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Police have surrounded the provincial headquarters of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in İstanbul as party members resisted a court decision to dismiss the current leadership and appoint a temporary board.
The move came after an İstanbul court issued a temporary injunction on Sep 3, suspending the party’s provincial board. The decision is based on allegations of procedural irregularities and vote buying during the party’s 2023 provincial congress.
In its interim ruling, the court said the claims had been “approximately substantiated.” The case could also impact the party’s 2023 general congress, which saw a leadership change in the party for the first time in 14 years.
The current CHP leadership views the court decisions as part of an attempt by the government to reshape the party leadership through judicial means.
In the temporary injunction, the court appointed Gürsel Tekin, a former CHP lawmaker affiliated with the faction close to former party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, as interim provincial chair.
Following Tekin’s announcement that he would assume office tomorrow, suspended provincial chair Özgür Çelik called on party members to gather at the provincial headquarters. “CHP is the people; we will protect the people’s home,” he wrote on social media.
By the evening, police units had surrounded the party’s headquarters. The party leadership urged all district branches and citizens to gather at the building: “We say no to the trustee. We call all our members to the İstanbul Provincial Office.”
CHP İstanbul lawmaker Suat Özçağdaş, who was at the provincial office, told Halk TV that “we are not allowed to enter or exit the building.” He added, “We reject this. This is the work of Erdoğan, acting like a coup leader. How can access to our provincial office be blocked? Our chair called the governor, who denied any such order. But the police are here. They are enforcing an unjust decision at a time they should be home. The judiciary is being used as a political weapon to terrorize the opposition.”
Access roads to the provincial office were also blocked, and riot police were deployed. One individual, identified as Emrecan Polat, was detained.
Governor bans gatherings
The İstanbul Governor’s Office announced a ban on all demonstrations and events in several districts, including Sarıyer, where the CHP office is located, until Sep 10. Governor Davut Gül warned on social media that “the Temporary Board, Chair, Executive and Disciplinary Committees appointed by the court hold full authority, and obstructing their duties will carry legal consequences.”
He added, “Inviting or calling people to participate in illegal meetings and demonstrations constitutes a criminal offense. Such actions clearly threaten public order.”
Responding on the social media platform X, Çelik tagged Governor Gül and wrote:
“The CHP İstanbul Provincial Office is the home of the people. CHP members coming to their office is not a demonstration, march, or protest. It is certainly not a crime. It is their most natural right and duty.
Preventing our members from entering their own office is a crime.” (VK)