ISTANBUL - Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer was released during the hearing of the trial in the context of "urban concencus". Ozer was not released as he was also under arrest from a different case. 

 

The hearing of the lawsuit filed against Ahmet Ozer, Mayor of Esenyurt district of Istanbul, due to "terrorist organization membership" in the context of "urban concencus" was held at Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court. While Özer was present at the hearing, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın, IBB Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik, Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu and party members watched the hearing.

 

The hearing of Ozer, who is on trial for 7 years and 6 months to 15 years in prison, started with witness statements. Erkan Çakır, former head of Muş Youth Branch of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and a witness in the case of "sham in the CHP congress", testified against Ozer. When asked by the judge "What is your knowledge about Ahmet Ozer's membership?", Çakır pointed to Ahmet Ozer's pronunciation of PKK as evidence of his membership in an illegal organisation. 

 

Following the witness statements, the prosecutor demanded the continuation of Ozer's detention. The court released Ozer on judicial control conditions. However, Ozer will not be released since he is also under arrest in the "bid rigging and bribery" case.