CHP's Özel faces probe over remarks against president
ANKARA
The chief public prosecutor’s office in Ankara has launched an ex officio investigation into main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel on charges of insulting the president, openly inciting to commit a crime and threatening public officials.
The move comes amid political tensions following the detentions of CHP's Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere on July 5. Böcek was formally arrested a day later.
In the wake of the detentions, the CHP board convened an emergency meeting, after which Özel delivered a speech criticizing the government over the move. He reiterated his call for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to hold early elections on Nov. 2.
"If you are the first party, come. You coward... If you were the first party, you would go to the polls doing somersaults," he said.
"We are not threatening anyone with a coup, but if someone tries to seize the ballot box and stage a coup, this nation will bring it back with their own hands."
Erdoğan’s lawyer, Hüseyin Aydın, said on X that they had filed a 500,000 Turkish lira lawsuit against Özel for nonpecuniary damages. Aydın also confirmed a separate criminal complaint was filed over alleged insults and threats directed at the president.
The spokesperson for Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Ömer Çelik, condemned Özel’s remarks, calling them "immoral."
A bill of indictment seeking to lift Özel’s parliamentary immunity was submitted to the parliament speaker’s office on July 2. The charges are linked to Özel’s earlier criticism of a Court of Appeals ruling on the detention of former Workers’ Party of Türkiye (TİP) lawmaker Can Atalay.
A commission is expected to set a meeting date to review the
