30.05.2026 16:10
Özgür Özel addressed party members gathered in Güvenpark to show their support. After the program, Özel, who set out with the crowd to walk to Anıtkabir, also responded to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's statement: "We will rescue our innocent mayors, but we will not turn a blind eye to those involved in corruption."
Özgür Özel addressed the crowd gathered at the greeting ceremony held in front of the Ankara Provincial Headquarters in Güvenpark, and at the end, he initiated a march towards Anıtkabir together with tens of thousands of party members. During the march, Özel made statements to the press and also responded to Kılıçdaroğlu's remarks.
"FIRST, AN IMPARTIAL JUDICIARY IS NEEDED"
Responding to Kılıçdaroğlu's words, "We will save our innocent mayors, but we will not turn a blind eye to those involved in corruption," Özel said, "Those who think that results can be achieved by trusting the AK Party's judiciary and negotiating with the AK Party are doing a great injustice to all our friends. Two things are needed to know who is innocent and who is not: First, an impartial judiciary is needed, and second, one must believe in the presumption of innocence. It is unbecoming of a party leader to stand up for a friend or supporter when they are called a 'thief,' but to share that slander when someone who does not support you is called a 'thief'."
"WHEN YOUR CHILD IS CALLED A THIEF..."
Continuing his remarks with even harsher criticism, Özel said, "The party leader sits in Atatürk's seat. He sits in the chair of the party's founding father, and like a father, when his child is called a thief, he says, 'My child would not do that.' He says, 'I do not believe my children would do such a thing.' Without believing in the presumption of innocence, by calling someone a 'thief' because TGRT calls them a 'thief,' or calling someone 'corrupt' because A Haber calls them 'corrupt,' one cannot make progress in this party."