Political ban and prison sentence sought for Kılıçdaroğlu

Cumhuriyet columnist Barış Terkoğlu reported that a notification letter stating "Defendant: Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu" was sent 3 days ago (September 11) to CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, whose parliamentary immunity was lifted because he was not a member of parliament in the elections. Stating that "for the first time in history, a CHP chairman has been summoned to court as a defendant via a notification letter," Terkoğlu announced that the trial will begin on March 7, 2024, at the Istanbul 51st Criminal Court of First Instance.

THERE IS ALSO A DEMAND FOR A POLITICAL BAN

Stating that CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu, who is accused of "publicly insulting a public official" due to remarks he made 9 years ago, on November 26, 2014, during a speech at the CHP Istanbul regional meeting at the Beşiktaş Mustafa Kemal Cultural Center, faces a demand for 1 year and 2 months to 2 years and 4 months in prison, Terkoğlu added, "Of course, their demands also include a political ban."

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu had said the following at that meeting:

"On December 17 and 25, the greatest corruption in our Republican history occurred. We witnessed how a government robbed a state. Finally, an investigation commission was established. The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), Mr. Cemil Çiçek, applied to the court. He says, regarding the commission, impose a publication ban. Impose a publication ban regarding the commission established in the TBMM, he says. And he gets a decision from the court. Since when has the TBMM become the protector of thieves, Mr. Cemil Çiçek, could you explain this? Is this the duty of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey? Your duty is something else. It is to protect the reputation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. By imposing a publication ban, who are you backing?"

PUBLIC LAWSUIT FILED AFTER IMMUNITY WAS LIFTED

Stating that former Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar filed a petition and complained due to the word "thief" which was used repeatedly in the speech, Terkoğlu said, "An indictment was prepared against Kılıçdaroğlu on October 31, 2016. When his immunity was lifted, a public lawsuit was filed."

"I WITNESSED THE CHAIRMAN WAS HAPPY WHEN I GAVE HIM THE NEWS"

Kılıçdaroğlu's lawyer, Celal Çelik, noted the following regarding the notification:

"I witnessed that the chairman was happy when I presented the information that the lawsuit had been filed. He gave instructions to prove all the facts that are the subject of the lawsuit. The right to prove is a right granted by the Turkish Penal Code and the Constitution. We will present the justified grounds for the corruption criticisms to the court as evidence; we have a request for an expert examination regarding the tapes from the December 17-25 process. In fact, there is already a statement in the case file that former Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar will not oppose the issue of proof. Therefore, the fact that the court will collect the evidence and will have to conduct an expert examination on the audio recordings made us happy. Through this lawsuit, we will have the chance to prove all the corruption during the December 17-25 period."

News Source: 12punto