Investigation launched against Erkan Baş for 'insulting the President'

An ex officio investigation has been launched against TİP Chairman Erkan Baş, citing his remarks that "we will send Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the dustbin of history." 

According to a report by Furkan Karabay from Gazete Duvar, the lifting of Erkan Baş's parliamentary immunity is on the agenda.

The Presidential Summaries regarding the lifting of legislative immunity have been referred by the Speaker of the Parliament to the Joint Committee composed of members of the Constitutional and Justice Commissions.

Among the deputies whose files were referred to the Joint Committee on February 26 are CHP Istanbul Deputy Cemal Enginyurt, DEM Party Hakkari Deputy Öznur Bartin, DEM Party Hakkari Deputy Vezir Coşkun Parlak, and TİP Chairman and Istanbul Deputy Erkan Baş.

'PELIKAN' FACTION ALLEGATION

The investigation into TİP Chairman Erkan Baş is being conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

In the investigation, Erkan Baş is accused of "publicly insulting the President."

It was observed that the investigation was initiated following a post by Yekvücut, a project of Bosphorus Global (Boğaziçi Global Affairs Center), which is the hub of the "Pelikan" faction within the AKP.

The investigation file states that the X account named Yekvücut shared Erkan Baş's remarks on October 15, 2024, where he said, "Friends, our upcoming tasks are very clear, look, very clear. One, we will send Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the dustbin of history."

It was stated that an ex officio investigation for "insulting the President" was launched following the sharing of Baş's remarks.

The investigation file also shows that there was a Presidential Communication Center (CİMER) application against Erkan Baş. The application, made on October 15, 2022, included a social media post Baş made regarding the Bartın mining disaster.

Baş had used the expressions, "We are in Bartın, they cleared the entire area because Erdoğan is coming. Just like every murderer returns to the scene of the crime, he is also returning to the scene! Is your fate to be rich, and the miner's fate to die?"

PREPARATION OF AN INDICTMENT FOR UP TO 7 YEARS IN PRISON ON THE AGENDA

Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Akıncı, who added two different speeches to the investigation file, claimed that Baş committed the crime of "insulting the President" in a chain manner.

In the letter sent to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), Akıncı stated that immunity must be lifted in order to prepare an indictment requesting up to 7 years in prison for Baş.

News Source: 12punto