Turkey's main opposition CHP tells government to retaliate against US sanctions

ANKARA

Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has called on the Turkish government to impose sanctions on two U.S. ministers in retaliation to Washington’s sanctions on Turkey’s justice and interior ministers over the continued arrest of pastor Andrew Brunson. 

“The decision made by the U.S. tarnishes the honor of the Turkish people. We know that the person sheltering in Pennsylvania is the one behind the July 15 [2016 coup attempt],” CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said Aug. 2, referring to Fethullah Gülen, believed to be the mastermind of the defeated coup.

Blaming the government for using Brunson as a bargaining chip to be exchanged for Gülen, the CHP leader stressed this resulted in the spat between the two countries.

“In line with the reciprocity, we are expecting similar actions to be taken against U.S. ministers,” he said.

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül and Interior Minister Süleymen Soylu, saying the two were leading government organizations behind “serious human rights abuses.”