The ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) chair for the Central Anatolian city of Kutahya, Ali Cetinbas, threatened the opposition on Sunday, saying that they will not be able to roam freely in the streets after the local elections on March 31.
Cetinbas threatened the National Alliance, formed by the Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP), the Felicity Party (SP) and the Good Party (IYI), saying, “On the 31st of March, the quadruple gang [CHP, IYI, SP and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)] who do politics at the expense of this nation – malice alliance, pest alliance, whoever gets together – will not be able to get a chance of walking freely on these streets.”
CHP MP Ali Kasap denounced Cetinbas’ remarks, saying that his words are violating the political ethics and marginalizing the people. Kasap called on Turkish prosecutors to take legal actions against Cetinbas’ remarks for spreading hatred and enmity amongst Turkish citizens.
Cetinbas is not the first AKP official who seems to be indifferent towards the line between battle cries and political rhetoric. The founder and the leader of the party, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has time and again issued inflammatory statements that could lead vigilantes to act against certain groups framed by him.
Erdogan started to test his manner deemed “dangerously divisive” by his critics over the last decade, for he seemed to view it as a useful tool for consolidating his base. The real turning point in Erdogan’s rhetoric, however, came in 2013 when he tried to restrict the sales of alcohol after 10 pm. He defied the existing laws on the matter, labeling them as the laws made by “two drunk men,” alluding to the founder of the secular republic, Kemal Ataturk and his successor, Ismet Inonu.
Erdogan’s remarks resulted in outrage from the secular segments of Turkish people, which was expressed during the 2013 Gezi protests when some protesters chanted “cheers Tayyip” while having beers at the rallies.
Over the last three years, certain high-level party officials have been following his lead, like the Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, who recurrently threatens the HDP members with legal and extrajudicial action.
Probe launched against Erdogan’s staunch supporter’s “take up arms” threat
The post AKP official threatens opposition voters: “They won’t be able to walk freely” appeared first on IPA NEWS.
from IPA NEWS https://ipa.news/2019/03/11/akp-official-threatens-opposition-voters-they-wont-be-able-to-walk-freely/
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