31.01.2025 17:02
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş visited Ümit Özdağ, the leader of the Victory Party, who is detained in Marmara Prison on charges of "publicly inciting hatred and hostility." After the visit, Yavaş made statements in front of the prison, saying, "In law, detention is something that should be used as a last resort."
The Mayor of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB), Mansur Yavaş, along with CHP Malatya Deputy Veli Ağbaba and Çankaya Mayor Hüseyin Can Güner, visited Marmara Prison (Silivri Prison).
VISITED ÜMİT ÖZDAĞ
Yavaş visited Ümit Özdağ, the Chairman of the Victory Party, who was arrested on charges of "publicly inciting hatred and enmity" as part of an investigation against him.
"THERE IS NO FLIGHT RISK, WHY ARE YOU KEEPING HIM IN CUSTODY?"
In a statement he made in front of the prison after the visit, Yavaş said: "I always say this; no one is exempt from being tried, but there is no risk of flight. There is a presumption of innocence in law. Until the court makes a decision, everyone is innocent. Then it is necessary to ask why they are in custody. Özdağ says he was brought in for insulting the president, but he is told that a file was brought from Kayseri.
"IN LAW, CUSTODY SHOULD BE THE LAST RESORT"
Without law, there can be no democracy or human rights. In law, custody should be the last resort. In serious crimes, it is applied if there is a risk of flight or if evidence is likely to be destroyed. For example, our Youth Branch President's house was searched. And he went under police supervision, but when everyone reacted, they said no, we did not issue a detention order. I tweeted; then why did you search the house, were you looking for a tweet at home? Because you have the text in your hand, whether it is a crime or not will be decided after this trial.
"THE LAW SAYS 'DO NOT ARREST EVERYONE'"
Depriving individuals of their freedom and restricting their liberties is not an easy matter. I insistently say that the law looks at it this way; do not arrest everyone, never arrest innocent people who have a chance of acquittal. Let a thousand criminals roam, that is not so important, of course, it is important, but it is better than the unjust detention of one person, even if a thousand people are guilty. How can people understand this? They think that they are taken to the police station for a crime they did not commit and are arrested for various offenses. Whatever they feel, unfortunately, the detainees think the same thing right now. I hope they will be with us again as soon as possible.