Latest news with #Özel
The Guardian
11-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Turkish opposition leader criticises Starmer for ignoring arrest of Istanbul mayor
The leader of Turkey's largest opposition party has hit out at Keir Starmer, accusing the British prime minister of ignoring the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul and democratic backsliding in Turkey. Speaking to the Guardian, the leader of the left-leaning Republican People's party (CHP), Özgür Özel, said he was disappointed that Starmer had failed to speak up about attacks on a 'sister party'. Emphasising that his frustrations were with the Labour leadership and Starmer personally for failing to offer a full condemnation after leading CHP politician and Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained last month, Özel said 'they are making a historic mistake by seeing this as a domestic Turkish issue'. 'Starmer's attitude is one that he will not be able to explain in future,' he added. 'I would like to send the following message: 'After this is all over, we will remember the silence of our friends, not the loud voices and negative comments of our enemies'.' İmamoğlu was arrested and imprisoned last month on an array of corruption charges, triggering the largest anti-government demonstrations in Turkey in over a decade as hundreds of thousands took to the streets. The CHP have called for twice-weekly rallies across Turkey and an economic boycott of companies they say are close to president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, hoping to spur an anti-government movement that has so far seen almost 1500 people detained, including journalists and municipal politicians. While Turkish authorities insist the charges against the Istanbul mayor are not politicised, Özel labelled it 'a political trial,' adding that Erdoğan 'has his lawyers imprison those who disturb him and his team politically'. The Istanbul mayor, who had ruled a city of 16 million for six years, was widely seen as Erdoğan's main rival. He was named the CHP's candidate for president on the same day he was sent to a maximum security facility on the outskirts of Istanbul. Elections in Turkey are due in 2028, although an early vote is widely predicted, and the CHP has called for snap elections after officially nominating İmamoğlu as its candidate. Despite the mayor's abrupt detention, the CHP leader said the party has already mapped out plans for how İmamoğlu can campaign for the presidency even if he remains behind bars. Özel labelled the upcoming election a referendum on whether 'there will be autocracy or democracy in Turkey'. Özel sat for an interview shortly before hosting a rally in Istanbul, with another rally in Erdoğan's Black Sea heartland scheduled for this weekend. The Turkish president filed a criminal complaint against the opposition leader earlier this week, accusing him of insulting the president by saying that Turkey is 'governed by a junta that is afraid of elections'. The opposition leader dismissed the lawsuit as an attempt to cow him but said he had not ruled out that Erdoğan could still seek his arrest, 'if he can't cope politically like what happened with İmamoğlu'. While European leaders, including French president Emmanuel Macron and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, have spoken out about the mayor's arrest, the Turkish opposition leader said he also wanted to see Europe do more to pressure Ankara away from democratic backsliding. İmamoğlu's arrest came as European leaders have reportedly considered tapping Turkey, which boasts the second-largest army in Nato after the US, to provide peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. 'It is not right to make unprincipled negotiations with Erdoğan out of security concerns. Having Nato's first largest army in the hands of Trump and Nato's second largest army in the hands of an autocrat does not help anyone,' said Özel. In the weeks since the mayor's detention, there has been little comment from the British government or the Labour party regarding events in Turkey or the deportation of BBC reporter Mark Lowen, who covered the anti-government protests. Turkish authorities say they deported Lowen for working without accreditation. Stephen Doughty, minister for Europe, North America and overseas territories, told parliament in late March that Britain was 'closely monitoring the situation'. 'The UK expects Turkey to uphold its international commitments and the rule of law, including swift and transparent judicial processes,' he added. Özel accused Starmer of prioritising issues of regional security such as events in Syria over the removal of democratic rights and the 'great injustices' taking place in Turkey. 'The loser of this process, not just in my eyes but in the eyes of democratic forces worldwide, is Erdoğan in Turkey and Starmer at the international level,' he said.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Erdoğan sues opposition leader over 'junta' remarks
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has filed a lawsuit against main opposition leader Özgür Özel, who called him a 'junta leader' in response to the jailing and dismissal of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The opposition accuses Erdoğan of orchestrating a 'political coup' against İmamoğlu, widely seen as the powerful president's most prominent political rival. Erdoğan is seeking 500,000 lira ($13,155) in damages from Özel. He is also filing a criminal complaint for insulting the president, Erdoğan's lawyer Hüseyin Aydın wrote on Tuesday on X. Aydın accused Özel of 'baseless accusations" and defamatory language. The legal move comes after Özel's re-election as Republican People's Party (CHP) leader during a party congress in Ankara on Sunday. 'From here, I address Erdoğan, not the president elected by the people, but Erdoğan the junta leader,' Özel said during a fiery post-congress speech. 'Not even America, not even Trump will save you in the next election," he continued. Turkey has been plunged into political turmoil since İmamoğlu's detention on March 19 and subsequent jailing. İmamoğlu, the CHP's presidential candidate, denies the corruption and terrorism charges against him. His arrest sparked mass protests, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets, accusing Erdoğan's government of weaponizing the judiciary to sideline a key opponent. Authorities have responded with bans and forceful crackdowns in several cities, including Istanbul and Ankara. State-run Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday that 139 people have been indicted for participating in "unauthorized" protests, with 104 currently under arrest. Prosecutors are seeking up to three years in prison for violating laws on public assembly.
Shafaq News
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
"We will defeat injustice": Turkiye opposition pushes for snap polls
Shafaq News/ Turkiye's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel reiterated his commitment to ongoing protests in support of imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and called for early parliamentary and presidential elections. Speaking at an extraordinary party conference on Monday, Özel addressed the Turkish government, "If you have the courage, you will run in the early elections." hinting that the elections could be scheduled for November, he warned, "We challenge you... We will save Turkiye once again." Özel's remarks followed an earlier announcement of his party's campaign to demand the trial of İmamoğlu without detention and to push for early elections "as soon as possible." In a separate interview with the opposition daily Sözcü, Özel revealed that CHP's goal in the next elections is to secure the same number of votes President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received in the previous election—approximately 27 million votes. İmamoğlu, who has been detained over a controversial legal case, sent a message from his confinement, read by his party representatives at the conference. The message accused the government of trying to eliminate competition in the upcoming elections. "This government does not want a rival candidate, a rival party, or free and fair elections," İmamoğlu's message stated, adding, "No matter what they do, we will succeed. We will defeat injustice and oppression."
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Party of jailed Istanbul mayor re-elects its leader
Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) re-elected its party leader Özgür Özel on Sunday, as the CHP seeks to cement its resistance following the arrest of their presidential candidate and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Özel, 50, was re-elected at an an extraordinary party congress by an overwhelming majority of 1,171 of 1,276 ballots cast, reported news agency Anka, which is considered to be close to the opposition. He did not face a challenger. The secular CHP has been at the forefront of anti-government protests that have swept Turkey since İmamoğlu was arrested and removed from office over corruption and terrorism allegations last month. The party has planned weekly protests starting next week despite pressure from authorities. The congress in the capital was followed by a Sunday rally in Ankara in solidarity with İmamoğlu. People had also been out protesting the arrest of the deputy secretary general of the Istanbul city administration, Mahir Polat, local media reported. Polat's lawyer on X called for his client's release, saying his life was in acute danger in custody due to his high blood pressure. The CHP sees the arrests as a government manoeuvre to eliminate a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and has demanded a snap election. Turkey's next presidential election is scheduled for 2028. Sunday's vote was aimed at preventing the government from appointing a trustee to the party, which is under investigation over allegations that party members were bribed to vote for Özel at a party congress in 2023. Özel and the party deny the charges. Deputy CHP leader Gamze Taşcıer said that a threat to the party still remains despite Özel's re-election on Sunday. İmamoğlu and several aides are accused of corruption and supporting the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). İmamoğlu rejects the allegations as politically motivated. The long-time Islamic conservative leader Erdoğan recently threatened to expose more graft within the CHP and questioned the party's legitimacy.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Party of jailed Istanbul mayor holds extraordinary meeting
The Turkish opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) of imprisoned and deposed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is set to gather in Ankara on Sunday for an extraordinary party congress. The congress in the capital is to be followed by a rally on Sunday in solidarity with the CHP's presidential candidate İmamoğlu, CHP leader Özgür Özel said this week. İmamoğlu's arrest and subsequent removal from office in March plunged Turkey into its worst political crisis in over a decade. Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in anti-government demonstrations across Turkey. The CHP has planned weekly protests starting next week despite pressure from authorities. İmamoğlu and several aides are accused of corruption and supporting the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). İmamoğlu rejects the allegations as politically motivated. The CHP sees the move as a government manoeuvre to eliminate a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and has demanded a snap election. Turkey's next presidential election is scheduled for 2028. The secular CHP is already under investigation over a 2023 party congress. Allegations include that party members were bribed to vote for Özel. Özel and the party deny the charges. The party leader said in March that Sunday's congress is to legally avoid the government appointing a trustee to the party. Özel is expected to be re-elected as party leader. The long-time Islamic conservative leader Erdoğan recently threatened to expose more graft within the CHP and questioned the party's legitimacy.
