From Prison, Ekrem İmamoğlu Calls for Inclusive Parliamentary Process on Kurdish Issue

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the imprisoned Mayor of Istanbul and CHP’s presidential candidate, has called for a pluralistic, inclusive parliamentary commission to address the Kurdish issue, stressing that the process must involve all political and societal stakeholders and be grounded in democracy, justice, and lasting peace.

Speaking from Silivri Prison, where he has been held for nearly a month as part of a corruption investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, İmamoğlu told journalist Fatih Altaylı — also jailed in Silivri — that CHP was the first party to propose such a parliamentary commission.

“We have never expected sincerity or goodwill from the AKP, but we have demanded seriousness,” İmamoğlu said, adding that the ultimate owner of a terror-free and democratic Turkey is “the nation itself.”

Call for a Parliamentary Commission

İmamoğlu said a commission formed within the Turkish Grand National Assembly should ensure that the process reflects public concerns and brings citizens into the decision-making process. He underscored that sustainable peace requires equal citizenship, respect for all identities, and an end to policies that ignore public sensitivities.

He argued that the state must be capable of forgiveness, and that steps taken to correct past mistakes “will be stronger and longer-lasting.”

Criticism of Exclusionary Practices

Rejecting approaches such as trustee appointments (kayyım) to replace elected officials, or ignoring rulings from the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights, İmamoğlu said these methods “cannot bring peace or stability.”

He also shared a personal story about meeting a Kurdish mother in a market and realizing he should make the effort to learn Kurdish to communicate directly with citizens whose language and culture have historically been marginalized.

“We built the Istanbul Alliance with sincerity and genuine emotions,” İmamoğlu said. “We must start a new era that brings us closer together and strengthens our unity.”

He concluded with a vision of a unified Turkey where all 86 million citizens, regardless of ethnicity, language, or faith, share equally in the Republic:

“We will succeed together, protect our unity and integrity, and inspire our region and the world.”