17.02.2025 19:21
In the investigation regarding the CHP Congress, İzmir delegate Hatip Karaarslan made striking statements. He mentioned that İmamoğlu sent messages multiple times to meet with him, and that a person working at the CHP Headquarters offered him money in exchange for his vote. Karaarslan stated, "Money was distributed to delegates in bags. The person providing money to the delegates is Cemil Tugay."
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is conducting an investigation into allegations that "votes were bought on the day of the congress" during the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress held on November 4-5, 2023. Hatip Karaaslan, a delegate from İzmir, provided testimony as a witness.
CONFESSION FROM A CHP DELEGATE
In the investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the allegations of "votes being bought on the day of the congress" during the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress held on November 4-5, 2023, Hatip Karaaslan, a delegate from İzmir, provided testimony as a witness. In his statement to the prosecutor, Karaaslan indicated that he and his family have been members of the CHP for many years and that he has been a delegate from İzmir for a long time.
"EKREM İMAMOĞLU WANTED TO MEET WITH ME"
Karaaslan stated that he supported Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at the 38th Ordinary Congress and communicated this to everyone around him. He mentioned that about 15-20 days before the congress, he received a message through his colleague Z.K., who works as the Secretary General at İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, indicating that Ekrem İmamoğlu wanted to meet with him.
Karaaslan continued his statement: "I asked the friend who brought the news, 'What does he want to discuss with me, what is the subject?' In response, Z.K. told me, 'He wants to discuss the CHP congress with you.' I told him that I did not want to discuss this matter. After a week, Z.K. came back to me and renewed the same offer. He said, 'Ekrem İmamoğlu is pressuring me.' Again, I did not accept the offer to meet with İmamoğlu. About 10 days before the congress date, I came to Ankara to follow up on the congress affairs. I checked into a hotel in the Ulus district. This place was allocated to us delegates by the party headquarters.
"KILIÇDAROĞLU HAD REMOVED HIM FROM THE PROVINCIAL CHAIRMANSHIP"
All of the İzmir team was staying at this hotel. M.K., who was the former CHP provincial chairman of Mardin but was removed from his position by CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for using the funds sent from the party headquarters for his personal benefit, repeatedly called me on my mobile phone to meet at the hotel where I was staying because I had known him for a long time. I agreed to meet with him."
"THIS IS A MATTER OF INTEREST"
Karaaslan claimed that M.K. came to the hotel where he was staying, they met privately, and M.K. stated that he would give a certain amount of money to support Özgür Özel. He alleged that if he accepted the money offer, it was proposed that he would be taken to the hotel where Özel was staying for a meeting. Karaaslan stated, "He insisted on repeating his offer. However, I did not accept. When I asked him, 'You used to support Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Why did you change your mind?' he replied, 'This is a matter of politics, a matter of interest, and I am looking out for my own interests. You should do the same and look out for your own interests.'"
"THE PERSON PROVIDING MONEY TO DELEGATES IS CEMİL TUGAY"
Hatip Karaaslan noted: "I asked him, 'How much money will you receive in return for these dealings?' He replied, 'I will receive 1 million lira, and additionally, I will receive 300 thousand lira for each of the 6 congress delegates who are also under me. There are delegates who receive even more than this.' The person who directed M.K. to Özgür Özel and acted as an intermediary is the current İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay. Furthermore, Cemil Tugay is also the person who organized and persuaded the party delegates in İzmir to support Özel by providing them with money and benefits. I learned about this from M.K.'s account."
"MONEY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO DELEGATES IN BAGS"
Karaaslan explained that it was discussed among the delegates that CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik and İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay distributed money to delegates to support Özel before and after the congress. He stated that the entire Şanlıurfa provincial organization, along with some delegates from Gaziantep, Mardin, Ağrı, Konya, Niğde, Muğla, and İzmir, changed their minds and supported Özel in exchange for money and certain benefits. Karaaslan mentioned that he heard that Ö.T., one of the İzmir delegates, is currently serving as a member of the CHP Central High Disciplinary Board and that this person distributed money to delegates in bags.
He added that he heard that a businessman in Istanbul, A.İ.A., allocated a large amount of money to support Özel through Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu during the CHP congress.
"ALL INVALID VOTES IN THE CONGRESS BELONGED TO KILIÇDAROĞLU"
Karaaslan claimed that A.İ.A. manages a significant portion of the cleaning, vehicle, and fuel supply operations of many municipalities in Turkey and that this person also handles the affairs of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, asserting that the actual source of the money distributed during the congress was this individual. He stated that he was present in the hall during the congress and claimed that the chairperson İmamoğlu manipulated the psychological advantage in favor of Özel, making the following statement:
"Somehow, it was unlawfully determined that all the invalid votes belonged to Kılıçdaroğlu. From what I observed, Özgür Özel and his supporters realized from the beginning that they did not have enough delegates and that they could not win the election through normal means. Therefore, they worked together with İmamoğlu and many others, who will be found upon investigation, to persuade some congress delegates to change sides in exchange for money and similar benefits, and in the end, they succeeded in these actions."
Karaaslan alleged that Kılıçdaroğlu's private secretary, Ş.K., was drawn to their side in exchange for benefits from the owner of a television channel, and in return, Ş.K. informed Ekrem İmamoğlu of Kılıçdaroğlu's private information, which he learned from conversations within the party. Karaaslan claimed that the mentioned individuals hosted Ş.K. in London about a month before the general elections and covered all his expenses. He also added that he filed a lawsuit at the Ankara 42nd Criminal Court for the annulment of the congress.