31.03.2026 17:53
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made a strong statement regarding the "absolute nullity" case to be seen tomorrow. Özel said, "Are you going to scare us with immunity, trusteeship, and nullity? It seems that we are the ones scaring you. So what if I surrender? So what if we surrender?"
Turkey woke up to an operation targeting the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality. Bursa Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Bozbey, along with his daughter and wife, faced the cameras after a bribery operation that led to the detention of 55 people.
Hours before the fourth hearing of the case regarding allegations of irregularities at the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress (April 1, Wednesday), Özgür Özel made strong statements.
"WHAT IF I SURRENDER HERE?"
Özgür Özel used the following expressions:
"Today they are making me write. 'It could be serious. Özgür Özel's immunity may be lifted. Or something else could happen.' Brother, how much more blackmail are you going to do? If I were doing politics for myself, could this be the right place? This is the fortress of politics for the people. This is the place for those who set out with a death warrant around their necks. Not for those who lay carpets for occupying forces. Understand this first.
They say they will lift my immunity. No one is immune. I read it. I got the message. This party has not surrendered to the immoral offers made until today. Nor to the threats and blackmail you will present for the future. Once you surrender to that, the party automatically ceases to exist. This is the party of resistance against occupation. This is the party of establishment. What are you talking about? I will scare you with immunity, I will scare you with trustees, I will scare you with nullity. It seems that we are the ones scaring you.
If you are being told to come here, if you are thinking, if you are making me write, if you are making me draw. What if I surrender here? What if we surrender here? We are this open, this clear, this determined.
But look, more will happen. It has been 377 days. We will continue to resist together with the people for 1377 days. We have carried out 101 actions. We will continue until the last drop of our strength until we die."
ABOUT THE "ABSOLUTE NULLITY" CASE
The trial of 12 defendants, including Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from duty due to an ongoing corruption investigation regarding allegations of irregularities at the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress, will continue tomorrow at the Ankara 26th Criminal Court of First Instance.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PREVIOUS HEARING?
In the previous session of the trial, the court decided to request the merging of the file with the one in Istanbul by writing a letter of consent to the court handling the "İmamoğlu organized crime" case, in line with the prosecutor's opinion.
The Istanbul 40th Heavy Criminal Court did not grant consent to the request to merge the case regarding allegations of irregularities at the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress in Ankara with the "İmamoğlu organized crime" case.
KILIÇDAROĞLU IS LISTED AS A VICTIM IN THE CASE
In the case seen at the Ankara 26th Criminal Court of First Instance, 12 defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, Özgür Çelik, and İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay, are being tried.
In the session held on January 13, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who participated in the hearing via SEGBİS, argued that the CHP congress was conducted transparently.
İmamoğlu stated that the person who offered him the chairmanship of the board was also Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who is listed as a victim in the case.
The request of former Hatay Metropolitan Mayor Lütfü Savaş, who filed a lawsuit for the annulment of the CHP congress, to "join the case" was also accepted in the last session.
The 12 individuals, including suspended Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, are accused of having delegates vote in exchange for benefits.
In the indictment, former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is listed as a victim, İmamoğlu as a defense attorney, and former CHP Hatay Metropolitan Mayor Lütfü Savaş as a complainant.
UP TO 3 YEARS IN PRISON SOUGHT
In the indictment, along with İmamoğlu, İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay and CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik, as well as Baki Aydöner, Erkan Aydın, Hüseyin Yaşar, Mehmet Kılınçaslan, Metin Güzelkaya, Özgen Nama, Rıza Akpolat, and Serhat Can Eş are sought to be sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison for the charge of "manipulating the vote" as stated in Article 112 of the Political Parties Law.