CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s ‘justice march’ covered in photo-book

ANKARA

Photo: Selahattin Sönmez

The behind-the-scenes of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s “justice march” to Istanbul from Ankara was published in a photo-book by daily Hürriyet photojournalist Selahattin Sönmez who had followed the CHP leader day by day during the 25-day march.

Sönmez’s frames of Kılıçdaroğlu’s march were published in a book titled “Adaleti Yolda Arayanlar [Those Who Seek Justice on the Roads]” by Doğan Kitap Publishing House. 

The preface of the book was penned by Kılıçdaroğlu himself. 

“This book that records our 25-day walk from Güvenpark to Maltepe will be one of the visual narratives that depict the destruction of the veil of fear that covers society. Those kinds of works are important not only for today, but for the future generations to learn how justice was won in Turkey and to appreciate it,” Kılıçdaroğlu wrote. 

Kılıçdaroğlu had launched his march after the CHP lawmaker Enis Berberoğlu was sentenced 25 years in prison for leaking “state secrets” to the media over the stopping of National Intelligence Office (MİT) trucks on the Syrian border. 

He had walked through six different cities in 25 days and was escorted by thousands of supporters including journalists, writers, politicians, non-governmental organizations, representatives from civil society, and artists along the way.

“Each and every kilometer of this march had given me hope. I am certain of the fact that our people in Turkey will establish democracy all over again, and justice will come back to my country. Our march that ended on July 9 at Maltepe rally is actually a beginning. July 9 is the beginning of a new social movement that will resonate outside of our borders,” Kılıçdaroğlu wrote.

The book covers 200 unseen frames that picture Kılıçdaroğlu’s moments during the “justice march” while 18 writers, artists and well-known names contributed to the book with their essays.

The contributors are listed as Altan Öymen, Cihangir İslam, Deniz Zeyrek, Emre Kongar, Gülriz Surruri, Hasan Cemal, İhsan Eliaçık, İlyas Salman, Melike Demirağ, Melis Alphan, Mustafa Alabora, Orhan Aydın, Ömer Topsakal, Rıfat Başaran, Şükrü Küçükşahin, Uğur Dündar, Umut Oran, and Yalçın Bayer.