Main opposition party CHP’s district mayor in Istanbul detained
Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer. (AA Photo)
Main opposition CHP’s Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer was detained early this morning in a raid on his home.
Authorities conducted searches at both his residence and the municipal building.
Ozer, who serves in Esenyurt, a large Istanbul district with a population of 1 million, is accused of having past affiliations with Kurdish separatist groups.
Ozer has been detained as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged involvement with the PKK/KCK terrorist organization, according to a statement from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Following a request from the Prosecutor’s Office, the Istanbul Magistrate Court issued a search warrant for Ozer’s properties. Early this morning, Ozer was taken into custody, with law enforcement searching his home, office and vehicle. The searches are ongoing as authorities gather further evidence related to the case.
First statements from CHP
CHP Group Deputy Chairman Gokhan Gunaydin made a statement on his social media account: “Our Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer was detained this morning and taken to the Security Directorate. We know who is fighting against terrorism and who is struggling for power. Governments come and go; prosecutors and judges should only adhere to the law for justice to be served.”
CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Ozgur Celik stated the following while speaking to Halk TV: “We are trying to understand what happened. Ahmet Ozer’s house has been visited by security officials since early this morning and he has been taken to Istanbul Security Directorate in Vatan Street.” he said.
“The municipality building has also been entered. Doors have been forced and office rooms have been opened. It’s a dawn operation that we don’t understand, we can’t make sense of. We are following it carefully. No one should try to design politics through the judiciary. Our deputies and deputy chairmen are currently on their way to the Security Directorate.” Celik added.
Statement from Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office
The investigation, carried out by the Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigation Bureau of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, focuses on identifying the activities and members of the PKK/KCK terrorist group. As part of this investigation, Mayor Ozer was found to have allegedly established continuous and significant connections with senior figures of the PKK/KCK.
The evidence reportedly includes wiretapped conversations, physical surveillance reports, bank account records, and documentation of Ozer’s direct involvement in the organization’s activities.
The following statement has been released:
As part of the investigations conducted by our Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to identify members and activities of the PKK/KCK terrorist organization:
Based on the evidence gathered in the investigation concerning suspect AHMET OZER, who is currently serving as the Mayor of Esenyurt in Istanbul, it has been summarized that the suspect has maintained an organic link with the terrorist organization PKK/KCK. This conclusion is drawn from organizational documents seized from members of the terrorist group, which were also delivered to the leadership cadre located in the Kandil region of Northern Iraq. These documents included discussions from a meeting with the terrorist organization’s leader Abdullah Ocalan on Imralı Island, where Ozer was reportedly assigned a role in the so-called democratic autonomy project.
Further evidence includes transcripts of conversations obtained through a wiretap, physical surveillance reports, and analysis of account movements. Additionally, the suspect had contact with 694 individuals with prior judicial records for terrorist membership over a span of approximately 10 years, and records show communication with terrorist organization leaders, including Remzi KARTAL (Co-Chair of KONGRA-GEL, KCK Executive Council Member, and a fugitive wanted on a red notice) on 14 occasions. Considering this evidence, a strong suspicion has emerged that the suspect committed the crime of being a member of the PKK/KCK armed terrorist organization through a continuous and intense relationship with the organization.
Pursuant to a decision obtained from the Istanbul Magistrates’ Court, searches were conducted at the suspect’s residence, workplace, and vehicles, and evidence related to the crime was seized. Acting on instructions from the Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Terror Branch, the suspect was detained on 30/10/2024 at 6:00 a.m. Search operations are still ongoing.
Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office
Ozer meets Remzi Kartal 14 times
Ozer’s many contacts with members of the terrorist organization PKK over a period of 10 years were identified. It was determined that he met 694 times with PKK terrorists and 14 times with the so-called Kongra-gel co-chair Remzi Kartal.
Ozer’s extensive contacts with members of the terrorist organization PKK over a decade have been uncovered. It was found that he had met with PKK terrorists 694 times and with the so-called co-chair of the PKK/Kongra-Gel terrorist group Remzi Kartal 14 times.
Esenyurt mayor’s detention sparks criticism from main opposition CHP
Main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP)’s Chairman Ozgur Ozel has criticized the recent detainment of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer, calling the accusations against him “baseless” and the treatment he received “unjust.”
Ozer was detained in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged links to the PKK/KCK terrorist group.
Ozgur Ozel responds to Ozer’s detainment
In a statement on social media, Ozgur Ozel expressed his concerns over the situation, stating that Ahmet Ozer, a respected academic and politician, was wrongfully targeted. “He was elected with overwhelming with the support of the people of Esenyurt.”
The accusations against him are without merit,” Ozel remarked, emphasizing that Ozer had recently passed background checks before running for office.
Our Esenyurt Mayor, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ozer, was detained in an operation conducted this morning. I am following the process closely. He has held senior positions in the public sector and academia for many years. He received a clean slate from the relevant authorities when he was a candidate just six months ago. The treatment of a scientist, opinion leader and politician who was elected with the great favor of the voters of Esenyurt in the elections he participated in is unfair and the allegations are baseless.
These events are not independent of what has happened in the last few weeks. We see the ugly game, the big conspiracy. We will neither be a part of you nor surrender to you.
CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel
Allegations linked to PKK/KCK investigation
Ahmet Ozer’s detainment follows accusations that he may be involved with the PKK/KCK. The ongoing investigation has placed him under scrutiny, but Ozel maintains that the charges are part of a broader campaign against political figures in the CHP.
He indicated that recent developments should not be viewed in isolation, but rather as part of a larger “plot.”
Calls for justice and transparency
Gokhan Gunaydin, CHP’s Parliamentary Group deputy chairman, also addressed the situation, stressing that everyone is subject to investigation under Turkish law, but questioned the timing and motives behind the charges.
Gunaydin called for transparency in the investigation, suggesting that the allegations might be politically motivated due to Ozer’s affiliation with the CHP.
Gunaydin also highlighted the inconsistency in timing, asking, “If there were suspicions about Ozer’s connections to terrorist organizations, why was he allowed to run for mayor in 2024?” He urged the judiciary to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.
Have they ever done any communication detection or physical surveillance? If they did, and if they found anything, how were the necessary permissions granted for him to become mayor on March 31, 2024? The results of all this show us that this would not have happened if Ahmet Ozer had not been the CHP’s mayor of Esenyurt.
CHP’s Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairman Gokhan Gunaydin
Minister of Justice urges patience
In response to the ongoing investigation, Turkish Minister of Justice Yilmaz Tunc stated, “The results of the investigation concerning Mayor Ozer should be awaited,” urging patience while legal proceedings continue.
“We need to wait for the results of this investigation. The evaluations made outside are evaluations made without knowledge of the file. The judiciary will make the most correct decision according to the results of the investigation,” Yilmaz said.
CHP deputy chairman condemns detention of Ahmet Ozer
CHP Deputy Chairman Gokhan Zeybek has expressed strong opposition to Ozer’s detention, who was arrested on charges of being a member of the PKK/KCK armed terrorist group.
Speaking to journalists outside the Istanbul Security Directorate, Zeybek confirmed that Ozer, who was elected as Esenyurt’s mayor with the support of nearly half of the city’s voters, was detained earlier this morning.
Zeybek emphasized that Ozer began his public service career as the General Secretary of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) and has worked in various state institutions for many years. He explained that Ozer was nominated as the CHP’s candidate for Esenyurt based on an extensive evaluation by the party’s general center, which considered all relevant documents, information and his clean criminal record.
Restrictions on communication
Zeybek also pointed out that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had imposed a restriction order on the case, which has prevented them from meeting with Ozer. “As the Republican People’s Party, we stand firmly behind our mayor. We know very well that his only objective has been to serve the people of Esenyurt,” Zeybek stated.
Zeybek concluded by reiterating the party’s determination to pursue justice, saying, “We will ensure that politics remains separate from the legal successes that political parties achieve in public squares. We will fight for justice in the courts.”
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu speaks about detention
Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu also spoke about Ozer’s detention and said, “Our Esenyurt Mayor Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ozer was detained this morning. We are following the process meticulously.”
“Mr. Ozer, who has served in the state and has held senior positions at universities from dean to vice-chancellor, is a valuable scientist and local administrator. Türkiye should stop being a country where morning house raids are carried out against politicians and scientists,” Imamoglu added.
