The people lend their support

 
ALİ AÇAR
 
CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, speaking in Kocaeli on the twentieth day of the Justice March, said that Turkey had been turned into a party state following 20 July. Kılıçdaroğlu, indicating that they are taking the march forward with the same resolve, stated that they wanted Turkey to be, not one party’s, but capable of serving the eighty million. Kılıçdaroğlu also signed the application form that his party had completed to take the referendum result to the European Court of Human Rights. CHP General Chair Kılıçdaroğlu made comments to journalists prior to the march. He said that the weather would be a bit rainy on the twentieth day of the march and they would march in a good atmosphere.
Turkey has turned into a party state
Kılıçdaroğlu, noting that in the morning he had visited the graveyard of the fallen in the liberation of İzmit, said, ‘We remember with thanks and indebtedness all our fallen who contributed to this country’s independence and liberation. It is also my solemn duty to state this. The significance of the Justice March is very great. This is now felt by every section of society. Turkey has a fundamental problem. Especially after 20 July, Turkey has been turned into a party state. All public bodies have turned into branches of a political party. From the Department of Religious Affairs to the Intelligence Agency Undersecretariat. Everything from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Authority to ministries have turned into the branches of a political party.’
Kılıçdaroğlu, noting that the party state was also seriously harming this country’s deep-rooted parliamentary system, said, ‘We will freely express our thoughts in our own country. For the state to be capable of serving, not one party, but the eighty million. We are continuing on our way to this end. It is one of my greatest wises for the political rulership to prick up its ears to our march and attend to it a little more closely.’ Kılıçdaroğlu, who signed the application form to the European Court of Human Rights brought by Deputy General Chair Bülent Tezcan, said, ‘We have completed the application form for the application we will make to the European Court of Human Rights over unstamped ballot slips. Unfortunately, it grieves me to say that the referendum has been rendered illegitimate by the decision taken by the Supreme Election Council. That election has lost its legitimacy. We have completed our application form and I am appending the first signature here. May it be auspicious and fortuitous.’ Kılıçdaroğlu then set out on the march. Kılıçdaroğlu was accompanied by Ferhat Tunç and Mazlum Çimen from the arts world, linguist Necmiye Alpay, retired Brigadier General Naim Babüroğlu, Kars Mutual Assistance Association members, former national footballer Lemi Çelik, national boxer Ali Çıtak, national referee İbrahim Tokmak, boxers Enver Yılmaz and Açetin Tazegül, visually impaired athlete Pınar Keser, Galatasaray Single Fist Supporters Group, Fenerbahçe Friends Supporters Group, kung fu champion Barış Doğan, former CHP MPs Rıza Türmen and Sarp Kuray, former HDP MP Levent Tüzel, former Istanbul Bar Association Chair Turgut Kazan, the families of those who lost their lives in Roboski village and the Mothers’ Platform.
Call for freedom for journalists
Press Council members joined the Justice Procession on its twentieth day. The march saw the participation of Press Council Chair Pınar Türenç, lawyer Turgut Kazan and Press Council Foundation member Elif Atayman. Türenç and Kazan replied to Kılıçdaroğlu’s questions about the situation of the detained journalists in Turkish and international courts and ongoing violations of press freedom. Pınar Türenç said, ‘We previously held a “Hope Watch” in front of Silivri Prison. That watch served to keep our hope alive and vibrant that they before all others would one day be free. At the point we have reached, hope no longer suffices. Justice does not come through waiting. We are marching today for the detained journalists and we wish for our media once more to attain the top ranking it deserves globally in basic rights and freedoms. Freedom for journalists and justice for Turkey must finally come. This is the shared wish of all our citizens.’
Citizens open up their homes
Kılıçdaroğlu spent the previous night at a camp site in İzmit’s Yahya Kaptan Quarter. Residents of the quarter invited those staying at the camp site who wished to shower into their homes. With it starting to rain, local residents invited those staying in tents to spend the night in their homes. A woman arrived at the camp site with a banner reading, ‘Overnight guests accommodated’ and invited march participants to their homes. Kılıçdaroğlu went to the Martyrs’ Cemetery first thing in the morning. Kılıçdaroğlu, having prayed in front of the memorial, left carnations on the graves of the fallen. Kılıçdaroğlu also visited the grave of İzmit Mayor Leyla Atakan, who lost her life in a traffic accident.
Kılıçdaroğlu is the bionic man
More than forty people from the arts world belonging to the Artists’ Initiative, including Bedri Baykam, Berhan Şimşek, Nejat Yavaşoğulları, Orhan Aydın, Vedat Sakman, Mehmet Aksoy and Orhan Kurtuldu, joined Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s march. Bedri Baykam, saying they had come as various people from all branches of the arts world to support Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s justice march, said, ‘I call Kemal the bionic man. We, the people from the Turkish arts world, are marching in peace, with applause and with our hearts.’ Orhan Aydın then revealed that he was on the march for equality, freedom, peace and human rights and commented, ‘There can be no justice without freedom for labour.’ Actor Müjdat Gezen, who was participating on the march along with lawyer Celal Ülgen, on the other hand, said, ‘Just see if we, too, don’t march. God said, “March my slave” and some people took this to mean “Make people march my slave” and got rich. We will march here, too.’