Murat Çalık transferred from İzmir to Silivri 3 days before IMM hearing

Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık had been held as a detainee at the İzmir Closed Penal Execution Institution following his arrest on March 23, 2025, as part of the operation targeting Ekrem İmamoğlu. However, three days before the IMM hearing, on March 6, 2025, Çalık was transferred to the Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution in Silivri, covering a distance of approximately 600 kilometers.

Çalık's transfer took place ahead of the IMM case hearing to be held at the Istanbul Silivri Prison. Çalık embarked on a long journey in a prison transport vehicle under severe health conditions. It was reported that the journey took approximately 6 hours and that his medical treatments and examinations were ongoing during this period.

CRITICISM OF “VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO LIFE” FROM CHP'S MURAT EMIR

CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir stated that the transfer of Murat Çalık from İzmir to Silivri was a "violation of the right to life." Emphasizing that the health of Çalık, who suffers from a serious illness, was being put at risk, Emir said, "Covering a distance of 618 kilometers from İzmir is clearly a violation of the right to life."

Emir also stated that other detainees transferred to Silivri would be subjected to similar physical torment. It was stated that in addition to Çalık, Metin Bal and Taner Çetin from İzmir, İpek Elif Atayman from Afyon, Barış Kılıç from Eskişehir, Kağan Sürmegöz and Burak Arslan from Bolu, and Fatoş Pınar Türker from Düzce would also be transferred to Silivri in prison transport vehicles.

REACTION TO “POLICY OF EXILE AND TORMENT”

In a post on social media, Emir said, "We will not surrender to this conspiracy mindset that turns even the trial process into physical punishment instead of ensuring justice." Emir stated that the IMM Conspiracy Case, which will begin on March 9, will go down in history not only for its baseless allegations but also for the "exile and torment" policy being implemented.

In the statement made by Emir, the distances of the names transferred according to their provinces were listed as follows:

İzmir (618 km): Metin Bal, Taner Çetin

Afyon (577 km): İpek Elif Atayman

Eskişehir (447 km): Barış Kılıç

Bolu (396 km): Kağan Sürmegöz, Burak Arslan

Düzce (343 km): Fatoş Pınar Türker

Those to be transferred from nearby provinces will also make long journeys in cramped vehicles:

Kocaeli (279 km): Fatih Keleş, Necati Özkan, Serdal Taşkın, Melih Geçek

Gebze (201 km): Fatoş Ayık

Tekirdağ (72 km): Tuncay Yılmaz, Nihat Sütlaş, Gökhan Köseoğlu, Fatih Özçelik

Çorlu (47 km): Murat Ongun, Hüseyin Köksal, Elçin Karaoğlu, Mehmet Pehlivan

MURAT ÇALIK'S HEALTH STATUS AND PRISON PROCESS

Murat Çalık had previously battled acute myeloid leukemia and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (lymphoma). Although he regained his health after the treatment process, it is stated that he lost approximately 20 kilograms during his detention. After remaining at the Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution until June 4, 2025, Çalık was transferred to the İzmir No. 2 F-Type High-Security Penal Execution Institution.

Çalık's health condition in prison led to findings in examinations suggesting that the cancer might recur. In an evaluation on July 7, 2025, Kâtip Çelebi Hospital reported that these findings created a suspicion of cancer recurrence and that it was not appropriate for Çalık to remain in prison. However, the Council of Forensic Medicine expressed the opinion on July 16, 2025, that Çalık's health condition did not constitute an obstacle to his remaining in prison, and his request for release was denied.

In its decision on September 8, 2025, the Constitutional Court stated that Çalık's health condition and detention conditions should be constantly monitored and treated when necessary. However, Çalık's request for release was rejected by the court.

News Source: 12punto