CHP Leader Özgür Özel Visits Imprisoned Mayor İmamoğlu, Slams Arrest as Politically Motivated

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel visited Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul, who remains in pre-trial detention at Silivri Prison, and issued strong statements denouncing the arrest as unjust and politically orchestrated.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Özel criticized the legal grounds for the detention, calling it a baseless move lacking any substantial evidence.

“This arrest was made when there was neither a crime nor any evidence. It’s an act of desperation by those who cannot politically compete with İmamoğlu,” he said.

“Jammer Scandal Blew Up in Their Faces”

Özel mocked the authorities’ shifting justifications for İmamoğlu’s detention, referring to claims about the use of jammers during protests.

“They said jammers were involved—turns out that wasn’t true either. It blew up in their faces.”

He described a justice system where prosecutors manipulate detainees, citing instances where suspects are reportedly taken to prosecutors under false pretenses, such as medical checks, and then coerced into altering testimonies.

Direct Criticism of President Erdoğan

Özel directly questioned whether President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is being misled by prosecutors, as he claimed happened during previous controversial cases.

“If prosecutors are misleading Tayyip Erdoğan like Zekeriya Öz once did, he should act now—don’t come back five years later saying you were deceived,” he said.

“Injustice Is Exhausting Us All”

The CHP leader argued that false accusations cannot serve as evidence, and warned that if the accused are later found innocent, those responsible for slander could face prison time themselves.

“Stop inventing crimes. If you can’t prove your case, admit the mistake. We’re tired of being proven right over and over again,” Özel added.

He concluded by saying that the situation had reached a point where it’s not just about İmamoğlu, but about a broader erosion of justice and the misuse of prosecutorial power.