Erdoğan files criminal complaint and lawsuit for damages against CHP leader Özel: On charges of insult and slander

In the criminal complaint petition submitted to the İstanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office by President Erdoğan's lawyer, Ahmet Özel, it was stated that Özgür Özel directly targeted Erdoğan with vulgar expressions in his speech yesterday in front of the Esenyurt Municipality.

The petition, which noted that Özel clearly committed a crime against the reputation and honor of the Presidency, the highest office of the Republic of Turkey, stated, "The video footage and content of the speech in question, which constitutes a crime, have been repeated before the entire public through visual and written media."

The petition requested that the necessary procedures be carried out to punish Özel to the maximum extent for the crimes he is charged with, stating, "The Republic of Turkey has been subjected to a grave insult in the person of the Presidency and our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A crime has been publicly committed against the reputation and honor of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish nation."

The petition, which also included the content of Özel's speech, emphasized that "Erdoğan was compared to a coup plotter, a terrorist ringleader, a conspirator, and a dictator," and stated, "The suspect's statements, based on false claims containing heavy, intolerable insults and accusations targeting my client, have reached very large audiences, causing my client to be humiliated, belittled in the eyes of the public, and tarnished."

The petition stated that President Erdoğan's fight against terrorist organizations is known to everyone, and that the comparisons made by Özel damage the Presidency and the prestige of the Republic of Turkey.

It was emphasized that Özel insulted Erdoğan with provocative and abusive expressions that exceeded the limits of any intellectual opinion and similarly disparaged state institutions.

In the petition, it was explained that Özel, with his words regarding the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, "The process experienced yesterday bears all the signs of complete lawlessness, complete irregularity, and a complete setup," portrayed a decision made by the Ministry of Interior and the courts as if it were a decision made by Erdoğan.

The criminal complaint petition reported that with his words, Özel committed a very serious and grave crime by portraying President Erdoğan as a monster to both the national and international public, and his office as one devoid of respectability.

The petition requested that the necessary investigation be conducted and a public lawsuit be filed to ensure that Özel is punished according to the articles of the Turkish Penal Code regarding "publicly insulting the President" and "slander."

LAWSUIT FOR NON-PECUNIARY DAMAGES

In the lawsuit petition submitted to the Istanbul Duty Civil Court of First Instance, it was recalled that Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer was detained on charges of "being a member of the PKK/KCK armed terrorist organization" and was arrested due to strong suspicion of a crime.

The petition explained that after Özer was arrested and removed from office, CHP members, DEM Party members, and various non-governmental organizations gathered in Esenyurt Square yesterday upon calls, and that the defendant Özgür Özel addressed the crowd there.

The petition stated that during his speech, Özel used expressions that constituted insult and slander against state organs and President Erdoğan.

Emphasizing that Özel's rhetoric constituted an attack on Erdoğan's honor, dignity, and reputation, and a grave attack on his personal rights protected by law, the petition stated, "The aim was to shake my client's reputation in the eyes of the public, and with this intentional act, the defendant aimed to create an environment of distrust towards my client in the public eye. My client, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's stance against all forms of terrorism is known to everyone."

The petition, which stated that Özel referred to Erdoğan during his speech, used the term "dictator" for him, and that his words consisted of expressions that defy logic regarding Erdoğan, said, "The defendant's statements, which are in the nature of grave insult and slander, were broadcast across the country via media, and the slander cast upon my client was publicized before the entire country, resulting in an irreparable attack on my client's moral integrity."

Emphasizing that the intentional and untrue statements aimed at discrediting Erdoğan exceeded the limits of criticism, the petition used the following expressions:

"By putting forward distorted claims regarding my client's duty and publicizing this violation by broadcasting it on a national television channel, that is, by carrying it out through the press, the attack on my client's person reaches wider audiences. Thus, the accusatory expressions targeting my client and exposing him to public hostility reach many segments of society, causing a negative perception to be formed about him."

Pointing out that the non-pecuniary damage caused cannot be compensated, the petition stated, "In order to reduce my client's damage and grievance to some extent, it has become necessary to apply to the honorable court and request a decision for the payment of 1 million TL in non-pecuniary damages for the act subject to the lawsuit."

News Source: AA

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