Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has launched a comprehensive 15-day protest campaign to challenge the government’s appointment of a trustee to replace the mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt Ahmet Özer, after he was arrested and imprisoned.
The CHP leader Özgür Özel announced the action plan on Sunday during the party’s annual camp, which was relocated to İstanbul from Antalya following Özer’s arrest. “Four MPs will visit Ahmet Özer in prison every morning and then monitor developments at the municipality building,” Özel said.
The strategy of the campaign, titled “Coup by trustee against the will of the nation”, includes the daily deployment of four MPs, two mayors, the leaders of two district councils and two provincial administrators coordinated by the CHP’s İstanbul Branch Leadership.
“Our party group room at Esenyurt District Council will remain open daily. Our representatives will maintain regular media briefings while engaging with civil society organisations, neighbourhood representatives, local businesses and Esenyurt residents to talk about this coup against the will of the people,” Özel explained.
