Erdoğan's lawyers file complaints over CHP leader's 'political murder' remarks

ANKARA

Lawyers of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan filed a criminal complaint to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Oct. 18 regarding the allegation of “political murders” by main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and İYİ (Good) Party executives.

In his complaint, Erdoğan’s lawmaker Hüseyin Aydın noted that Kılıçdaroğlu, İYİ Party leader Meral Akşener and some representatives of the aforementioned political parties made statements that “did not contain any concrete information.”

“It is a well-known fact that some political murders have been committed in Turkey in the past years,” which targeted the unity and solidarity of the nation, the petition said.

It has also been observed that such allegations are sometimes made irresponsibly to create anxiety, fear and panic among the public, it noted.

“In order to clarify the issue, it has become necessary to demand that the necessary examination be made about the allegations in question, that the information, documents and evidence supporting the claim, if any, be summoned by applying to the information of the claimants and that necessary legal actions be taken against the perpetrators in case of any evidence,” the petition said.

Kılıçdaroğlu earlier said that he had concerns about political murders and stated, “Erdoğan’s words encourage certain circles.”

Following a verbal attack at Akşener in the northern province of Rize, Erdoğan said, “What’s next? These are your good days.”

“Isn’t that a threat? There will be an attack on a political party leader, and the person running the country will get up and use this sentence,” the CHP leader responded.

It is a “very dangerous sentence,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, adding, “The tension must be avoided. The other side will escalate the tension. It will look for how we can ensure that we can do politics in a much harsher environment, but I am sure that if the job is not to take guns into the hands of certain groups and kill certain people, there will be no tension. Political murders... I have such concerns.”

In his interview with daily Sözcü, İYİ Party Deputy chairman Koray Aydın said, “We have also heard that there will be political assassinations.”

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Oct. 13 launched an ex officio investigation into the claim of the CHP leader.