CHP/ Ozgur Ozel: Who is protecting drug barrons?

Özgür Özel Accuses AKP of “Dirty Intelligence,” Refuses to Be Drawn Into Internal Power Struggles

Turkey’s main opposition leader Özgür Özel has accused the ruling AKP of attempting to drag the CHP into internal power struggles through what he described as “dirty intelligence,” vowing that his party will not be used in intra-government rivalries.

Özgür Özel, leader of the main opposition Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP), delivered sharp remarks during his party’s parliamentary group meeting at the Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (TBMM), accusing figures within the ruling Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) of leaking unverified and politically motivated information.

Özel said the ruling bloc has become consumed by internal power struggles and is now attempting to shift the burden of these conflicts onto the opposition.

“Everyone knows what is happening,” Özel said. “The government side has turned internal power struggles into a game of hot potato. Because these matters are no joke and we refuse to be a party to dirty intelligence games, some of this so-called information is being passed to us from within the AKP.”

“You Cannot Use the Founding Party of Türkiye”

Özel stressed that while the CHP would never conceal verified information, it would also not serve as a tool in factional battles within the ruling party.

“If people are staging operations against one another and trying to use the CHP for their internal throne wars, I do one thing,” he said. “I send it straight to the Ankara Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı so it is formally recorded by the state. Let them deal with each other first. Whoever is leaking this is already obvious.”

Using unusually blunt language, Özel added:

“With your hazelnut-sized minds, you cannot turn Türkiye’s founding party into a pawn in your internal power struggles. Drown in the pit you’ve fallen into.”

Criticism of Law Enforcement Practices

Özel also criticized what he described as heavy-handed and publicly humiliating law enforcement tactics, particularly in high-profile criminal investigations.

He argued that broadcasting police operations against well-known individuals—regardless of party affiliation—before conclusive test results were available caused irreversible harm to families and reputations.

“You take twenty people, parade them on television, take hair samples, send them for testing,” Özel said. “Fifteen days later, seventeen come back clean. What about their children, their parents, their spouses? If you suspect someone, summon them. Those who don’t flee will come. If the result is positive, you inform the public. You don’t publicly shame people. We need to be careful with these practices.”

“Who Is Protecting the Drug Barons?”

Özel further accused authorities of targeting low-level offenders while failing to pursue major organized crime figures.

“The street dealer is in prison, the user is in prison, the facilitator is in prison—but where is the baron?” he asked. “The country of origin is known. The ship that left Colombia is known. The port it arrived at is known. The seized drugs are known. Who is protecting the cursed barons who brought this in?”

He concluded by accusing the government of focusing on minor targets while ignoring systemic criminal networks.