12.06.2026 19:00
Özgür Özel stated that claims have reached him that Justice Minister Akın Gürlek and Celal Çelik, the lawyer of CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, have met multiple times. Çelik, making a harsh statement about the claim, said, "The claim remains within the scope of a slander made in an immoral manner! I have never met Akın Gürlek, never come together, and have had no communication with him! I say, 'Here is the arena!' Prove your claim, and I will take immediate action!"
Özgür Özel pointed out that claims have reached him regarding multiple meetings between Justice Minister Akın Gürlek and Celal Çelik, the lawyer of CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, and that they planned this process together, saying, "I cannot confirm this part, but for instance, journalists should ask the person who is currently the party's lawyer how many times they sat down and met with Akın Gürlek."
Özgür Özel answered questions from journalist Murat Sabuncu of T24. When asked how the process would continue, Özel responded as follows:
"It appears this will continue in various phases until the election. Regardless, we must continue the legal struggle. There are those who planned and implemented this evil. And there are those who do not want to be part of this evil. To make this visible before history, we must not leave any legal struggle, objection, or attempt unused. After that, the legal struggle will continue. We need to wage a political struggle for this. And we are continuing that as well. Despite everything, we are trying to hold onto our party first, but also trying to hold onto politics. Thirdly, there is an outright physical struggle, and there we are trying to hold onto life.
"HE RELIES ON THE JUDICIAL GUARANTEES GIVEN TO HIM"
If the CHP has 20 most popular MPs, they expelled 9 of them. Normally, you cannot do these expulsions through the Central Executive Board. In fact, Kemal Bey once tried this for Süheyl Batum, and it was overturned by the court. You need to do it through the Party Assembly, but they are doing it through the Central Executive Board because they cannot through the Party Assembly. What is he relying on? He relies on the judicial guarantees given to him. But what is he doing on the other hand? He is paralyzing the CHP. If there were a mindset that wanted the party's benefit, would they expel 9 of the party's 20 most well-known MPs? Would they throw the most popular, most followed, most agenda-setting names before the judiciary?
"THEY SHOULD BE ASKED HOW MANY TIMES THEY MET WITH AKIN GÜRLEK"
Özel claimed that Kılıçdaroğlu's lawyer, Celal Çelik, met multiple times with Justice Minister Akın Gürlek. Özel said the following: "Now we are at a point where the person who receives good intelligence from Akın Gürlek and boasts about the accuracy of the information and operation details, knows exactly who in the CHP leadership will be expelled from the party... I cannot confirm this part, but for instance, journalists should ask the person who is currently the party's lawyer how many times they sat down and met with Akın Gürlek. Now we hear from everywhere that they met multiple times and all steps were planned together, for example.
After that, this part is also important. Until a month ago, I used to say no, they wouldn't, they can't, I don't believe it. If you had told me a month ago, I would have vouched for all the friends who came with this nullification administration, saying they wouldn't attempt such a thing, they wouldn't divert the CHP from its line. But both the Middle East remarks I heard and these expulsions, when I heard them on TGRT a week ago and the Central Executive Board members said there is no such thing, the list later came out, and Sinan Burhan's list hit the mark perfectly. So now I cannot vouch for anyone on any matter."
CELAL ÇELİK: A DISGUSTINGLY PROPOSED SLANDER
Celal Çelik, in his statement, denied Özel's claim. Çelik used the following words: "The allegation specifically that I met with Justice Minister Akın Gürlek remains within the scope of a disgustingly proposed slander! I have never met Akın Gürlek, come together with him, or had any communication with him!
I say, bring it on! Prove your allegation, and I will take the necessary action immediately! Otherwise, you will be in the position of a slanderer! Lies and slander should not be a part of one's character...".