Judicial onslaught against the opposition

Ankara Republic Chief Prosecution has launched a probe into the offence of defaming the President against CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who posted the “World of the Tayyips” cartoon in reaction to the detaining of four Middle East Technical University students. Erdoğan has also complained about 72 CHP MPs who posted the same cartoon. Four students have been detained for the offence of defaming the President charged with carrying a banner at the Middle East Technical University graduation ceremony procession displaying the “World of the Tayyips” cartoon which the Court of Cassation had previously failed to deem criminal.

 The three students who were carrying the banner said in their defences, “Our aim was not to defame; it was humour.” However, the court deemed to the cartoon to be criminal and jailed the students. Reacting to these detentions at his party’s group meeting, Kılıçdaroğlu pointed out that none of the banners constituted defamation or violence and said, “Middle East Technical people never use such epithets as “chief” or “head,” because they have no tolerance for either chiefs or heads and believe that everyone should be imbued with the same culture. The students were carrying a cartoon that was published in Penguen magazine thirteen years ago. It is called the ‘World of the Tayyips.’ Why were you carrying it? It was published, subjected to prosecution and acquitted thirteen years ago. The judge who issued the acquittal judgment ruled in the line with the supremacy of the law and said some good things. Look at the point we have reached in thirteen years and how far we have regressed in democracy.” Kılıçdaroğlu, who posted the cartoon on his Twitter account after the meeting, called on members of parliament to post it, too. Ankara Republic Chief Prosecution announced yesterday that it had launched a probe against Kılıçdaroğlu into the offence of defaming the President. The investigation is expected to see the compiling of a case report against Kılıçdaroğlu and its remittal to parliament seeking the lifting of his parliamentary immunity. Following the launching of an investigation into Kılıçdaroğlu, Erdoğan has filed further criminal complaints against 72 CHP MPs who responded to Kılıçdaroğlu’s call and posted the same cartoon.

 Isle of Man damages

 CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, having alleged that President Tayyip Erdoğan and his relatives had transferred funds abroad, was ordered to pay 359,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages. The statement of claim submitted to Istanbul Anadolu Duty Civil Court of First Instance by President Erdoğan’s lawyer Ahmet Özel contains the address that CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu made at his party’s 21 November 2017 group meeting. In the statement of claim, in which it is alleged that the comments Kılıçdaroğlu made contain demeaning, belittling and untrue aspersions and defamations about President Erdoğan’s children, brother and son’s father-in-law, non-pecuniary damages of 500,000 lira were sought on behalf of Erdoğan and 1 million lira for his children and other relatives.

 No let-up in the judicial onslaught

 The trial of peace signatory Prof. Dr. Onur Hamzaoğlu, who was detained while spokesperson for the People’s Democratic Congress, will commence today (19 July) at Serious Crime Court No 10 at Ankara Judicial Complex. Arrested on 9 February for a press statement pleading for peace, Prof. Dr. Onur Hamzaoğlu was detained on 17 February. On the other hand, the ruling hearing will be held in the trial in which our newspaper’s reporter Canan Coşkun is being prosecuted on the count of “targeting” citing the naming of the investigating prosecutor in the report, “Nuriye and Semih’s fourteen lawyers detained.” The trial started on 6 June at Istanbul Serious Crime Court No 26.

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