CHP Chairman Özgür Özel has reacted to the new investigation launched ex officio against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, citing statements he made during his court hearing as the reason.
Speaking after the investigation was launched against İmamoğlu on charges of "publicly insulting public officials due to their duties," Özel criticized the fact that criticisms directed at the indictment were being made the subject of a new investigation in his assessment to Medyascope following the hearing.
Özel stated, "He did not even say a tenth of what they deserve to those who wrote this indictment. Those who launched a new investigation over this are trying to cover up their own flaws. Mayor Ekrem is responding to the slanders cast upon him one by one."
Arguing that İmamoğlu responded to the allegations with concrete data in his defense, Özel said that he demonstrated that the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) had no authority in the Cebeci matter and that the authority lay with other public institutions.
"CALLING THE INDICTMENT TRASH MEANS SAYING IT IS EMPTY"
Continuing his criticism regarding the indictment, Özel said, "The prosecution has presented an indictment, and Ekrem İmamoğlu is tearing it apart. Did he call this indictment 'trash' because of that? Calling an indictment 'trash' means saying it is empty."
Calling on Turkey to watch İmamoğlu's defense, Özel said, "We invite all of Turkey to lend an ear to the defense here and to see how all the slanders are collapsing. Let the prosecutors come as well and stand behind these allegations, let us see."
News Source: 12punto
