İmamoğlu's statement on the CHP congress: He answered only one of the 9 questions.

05.05.2025 12:30

As part of the investigation by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the allegations of "vote buying" during the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress held on November 4-5, 2023, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from his position as the Mayor of Istanbul following his arrest, provided a statement as a "suspect." İmamoğlu gave a "single" response to the questions and witness statements.

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Ekrem İmamoğlu gave a statement regarding the investigation into the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress.

HE GAVE A SINGLE ANSWER TO 9 QUESTIONS

The prosecutor conducting the investigation asked İmamoğlu 9 questions regarding the allegations that he provided benefits to some party representatives during the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress held in Ankara and that he committed irregularities at the congress. İmamoğlu stated that he wanted to give a "single" answer to the questions and witness statements.

"3-5 NAMES ARE BROUGHT TO THE STAGE IN A NEW FILE"

Denying witness statements claiming that he worked in favor of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and provided financial support before the congress, İmamoğlu said, "The same 3-5 names, who are called witnesses but are not witnesses, are brought to the stage again in a new file every time. They are either tasked with fabricating a new slander against me or my party."

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LONDON TRIP

İmamoğlu rejected witness statements claiming that he financed some media members and took them on a trip to London, held a meeting with delegates from eastern provinces in a hotel in Istanbul before the congress, and financed many district mayors in exchange for their votes for Özel.

"IRRATIONAL STATEMENTS"

İmamoğlu, who does not accept that the election process was manipulated by exerting pressure on congress delegates, used the following statements:

"If the witnesses are so indispensable, they should gather all of them and send them to the investigation in Istanbul as well. I wouldn't be surprised; they probably have their statements ready there, or maybe they have already given them. The real question is this: Instead of questioning who has memorized these irrational statements and which groups have directed them, how can the independent Turkish judiciary, which is expected to be impartial, declare these individuals as 'credible witnesses'? Law is the honor of a country. Putting slander, gossip, and political orders on the scales of justice is an attack not only on individuals but directly on the will of the nation and our democracy. Trying to make the judiciary a pawn in these irrational scenarios is not only a legal decay but also a blatant betrayal of the public's sense of justice. This process, which has cost our nation dearly, is a reality that will make everyone who has turned a blind eye to this situation an accomplice to this crime."

On the other hand, so far, 90 people have given statements as suspects in the investigation, while the testimonies of 36 individuals have been sought.