Turkey’s state of emergency aims to silence dissent: CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu
KONYA
The government is continuing to impose the state of emergency in a bid to crackdown on dissent in Turkey, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on April 13.
“Why are you continuing the state of emergency? For dissent, for those who voice dissident opinions,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in an address to his party’s mayors in Konya on April 13.
His remarks came as reports emerged that the government would extend the country’s state of emergency, declared shortly after the July 2016 coup attempt, for a seventh three-month term.
Meanwhile, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has prepared a summary of proceedings against Kılıçdaroğlu for the removal of his parliamentary immunity so that he can be prosecuted on charges of “insulting” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The CHP leader said Erdoğan had personally ordered prosecutors to file the summary of proceedings against him.
He said the CHP “respects all citizens whether they vote for the party or not,” but stressed that once the CHP enters office ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) officials “will not be able to launder money” and will have to give accounts.
Kılıçdaroğlu also said that many CHP mayors are under “political pressure” as a result of state “inspections,” which nevertheless fail to find any irregularities.
The AKP focuses on the CHP in its political rhetoric every day simply in order to “cover up its own mistakes,” Kılıçdaroğlu added.
