Özgür Çelik has been removed from his post as CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman. According to breaking news, the court ruled to remove Özgür Çelik and the current administration from office in the lawsuit filed for the cancellation of the congress held in Istanbul on October 8, 2023. While it was decided that 196 delegates would be suspended as a precautionary measure, it was also decided to halt the ongoing congress process. The topics of"Gürsel Tekin, Özgür Çelik, CHP, breaking news, breaking news, gursel tekin, CHP Istanbul, CHP Istanbul congress, breaking news, CHP breaking news, CHP trustee, CHP Istanbul provincial chairmanship, Özgür Çelik" are being intensively investigated. Çelik is a Turkish politician and educator born in Zara, Sivas. He was elected as the Istanbul Provincial Chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) at the 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress on October 8, 2023, with 342 votes. Çelik, a graduate of Marmara University's Faculty of Communication, earned two master's degrees from Istanbul University, in Political Science and Local Government, Urban and Environmental Studies. So, who is Özgür Çelik? Was CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik removed from office, and why?
CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Following the election of Özgür Çelik at the 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress on October 8, 2023, the news that the congress had been canceled by court order on September 2, 2025, and that Çelik and his administration had been dismissed from their posts hit the headlines like a bombshell. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation alleging"rigging" in the congress elections, and lawsuits were filed against 10 politicians, including Çelik. The court dismissed Çelik's administration, suspended 196 delegates as a precaution, and appointed a trustee board consisting of Gürsel Tekin, Zeki Şen, Hasan Babacan, Müjdat Gürbüz, and Erkan Narsap. Following the decision, Çelik stated,"We are trying to understand the situation," and stated that they are following the process. It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the CHP's discussions about change and the political balance in Istanbul. Here are the details regarding Özgür Çelik's dismissal...
WHY WAS CHP ISTANBUL PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN ÖZGÜR ÇELİK DISMISSED?
Özgür Çelik's removal from the CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency occurred on September 2, 2025, when the Istanbul 6th Criminal Court of Peace canceled the 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress, scheduled for October 8, 2023. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office filed a lawsuit against Çelik and nine other politicians (İnan Güney, Rıza Akpolat, Aydın Karaaslan, Fahrettin Çırak, Melda Tanişman Tutan, Niyazi Güneri, Tülay Yavuz, Uğur Gökdemir, and Veli Gümüş) on allegations of"vote rigging" at the congress and violations of Article 112 of the Political Parties Law, seeking prison sentences of 1-3 years. The court dismissed Çelik's board, suspended 196 delegates as a precaution, and appointed a trustee board consisting of Gürsel Tekin, Zeki Şen, Hasan Babacan, Müjdat Gürbüz, and Erkan Narsap. Following the decision, Çelik stated,"We are trying to understand the issue," and that they would evaluate the legal process. The investigation began with Çelik's allegations of"fraud in exchange for gain," testified on July 8, 2025, and was based on the contradictory statements of a detainee who claimed,"I was offered a benefit to vote for Çelik's list." Furthermore, the request for prison sentences of up to 17 years for Çelik and 25 others on charges of"violation of the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" related to Ekrem İmamoğlu's protest in front of the courthouse on January 31, 2025, reinforced the allegations of political pressure. Çelik described these proceedings as a"reputation assassination" and "an effort to weaken the CHP," while party members and İmamoğlu's supporters maintain that the decision was politically motivated.
WHO IS OZGUR CELIK?
Özgür Çelik, a politician and educator born in Zara, Sivas, on June 14, 1981, graduated from Marmara University's Faculty of Communication. He was elected Istanbul Provincial Chair with 342 votes at the CHP's 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress on October 8, 2023. Çelik, who holds two master's degrees in Political Science and Local Government and Environmental Studies from Istanbul University, has held various positions within the CHP Bahçelievler district since 2015 and served as district chair between 2018 and 2023. Çelik, who has run a driving school in the education sector for 20 years, has also taken an active role in civil society organizations such as ŞEDEF, İSKEF, and TÜSEKON. Özgür Çelik is married with two children.
