The smear campaign playbook turns to Ekrem İmamoğlu: Edited perceptions gain momentum
The edited videos claiming that the PKK supported the CHP during the May 14-28 Presidential and Parliamentary elections have now been prepared for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
12punto
12punto.com.tr/EXCLUSIVE
During the May 14-28 elections, smear campaign videos targeting the Nation Alliance candidate and former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu were played at election rallies for days.
PKK footage was added to Kılıçdaroğlu's campaign advertisement for the May 14 elections, making it appear as if it were part of the CHP's election campaign film. Furthermore, PKK terrorist organization leader Murat Karayılan was edited into the video, making it appear as if he were singing an election song alongside Kılıçdaroğlu.
ERDOĞAN HAD ADMITTED TO THE EDITING
During a live broadcast on TRT, Erdoğan answered questions regarding the agenda, and when asked by Hürriyet columnist Abdülkadir Selvi, "Who filmed a video with what?", Erdoğan replied, "Kılıçdaroğlu has video footage with those in Qandil," adding, "The CHP Chairman has leaned his back on the PKK terrorist organization. Kılıçdaroğlu has video footage with those in Qandil. They broadcasted these. 'Come on, come on' type things. Whether it's a montage or this or that. The PKK members supported them with videos."
THEY PREPARED AN EDITED VIDEO TARGETING İMAMOĞLU
With only days left until the elections, an edited video has now been prepared targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
On a YouTube account named "Milli Direniş" (National Resistance), words that İmamoğlu did not utter while walking through a crowd, such as "Screw it, we won. They are going crazy. We destroyed the Alevi lobby..." were edited and added to the video.
Subsequently, a person speaking as if they were Ekrem İmamoğlu was heard saying, "We set this trap for Mr. Kemal in November 2022. This was already Ekrem Bey's project. He was saying we need to get rid of Mr. Kemal. Because he was saying if Mr. Kemal wins, his hand will be stronger in the party. Ekrem İmamoğlu was saying, 'I need to take over the CHP.' He was saying he needed to take it. We did such work. We made Mr. Kemal lose, then the same troll accounts, the same people, created a perception this time saying we want a party convention."