Former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu arrived at the Ankara Courthouse to testify as part of an investigation launched against him for "insulting the President."
Davutoğlu entered the Ankara Courthouse at 15:00.
BABACAN AND ARIKAN ALSO AT THE COURTHOUSE
DEVA Party Chairman Ali Babacan and Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi) Chairman Mahmut Arıkan were also present at the courthouse to support Davutoğlu, who was to testify before the prosecutor as a suspect.
Davutoğlu made statements to journalists after his testimony.
Davutoğlu said the following:
A first in the history of the Republic of Turkey... For the first time in the history of the Republic, a prime minister has been summoned to the courthouse as a suspect for expressing his thoughts. I want this to be known by everyone. As a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, I gave my testimony out of respect for the judiciary. However, as someone who has served this country as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister, I view the fact that this event is taking place with sadness.
Since the first day the investigation was opened, there have been numerous interview requests from national and international press. I did not respond to any of them, nor did I give any statements. I even had a speech at a very important institution on Friday. I cancelled that as well. Because I never wanted my own country, or the judiciary of my country, to be associated with a negative judgment.
I am not going to make a long statement. Since my lawyer has been following the process from the beginning, he will inform you about the entire technical process.
I am stating this clearly: I will never give a positive response to interview requests from the national or international press from now on. Because this is not about my personal future, but the future of my country.
I stand by those words. I will continue to be upright from now on.
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CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE ANNOUNCED THE INVESTIGATION ON SEPTEMBER 3
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced on September 3 that an investigation had been launched against Davutoğlu under Article 299/1 of the Turkish Penal Code for the crime of "Insulting the President."
The following statements were used in the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's announcement:
"As a result of the examination conducted, an investigation has been launched against Ahmet Davutoğlu, the Chairman of the dissolved Future Party (Gelecek Partisi), within the scope of the crime of 'Insulting the President' regulated in Article 299/1 of the Turkish Penal Code. The investigation is being carried out meticulously within the framework of the relevant legislative provisions."
BASIS OF THE INVESTIGATION IS HIS 2021 SPEECH
It was stated that the investigation launched against Davutoğlu was initiated due to remarks he made during his visit to Bingöl in September 2021.
Davutoğlu had used the following expressions in that speech:
"They added billions to their billions, ate forbidden bread, enriched their circles. He made his son-in-law a minister, enriched his relatives, and handed over Turkey to 5 contractors."
News Source: 12punto
