CHP vows to continue to defend its jailed mayor
ANKARA
Jailed Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has vowed to continue to defend its jailed mayor in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul, calling on all the party loyalists to challenge the ruling.
“We are standing behind our mayor. Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer will return his office,” CHP Chairman Özgür Özel told his parliamentary group on Nov. 19 in Ankara.
Özer, who was elected as mayor in the March 2024 local polls, was jailed due to his alleged links to the PKK terrorist organization. The Interior Ministry has appointed a trustee to the Esenyurt Municipality.
“All our provincial heads from the 81 provinces will be in Esenyurt this Sunday [Nov. 24]. We will hold our meetings there. And our provincial heads will hold meetings in 43 neighborhoods of Esenyurt to discuss the jailing of our mayor,” Özel stated.
In addition, all CHP lawmakers and mayors will frequently visit Esenyurt to show their support and solidarity with the district, Özel underlined.
“Mr. Özer was elected with 51 percent of the votes. Now, some polls in the district show that 81 percent of the Esenyurt residents say his ousting from the office is wrong. That means, even those who did not vote for Mr. Özer see how unjust the situation is,” he suggested.
Özel also criticized the government for appointing a district governor as a trustee. “Instead of appointing a trustee, the Interior Ministry should have allowed the Municipal Assembly to select a new mayor until Mr. Özer’s legal status is cleared,” he said.
