The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), irked by investigations targeting its mayors and officials over corruption and threats, challenged President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to an early election on Monday.
The party’s chair, Özgür Özel, said their candidate was ready without giving any name. Özel was speaking at an event in Istanbul hours after the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into Cem Aydın, head of the CHP’s youth branch, and Ekrem Imamoğlu, mayor of the city, over their insults and threats targeting Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. Imamoğlu also attended the panel. The Istanbul mayor is among the potential candidates for the CHP in the next general election, along with Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş. Özel himself has said earlier that he was not considering running himself for the top seat, unlike his predecessor Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu who lost to Erdoğan in the 2023 elections.
Özel said they wouldn’t be “intimidated” by investigations. “Withdraw Akın and challenge us,” Özel said in his speech. “If you have nothing to be afraid of, bring upon ballots. We are ready (for an election),” he said.
Gürlek found himself the target of a campaign by the CHP after the party’s mayor in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district, Rıza Akpolat, was arrested on corruption charges earlier this month, months after the Esenyurt mayor of the CHP was also detained for links to the PKK terrorist group. He was accused of carrying out Erdoğan’s orders, although the president repeatedly underlined the independence of the Turkish judiciary.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said Monday that threatening remarks to influence the judicial process and targeting judiciary members were unacceptable.
Aydın was summoned to a courthouse after he shared a social media post likening Gürlek to “guillotine,” while authorities announced a probe into Imamoğlu’s remarks, which said Gürlek ordered a raid on Aydın “for intimidation.” Both men face charges of insult and threat toward a public official.
Tunç said in a social media post on Monday that judges were independent according to Article 138 of the Constitution and “no individual or entity can instruct or order judges in the execution of their duties."
“Until an investigation is concluded with a final decision, making verbal or written statements in an attempt to influence courts or judges is a punishable offense,” Tunç said. The minister added that necessary legal steps would be taken against any attempts to impose pressure or intervention on the judiciary.
