22.02.2026 14:40
Gursel Tekin, the Chairman of the CHP Istanbul Provincial Call Committee, wrote a letter to the members expelled from his party. Tekin stated, "The stance you have shown is a principled one. The situation our party is in saddens us all. When our party eventually cleanses itself of the understandings that have harmed it, your stance will be much better understood."
CHP Istanbul Provincial Call Committee Chairman Gürsel Tekin wrote an open letter to the members who were recently expelled from the CHP. Tekin stated, "Today, both you and I know very well the reason for the expulsion decision you are subjected to. The stance you have shown is not just an ordinary support; it is a principled stand. The current situation of our party saddens us all. When our party is cleansed of the understandings that tarnish it, the dignified stance you have shown today will be understood much better; each of you will be remembered as honorable representatives of this struggle."
"YOU FACED THIS COST BECAUSE YOU STOOD BY YOUR PARTY"
In the letter he published, Gürsel Tekin used the following expressions:
"Dear Comrade, I am writing this letter to you not out of duty, but out of a sense of loyalty.
Today, both you and I know very well the reason for the expulsion decision you are subjected to. You faced this cost not for any individual, not for a position, but because you considered it a responsibility to stand by your party. You were punished for supporting the fulfillment of a legal duty, for believing that the institutional honor of the Republican People's Party should be protected, and for not hesitating to express this openly. History knows this truth, and so does conscience."
"THE STANCE YOU HAVE SHOWN IS A PRINCIPLED STAND"
I want to say this candidly: The stance you have shown is not just an ordinary support; it is a principled stand. In politics, the true measure is not the words spoken in comfortable times; it is the stances displayed in difficult times. You chose to speak in difficult times, to stand by in difficult times, and to take responsibility in difficult times. That is why the will you have shown will be remembered as one of the most valuable examples of struggle, not just for today but for tomorrow as well.
"YOUR DIGNIFIED STANCE WILL BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD WHEN THE TIME COMES"
The current situation of our party saddens us all. However, no period, no management understanding is stronger than the faith of people who are loyal to their principles. Institutions stand not according to individuals, but thanks to teams committed to principles. When our party is cleansed of the understandings that tarnish it, the dignified stance you have shown today will be understood much better; each of you will be remembered as honorable representatives of this struggle. There should be no doubt about that.
"WE HAVE NOT LOST ANY OF YOU, WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU"
I want you to know that you are not alone. We have not lost any of you, we have not forgotten any of you. You are the true owners of this great political legacy; you draw strength not from position but from labor, not from title but from belief. The costs paid today are temporary; however, loyalty, courage, and character are permanent. You have become the bearers of these lasting values.
Therefore, I consider it an honor, not a duty, to thank you.
With my feelings of solidarity in this journey we have undertaken shoulder to shoulder, with my respects."