Protest in Ankara Supports Detained Çankaya Mayor; CHP Leader Vows Support
Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Supporters marched in Ankara to protest the detention of Çankaya Mayor Hüseyin Can Güner, with CHP leader Özgür Özel vowing to support the party member.
- Özel stated they came to stand by a dedicated party member who has been involved since a young age.
- Protesters chanted slogans like "Hüseyin Başkan is not alone" and "Silence will lead to your turn."
Supporters gathered outside the Çankaya Municipality building and marched towards it from Kuğulu Park in Ankara to protest the detention of Mayor Hüseyin Can Güner. The demonstration saw the participation of key figures from the Republican People's Party (CHP), including party leader Özgür Özel and several members of parliament.
At the start of the march, CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed the crowd, emphasizing their solidarity with the detained mayor. "We came here to stand by our party's child, who was 30 years old when elected and whose life has been spent in struggle within the youth branches, who has been a party member since the day he turned 18," Özel stated.
During the march, participants chanted slogans expressing their support for Güner and their defiance against the authorities. Chants included "Hüseyin Başkan yalnız değildir" (Hüseyin Başkan is not alone) and "Susma sustukça sıra sana gelecek" (Do not be silent, as you stay silent, it will be your turn).
The protest highlights the strong backing Güner has within his party and among his constituents, who are rallying against his detention and expressing their commitment to justice.
We came here to stand by our party's child, who was 30 years old when elected and whose life has been spent in struggle within the youth branches, who has been a party member since the day he turned 18.
Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.