CHP leader meets İmamoğlu in prison, vows ‘resistance’

ANKARA

Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Özgür Özel has met Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu who is in prison over alleged corruption and terror links, vowing to continue his party’s “resistance” against what he calls “the civilian coup.”

Özel on March 25 went to Silivri prison near Istanbul where İmamoğlu and CHP’s two district mayors, Resul Emre Şahan and Murat Çalık, as well as other municipal officials are being held. İmamoğlu and other suspects were detained on March 19 and arrested pending trial on March 23.

“This is the 7th day of the failed coup attempt. Türkiye is resisting, millions of people are continuing to stand against this coup attempt,” Özel said in his address at his parliamentary group meeting in Istanbul on March 25.

“I want to thank all the residents of Istanbul for thwarting the coup and siding with democracy,” he said.

Özel criticized the government for orchestrating the judicial action against Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu and other CHP mayors, stressing “They have understood that they will not win any elections as long as the CHP controlled the municipalities. And then they pressed the button.”

HH CHP Party Assembly to convene on March 27

In the meantime, the CHP’s Party Assembly will meet on March 27 under the leadership of Chairman Özel. The Party Assembly will review recent developments following the arrest of İmamoğlu and shape next steps of the actions to be taken by the main opposition.

The Party Assembly will also formally announce Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu as the CHP’s presidential candidate of the main opposition in the next elections. İmamoğlu garnered the votes of around 14.8 million people in March 23 primaries held by the CHP across the country.