Ahmet Özer, who was elected mayor of Esenyurt by the main opposition party, CHP in the 31 March elections with the "Urban Consensus", was arrested in a police raid on his home on the morning of 30 October. Police officers searched the town hall. Özer was arrested by a court in the evening on charges of 'membership of a terrorist organisation'.
According to 2023 population data, Esenyurt has the highest population in İstanbul and Turkey. The Ministry of Interior, which dismissed Ahmet Özer and appointed İstanbul Deputy Governor Can Aksoy as trustee in his place, issued the following statement:
“The suspect Ahmet ÖZER, the mayor of Esenyurt, who was arrested by the court for "being a member of the armed terrorist organisation PKK/KCK" in the investigation number 2024/162302 conducted by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, has been suspended from his office as a temporary measure by the Ministry of Interior in accordance with Article 127 of the Constitution and Article 47 of the Municipality Law No. 5393.
In accordance with Articles 45 and 46 of Municipality Law No. 5393, İstanbul Deputy Governor Can AKSOY has been appointed Acting Mayor of Esenyurt Municipality by the İstanbul Governor's Office. This is respectfully announced to the public'.
The arrested mayor of Esenyurt, Ahmet Özer, said in his statement to the judge that the will of the people was being usurped and that the accusations against him were intended to create the infrastructure for the appointment of a trustee.
ERDOĞAN DEFENDS OPERATION
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking at the group meeting while Ahmet Özer was in custody, defended the operation against Esenyurt Municipality and addressed Özgür Özel, saying, "You won't be disturbed while members of the terrorist organisation devastate Esenyurt. They will support the current government. We will not back down from the steps we have taken.
ÖZGÜR ÖZEL CALLS FOR NATIONAL WILL
In a statement on Özer's arrest, CHP leader Özgür Özel said: 'Akın Gürlek became the chief prosecutor of İstanbul with Mr Erdoğan's personal phone call. This means that Akın Gürlek will carry out some duties in İstanbul as a mobile guillotine in a difficult trial. Today's decision is not limited to Esenyurt, it will be continued and tried to be carried out. If the people of İstanbul and all of us protect the national will at this point, all calculations will be reversed. The nation has to protect its own will. There is a very important electoral success in Esenyurt. I call on people to respect the free will of the voters and those who do not respect it should be put in their place.
İSTANBUL RESIDENTS REACT TO THE DECISION
A large number of citizens gathered in front of the municipality building to support Mayor Ahmet Özer and protest against the incidents.
Hundreds of people gathered in front of the court and protested against the decision, chanting slogans such as "The day will come, the time will turn, the AKP will answer to the people", "The trustees will go, we will stay", "Dictator resign" and "Government resign".
(EVRENSEL DAILY)
Yusuf Karadaş