Ankara court arrests 38 in custody in politicians’ video leak case

In May 2010, Deniz Baykal, the former leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), resigned after a secretly-taped intimate video of himself with a CHP deputy was leaked. Baykal is currently a CHP deputy from the southern province of Antalya, while Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu now leads the party. 

In total, police detained 47 people in the case.  Former National Police Intelligence Chief Ömer Altıparmak was among those jailed pending trial.

The investigation covered leaks of other videos as well, including secretly-taped footage of some former Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leaders.      

Yener Dönmez, the owner of Turkish news website Habervaktim, was also detained for leaking the Baykal video on Aug. 10. 

Former CHP head Baykal had referred to the 2010 leak of intimate footage featuring him and then-CHP deputy Nesrin Baytok as a government plot, alleging that he was the victim of a conspiracy. 

“Such private images cannot be taped and such a plot can’t be realized without the knowledge of the government,” Baykal had said. 

Baykal also said he received messages of sorrow and support from Pennsylvania – referring to Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, who was accused of orchestrating the July 15 failed coup attempt. At the time, Baykal said he believed in the sincerity of Gülen’s messages. The video leakage arrests came amid a wide probe into Gülen supporters in Turkey.