Ruling in Erdoğan’s damages suit against Kılıçdaroğlu

A ruling has been issued in the lawsuit for 1.5 million lira non-pecuniary damages that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan brought against CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for the “Isle of Man” claims that he voiced at a party group meeting against the former’s family and associates. The court ordered Kılıçdaroğlu to pay 197,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages to Erdoğan and his associates.

 APPLICATION FOR RECUSAL DISMISSED

 The ruling hearing held at Istanbul Anatolian Civil Court of First Instance No 5 was attended by Ferah Yıldız, the lawyer on behalf of claimants Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and associates, and Celal Çelik, lawyer of CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Attorney Celal Çelik said that he reiterated his submission seeking recusal of the judges. The court bench ruled to dismiss the application for recusal.

 COURT ANNOUNCED ITS RULING

 The bench of Anatolian Civil Court of First Instance No 5, announcing its ruling, stated that the defendant’s claims were untruthful in their entirety and it had been substantiated that no funds had been sent abroad. The court, ruling to grant in part the tort-based claim that had been brought, ordered non-pecuniary damages of 110,000 lira to be paid to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and 15,000 lira to Ahmet Burak Erdoğan. The court ordered the amounts of 17,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages to Ziya İlgen, 25,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages to Mustafa Erdoğan, 20,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages to Osman Ketenci and 10,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages to Mustafa Gündoğan to be levied from the defendant Kılıçdaroğlu along with statutory interest applicable as of 28 November 2017 and paid to the parties.

 HISTORY OF THE EVENT

 CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu showed certain documents at his party’s group meeting that he held in parliament on 28 November 2017 and made certain allegations. In reaction to the documents relating to funds transfers by relatives and associates of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to a company set up on the Isle of Man, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with Ahmet Burak Erdoğan, Mustafa Erdoğan, Ziya İlgen, Osman Ketenci and Mustafa Gündoğan whom Kılıçdaroğlu alleged had made the funds transfers, filed a claim through their lawyers at Istanbul Anatolian Civil Court of First Instance No 5. With it asserted in the statement of claim that the allegations targeted President Erdoğan's children, brother and associates and were demeaning, degrading and untruthful, non-pecuniary damages of 1.5 million lira were sought from the defendant Kılıçdaroğlu.

 Erdoğan'ın Kılıçdaroğlu'na açtığı tazminat davasında karar