Turkey court ousts leadership of opposition's Istanbul branch

ISTANBUL (AFP) — A Turkish court on Tuesday dismissed the main opposition party’s leadership in Istanbul over alleged irregularities in its 2023 congress, court documents showed, in the latest legal blow to the group.

The move comes as the Republican People’s Party, CHP, faces mounting pressure from a growing number of legal investigations into alleged graft, which began in earnest in March with the arrest and jailing of Istanbul’s popular and powerful Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Tuesday’s ruling, a copy of which was seen by AFP, effectively suspends “all decisions taken at the Istanbul provincial congress” of CHP on Oct. 8, 2023, it said.

The move annuls the outcome of the vote, throwing out CHP’s Istanbul leader Ozgur Celik and his leadership team — effectively unseating him and 195 other delegates.

At that congress, Celik — who was backed by Imamoglu — won the leadership race, defeating Cemal Canpolat, the candidate seen as close to the CHP’s leader at the time, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

The ruling involves “the provisional removal from office of the provincial chairman, the provincial executive board, and the provincial disciplinary board elected at this congress” and the “provisional” reinstatement of those who previously served in those positions, it said.

Effective immediately, the court said Celik would be relaced by Gursel Tekin — a former lawmaker who has since left the party but is also seen as close to Kilicdaroglu.

In a message on X, Celik said he was heading to the party’s Istanbul headquarters “to follow and manage the process. The Republican People’s Party is the people’s home. It cannot be taken over!”

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said in a post on X that the court’s verdict could be appealed.

CHP slams ‘politicized judiciary’

The ruling drew a furious reaction from CHP, which said it was “devoid of any legal basis.”

“This decision by the politicized judiciary is null and void. We will resolutely fight against those who seek to design politics in the corridors of the courts,” raged Burhanettin Bulut, one of the CHP’s deputy leaders in a post on X.

The move comes just before a Sept. 15 hearing in an almost identical court case against the main CHP leadership — seeking to overturn the result of leadership primary at its congress in November 2023 on grounds of alleged fraud.

If successful, the case could overturn the election of CHP leader Ozgur Ozel.

At the congress, Ozel defeated longtime incumbent Kilicdaroglu.

CHP denies the allegations.

The outcome could see several CHP figures — including the jailed Istanbul mayor — facing up to three years in prison and a political ban for graft, media reports said.

Critics say the case is a politically motivated attempt to undermine the party whose popularity has grown since it led a wave of street protests in March following Imamoglu’s removal.

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By FULYA OZERKAN Agence France-Presse