'White Toros' investigation against Özgür Özel

An ex officio investigation has been launched against CHP Chairman Özgür Özel for the crimes of “publicly insulting” and “threating” a public official due to his duty, due to his “White Toros” statement regarding the prosecutor handling the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality investigation.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office made the following statement on the matter:

An ex officio investigation has been launched against CHP Chairman Özgür Özel for the crimes of public insult and threat against a public official due to his statements towards Public Prosecutor Cahit Cihad Sarı, who works at the Organized Crime Investigation Bureau of our Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor, in the press statement he made in Silivri on 16/07/2025.

In addition, following these statements by the aforementioned individual, an investigation has been launched into the posts on social media accounts targeting our Public Prosecutor.”

WHAT DID ÖZGÜR ÖZEL SAY?

Özel visited Ekrem İmamoğlu after the hearing in Silivri, and after the visit, he said the following about the prosecutor in charge of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality investigation:

"What was Mr. Erdoğan saying? Just yesterday, the day before. 'White Toros trees have enabled this Kurdish issue, the PKK's strengthening.' Is there anyone who doesn't know about the white Toros trees on your desk? What kind of process are we in? Erdoğan is leading a process, Mr. Devlet is saying 'Turkey without terrorism' and evaluating the DEM's actions. Those white Toros trees are the ones who didn't take away the wives of the delegation members who held the meetings today. What are you showing anyone by putting a white Toros tree on the table? Hey, friends, who are you making prosecutors do? Who are you making people do what?"

Source: NEWS CENTER