Jailed nationalist party leader Umit Ozdag plans hunger strike over legal delays

The main opposition CHP Erzincan MP Mustafa Sarigul visited Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and Victory Party leader Umit Ozdag in Silivri Prison. Following the visit, Sarigul announced that Ozdag intends to go on a hunger strike due to the ongoing delay in the preparation of his indictment.

Frustration over delayed indictment

Speaking on behalf of Ozdag, Sarigul conveyed his frustration with the legal process, emphasizing that it has been 65 days with no indictment in place. Ozdag questioned why he was being arrested without a clear reason, stating that his imprisonment had no solid legal basis.

He expressed his inability to tolerate the situation any longer and announced that he would stop purchasing food from the prison canteen and refuse meals provided by the authorities. He added that while he would sustain himself by fasting for now, if the situation remained unchanged after the holiday, he would begin a hunger strike as a form of protest.

Calls for justice, release

Ozdag also criticized his imprisonment, arguing that he should not be in jail and that there was no justification for his detention. He expressed frustration that people had to visit him in prison despite his belief that he had committed no crime.

As the leader of a political party, he insisted on his right to express his views freely and warned that if the legal process remained stalled, he would proceed with his hunger strike after the holiday.

Why is Ozdag in prison?

Victory Party leader Umit Ozdag was arrested on charges of “insulting the president” and “inciting hatred and enmity among the public.” His social media posts and public statements were cited as evidence for these accusations.

Additionally, some of Ozdag’s remarks regarding refugees were claimed to have contributed to certain incidents, further strengthening the case against him.