Main opposition CHP hopes justice march to Istanbul will be completed peacefully

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said he believes the “justice march” from Ankara to Istanbul, which he has been walking for 22 days so far, will be completed peacefully with a mass rally in Istanbul’s Maltepe district on July 9. 

“We are getting close to Sunday. God willing, we will arrive in Maltepe without anybody being harmed,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in Kocaeli’s Tavşancıl district on July, continuing his march with the participation of thousands of supporters. 

The march is due to be completed with a mass demonstration in Maltepe on July 9, after the opposition leader is set to enter the Istanbul province on July 7. 

“It is our constitutional right, a right as a human being. Since when has searching for justice hinged on somebody’s grace or permission?” Kılıçdaroğlu said at the start of the 22nd day of the march.

Deputy PM issues warning

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said the government was “taking all necessary measures” to ensure the security of the march. 

“We, as the government, have been trying to provide the safety of the CHP’s march in order for it to arrive at the destination point without getting harmed,” Kurtulmuş said on July 6.  

“I hope this march will be completed with the rally on the planned day,” he added. 

Referring to concerns over “provocation” attempts against the march, Kurtulmuş said the CHP should be “aware of certain segments within itself.”

“There might be people who want to make a provocation by taking advantage of the situation. As in the situation with [ISIL], any such problem will be dealt with accordingly,” he added. 

“Similarly, it is our call to the CHP that it is the CHP’s political responsibility to prevent the formation of a basis for provocation by the hands of those malevolent people or those organizations which may have hidden under the CHP flag or the shadow of this march,” Kurtulmuş said. 

“So the organizers of the march should be very careful,” he added. 

1.5 million people to participate in Maltepe rally

Meanwhile, CHP Istanbul provincial head Cemal Canpolat said around 1.5 million people are expected to take part in the rally to be held in Maltepe. 

Canpolat said Kılıçdaroğlu is due to enter Istanbul’s provincial territory on the afternoon of July 7 and would walk 3 kilometers to the rally area on the morning of July 9. 

“We have organized around 3,000 vehicles to take participants to Maltepe. The vehicles will be ready in 958 neighborhoods in Istanbul. At the meeting there will be around 1.5 million citizens,” Canpolat said. 

“Entry to the rally will start at 15:00 p.m. And there will be security points at four different locations,” he added.