Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç's statement on the CHP Istanbul Provincial Congress: This is not a final verdict!

The Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance ruled that Özgür Çelik, who was elected president at the CHP Istanbul Provincial Congress, and the board of directors be suspended from their duties and a temporary board of directors be appointed.

A delegation consisting of Gürsel Tekin, Zeki Şen, Hasan Babacan, Müjdat Gürbüz and Erkan Narsap was temporarily appointed as trustees to the Istanbul Provincial Directorate.

District and provincial congress election campaigns suspended as a precaution

The court also ruled that, as a precaution, only the district congresses and provincial congress election works to be held by the Istanbul Provincial Organization should be suspended among the election works included in the congress calendar of the 39th Ordinary Congress process, which was initiated in accordance with the decision taken by the CHP Central Executive Board on July 14, 2025.

FIRST STATEMENT FROM TUNÇ

Following the critical developments, a statement came from Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç.

Tunç stated, "The interim decision issued by the court is a precautionary measure to prevent irreparable harm that may arise during the trial process and does not constitute a final judgment. The trial process is ongoing."

Minister Tunç's full statement is as follows:

"With the interim decision given in the lawsuit filed by the CHP Istanbul Provincial and Congress Delegate at the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance due to the irregularities, allegations of gaining benefits and actions aimed at influencing the will of the voters in the Istanbul Provincial Congress;

It has been decided that the Provincial Chair, Provincial Executive Board Main and Alternate Members, and Provincial Disciplinary Board Main and Alternate Members elected at the 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress of the Republican People’s Party will be suspended from their duties as a precautionary measure, that a temporary board will be appointed to exercise the powers of the provincial chair, provincial executive board, and provincial disciplinary board, and that among the election works included in the congress calendar of the 39th Ordinary Congress process, only the district congresses and Provincial Congress election procedures to be carried out by the Istanbul Provincial Organization will be suspended as a precautionary measure.

The request for the precautionary dismissal of the delegates of the 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress of the Republican People's Party and the demand for the precautionary suspension of the provisions of all decisions taken at the Istanbul Provincial Congress have been rejected.

In terms of the decisions accepted by the court, the right to appeal is open in accordance with Article 394 of the Civil Procedure Code, and for the rejected parts of the decision, it has been decided that the right to appeal to the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice is open in accordance with Article 391 of the Civil Procedure Code.

The interim decision issued by the court is a precautionary measure intended to prevent irreparable harm that may arise during the trial process and does not constitute a final judgment. The trial process is ongoing.

With the interim decision given in the lawsuit filed by the CHP Istanbul Provincial and Congress Delegate at the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance due to the irregularities, allegations of gaining benefits and actions aimed at influencing the will of the voters in the Istanbul Provincial Congress;

The People of the Republic…

— Yılmaz TUNÇ (@yilmaztunc) September 2, 2025