08 July 2017•Update: 08 July 2017
By Ismail Ozdemir
ISTANBUL
Turkish main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader assured to enter Istanbul city on Saturday as the party leader embarks on his 24th day of march from Ankara to Istanbul.
The march was launched on June 15 by CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu following the jailing of CHP lawmaker Enis Berberoglu, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for giving a newspaper information on the transportation of arms to Syria.
Speaking to reporters at Tuzla Icmeler on the outskirts of Istanbul city, Kemal Kilicdaroglu said some people have concerns about them entering Istanbul city as part of their , however, they have walked until now decisively and they will continue until Maltepe district of Istanbul.
Kilicdaroglu said that on Sunday he will walk alone from Dragos until Maltepe in Istanbul, and will hold a meeting at Maltepe, calling his supporters to attend the meeting.
He added that he does not want banners other than the Turkish flag, "" banner and Ataturk banner at the meeting.
"We disapprove anyone to bring or open banners other than these. We evaluate as provocateurs those who do it," Kilicdaroglu stressed.
He said he does also not want the CHP flag at the meeting.
The CHP leader intends to complete the 450-km (280-mile) march from the capital Ankara to Maltepe in Istanbul, where Berberoglu is being held, in 24 days.
He is being accompanied by CHP deputies and supporters as well as family members.
Berberoglu was convicted of revealing state secrets by passing images to the Cumhuriyet newspaper concerning the search of National Intelligence Organization (MIT) trucks en route to Syria in January 2014.
He is the first CHP deputy to be imprisoned in recent years.
