballot box."

Yazıcı claimed that the court's decision had been made in political centers long ago, asserting that there was no concrete evidence, element of violence, or criminal act in the file. He described the sentencing despite this as "not a matter of law, but a matter of control."

"THE TRUSTEE IS APPOINTED TO THE VOTER, NOT THE MUNICIPALITY"

Evaluating Ahmet Özer's removal from office as "a new example of the trustee regime," Yazıcı argued that the practice of appointing trustees has become a systematic tool of governance rather than an exception. Stating that the removal of elected officials means punishing the will of the voters, Yazıcı used the expression, "A trustee is not appointed to a municipality, but directly to the voter."

"THIS DECISION IS A THREAT TO THE OPPOSITION"

In his statement, Yazıcı claimed that the decision targeted not only CHP municipalities but the entire opposition, arguing that the message being sent was, "Even if you are elected, we will not let you govern." Claiming that the judiciary has ceased to be an institution that distributes justice and has turned into a tool that designs the political sphere, Yazıcı suggested that this situation is an indicator of the politicization of the law.

Arguing that similar methods are followed in such cases, Yazıcı claimed that "pre-emptive punishment" is applied through vague accusations, broadly interpreted definitions of organizations, and long judicial processes. According to Yazıcı, the main goal is not conviction, but to push elected figures out of politics.

REMINDED OF BAHÇELİ'S WORDS 

In his statement, Serkan Yazıcı also touched upon the remarks made by MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli regarding the verdict. Yazıcı argued that Bahçeli's criticisms did not represent a contradiction within the ruling bloc, but rather created a "dual language."

In his statement, Yazıcı noted that the true subject of the case was not Ahmet Özer, assessing that, "The defendant's chair in this case is occupied by the public's right to vote, local democracy, and the remaining legitimacy of the law."

Emphasizing democracy at the end of his statement, Serkan Yazıcı argued that reclaiming municipalities lost in elections through judicial means reduces democracy to a mere ritual. Yazıcı concluded his statement by saying, "Those who disregard the ballot box will eventually be buried by it."

News Source: 12punto