Turkish government ousts elected CHP mayor of Istanbul district, appoints trustee

Duvar English

Turkish police on Oct. 30 took district mayor Ahmet Özer from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) under custody for an ongoing “terrorism investigation.” The police conducted a house search in the early morning. A confidentiality order was imposed on Özer's file for 24 hours.

District governor Oğuzhan Bingöl was appointed as the trustee mayor, according to reporting by the online news outlet Habertürk.

While Mayor Özer’s processing at the police headquarters continued, the police raided the Esenyurt Municipality building. Police broke the lock on his office door and searched his office for about four hours.

Municipal employees told Gazete Duvar that they learned of the police raid only when they arrived in the morning. They reported that police completed their search and left the building around 8:30 a.m. Meanwhile, a large number of riot police and security personnel were stationed around the municipal building.

Following Özer’s detention and the police raid, many people gathered in front of the municipality. As the Duvar team took the elevator to the 11th floor to photograph the broken door of the mayor’s office, those in the elevator expressed their frustration, saying, “Enough already.” A woman going to the third floor said, “They have turned the people against each other. They detained our elected mayor under manufactured excuses. This is fascism.”

The CHP and its citywide coalition partner Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party held a press statement at 2 p.m. The crowd gathered in front of the municipal building grew steadily. An Esenyurt resident speaking in front of the municipality said, “As Esenyurt residents, if we don’t defend this today, tomorrow it will be İmamoğlu.” Many people we spoke to in the crowd said this could turn into a major protest.

An Esenyurt resident criticizing Ahmet Özer’s detention said, “After winning the election, Ahmet Özer launched significant projects aimed at uniting society in a short time. He is working to make this place a center of culture and brotherhood. In an area with a high crime rate, he has taken steps to create a city where people can live in peace.”

Another resident, noting that the public responded positively to Özer’s projects, said the detention surprised them: “This seems like yet another obstruction in recent political maneuvering. This is disrespectful to the national will. We expect Ahmet Hoca to be allowed to continue his services. We are hopeful that Esenyurt will become a capital of culture and peace.”

CHP Deputy Chair for Local Governments Gökhan Zeybek made a statement in front of the Esenyurt Municipality. Zeybek stated, “We reaffirm that we stand by Ahmet Özer.” 

He described Ahmet Özer as a professor who opened his heart to millions living in Esenyurt, and added, “We know this investigation from the ‘absurd case.’ Is Ahmet Özer being questioned for where he was born? Or for the language he speaks? There was a confidentiality order. He couldn’t meet with his lawyers. Shortly, he will be questioned with three of his lawyers present.”

Following Zeybek, CHP Deputy Chair Özgür Karabat stated, “We are standing with Esenyurt. We are standing with Ahmet Özer. Neither Esenyurt nor Ahmet Özer is alone. The door they broke is the door of democracy. The door they broke is the people’s door. Wasn’t the file supposed to be confidential? Wasn’t there supposed to be a restriction? We’ve seen these games before. Now you’re pulling the same tricks. We won’t let you create criminals by fabricating evidence. You are enemies of democracy. We will defend Ahmet Özer, who received the votes of half of Esenyurt.”