Opposition’s Istanbul HQ blockaded amid leadership removal

The Istanbul headquarters of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was placed under a police blockade starting Sunday (September 7).

Opposition’s Istanbul HQ blockaded amid leadership removalOpposition’s Istanbul HQ blockaded amid leadership removal

The move follows a recent decision by a Turkish court to remove the party’s Istanbul district leadership from office amidst allegations of irregularities in the party’s 2023 leadership selection process. Critics see the move as a politically-motivated attempt to handicap Turkey’s largest opposition party.

On Sunday, CHP’s Istanbul district youth wing had issued a call for supporters to come gather at the headquarters in order to prevent the arrival of Gürsel Tekin, the government-appointed trustee tasked with leading the party’s Istanbul district branch following the removal of previous chairman Özgür Çelik and other top brass. Tekin was due to take office Monday (September 8).

Following the call from the CHP youth wing, the Istanbul Governorship announced the police blockade as well as a ban on demonstrations in six districts of the city.

After the announcement of the decision to impose a police blockade, district head Özgür Çelik and CHP Chairman Özgür Özel issued a call for citizens to come gather at the building.

Around 11:00pm Sunday evening, a crowd of demonstrators began to assemble outside the district headquarters, attempting to break the police blockade and enter the building.

Photos and videos posted on social media showed protestors clashing with rows of police in front of the building as police deployed tear gas.

Early Monday morning, reports indicated that police forces were constructing new barricades in front of the headquarters building, and continuing to block entrances and exits. Videos showed protestors attempting to prevent the unloading of new barricades from delivery trucks parked in front of the building.

Medyascope news director Göksel Göksu, who was present at the scene, said that entrance to the building was only being permitted for CHP members of parliament.

Following the implementation of the police blockade, internet restrictions were reported on social media platforms across Turkey.

NetBlocks and the Freedom of Expression Association reported major bandwidth restrictions on X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.

These restrictions, which are circumventable with a VPN, were also implemented during Turkey’s major protests in late March.

The Turkish Police also reported Monday morning that 14 individuals were under investigation for social media posts related to the blockade determined to have contained disinformation and ‘inciting the public to hatred and antagonism’.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu both issued statements following the implementation of the police blockade.

In a social media post, İmamoğlu wrote:

“Preventing our own party members from accessing the headquarters building– upon which law is this possibly based? When will you finally stop plunging our country into crisis every single day?”

Özel also spoke at a party meeting Monday, repeating a common CHP slogan in recent months: “There’s no liberation alone, it’s either all of us or none of us.”

Özgür Çelik also released a statement Monday saying “This blockade will benefit no one.” The Istanbul CHP head also mentioned that attempts by the party to contact the Istanbul Governorship, which deployed the police blockade, had been unsuccessful. Additionally, Çelik announced that around 3000 people living in the vicinity of the CHP headquarters building were unable to reach their homes due to the blockade.

Reports midday Monday indicated that trustee replacement Gürsel Tekin was on his way to the CHP Istanbul headquarters to take office.

In front of the headquarters building, protestors could be heard shouting “Tekin is a traitor!”

Around 1:30pm local time, Tekin arrived at the building under heavy police escort and made an announcement, saying “We are not trustees,” seeming to disagree with the protestors who view him as a government appointee.

Alaattin Köseler, a member of the CHP and district mayor of Istanbul’s Beykoz district, had been detained since March on alleged corruption charges amidst a crackdown on other CHP officials across the Istanbul municipality.

Last Friday (September 5), Köseler was freed from detention following a court order and called upon by the CHP to return to office.

However, an objection filed by prosecutors resulted in a decision to redetain Köseler Saturday (September 6).

Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick