Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer held a press conference at the Esenyurt District Office of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) one day after his release.
Ahmet Özer said he experienced two profound sorrows during his time in detention. Özer said, “A peace process began. I wanted to be outside to contribute more effectively, to embrace peace and help strengthen it. But from inside, I could only do so by writing and expressing my thoughts on paper. My second sorrow was this: while my fellow council members, deputy mayors, department heads, and our 4,000 municipal workers were working tirelessly, day and night, to change Esenyurt’s destiny, our path was cut off. Esenyurt was deprived of the services and progress it deserved.”
Waging war against a political party does not fit the logic of peace
Özer said, “Even though I have regained my freedom, it feels like a bittersweet one. Our friends and comrades are still inside. I hope that Turkey will soon operate democracy fully, with all its institutions and principles, so that our friends can be released and tried without imprisonment. That is what truly matters and it is also what society expects. The spirit of the peace process we are going through requires this. On one hand, you cannot say ‘we will make peace with society,’ and on the other, wage war against a political party and carry out operations. That logic does not fit with the idea of peace, and I want to express this clearly to those in power. Even leaders we never expected showed empathy toward us in this regard. Mr. Devlet Bahçeli said, ‘Ahmet Türk should return to his post, and Ahmet Özer should be free.’”
Özer also stated encountering Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu as he was leaving prison. Özer said, “He told me he was very happy and excited. I replied, ‘I’m not as happy and excited as you are, Mr. Mayor. I may be leaving here, but I’m leaving half my heart behind.’ He said, ‘Still, your release is very important. You were the first to be imprisoned, and your release has given us great morale. Please send my regards to all our friends and comrades.’”