In Istanbul, several apartments were stormed by police in the early morning, and at least 14 people were taken into custody. Among those detained are musician Zeynep Doğan of the Kurdish music group Koma Hewra and politician Ahmet Özer, who was elected mayor of the Esenyurt district of Istanbul on 31 March. Esenyurt town hall was surrounded by police and Özer’s apartment was searched. The detainees are accused of ‘membership in a terrorist organisation’. Around twenty people were detained on the same charge on Monday, with flimsy justifications.
Doğan: Ahmet Özer must be released
Politicians from the CHP and DEM Party called for the immediate release of Ahmet Özer. DEM spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan pointed out in a statement on X that the candidate put forward by the CHP in Esenyurt was elected by consensus. “Obviously, those who do not like the inclusive municipal approach of the Mayor of Esenyurt and his commitment to Kurdish identity and culture are at work again. This attack on the Esenyurt municipality must be stopped and Ahmet Özer must be released,” said the DEM Party Spokeswoman.
Zeybek: An intervention against the latest developments
Those detained were taken to the Istanbul Police Headquarters in Fatih district. Numerous people protested against the detentions in front of the building. CHP MP Gökhan Zeybek announced that a ban on communication had been imposed on Özer and that he would be denied legal counsel for 24 hours. “Apparently, some people are bothered by the fact that our mayor, who was born in Van, is running a city hall in Istanbul,” Zeybek said. “We see his detention as an intervention against the developments that have been on Turkey’s agenda since 1 October.”
Kaboğlu: No legal basis for the detention
Speaking outside the police headquarters, the chairman of the Istanbul Bar Association, Ibrahim Kaboğlu, said that there was no legal basis for the detention of a serving mayor who is available to answer questions at any time: “Professor Ahmet Özer is in Istanbul and is carrying out his duties. He can be summoned and is able to express himself to any authority. He must be released. If there is any accusation against him, action must be taken in accordance with the constitution and the law.”
Özel: A great conspiracy
CHP leader Özgür Özel and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu protested the detention on social media. Özel stated: “Our Mayor of Esenyurt, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özer, was detained in an operation this morning. (…) He has held senior positions in the public sector and academia for years. He had been given clean papers by the relevant authorities only six months ago, when he was still a candidate. The treatment of a scientist, opinion leader and politician, who enjoyed the great favour of the voters of Esenyurt in the elections, is unjust and the accusations are unfounded. These events are not unrelated to what has happened in recent weeks. We see an ugly game, a great conspiracy. We will neither be part of it nor surrender to you.”
İmamoğlu: A valuable scientist and local politician
The Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu of the CHP, also made a similar statement and said: “Mr Özer is a valuable scientist and local politician who has worked in the state and held senior positions at universities, from dean to vice rector. Turkey must stop being a country where politicians and scientists are subjected to dawn raids.”
