Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened Meral Aksener, the opposition Good Party (IYI) leader, with imprisonment, in an election rally held in the eastern province of Elazig on Saturday. As a challenge, Aksener responded, stating, “I am ready to be killed or jailed.”
Referring to jailed Selahattin Demirtas, the former co-leader of People’s Democratic Party (HDP), Erdogan targeted Aksener saying, “Look at the ones serving time in prison, you may find yourself in the same place.”
Erdogan further remarked that opposition leader Aksener had “no place to hide,” pointing to the fact that she was not an elected member of parliament and thus had no parliamentary immunity. “We will call her to account immediately, which will be tough for her. Nobody can call my citizens terrorists for fun,” Erdogan added.
Aksener then challenged Erdogan, saying, “I am ready to be killed or jailed.”
In response to Erdogan’s intimidation, Aksener posted a message on Twitter challenging him. “Anyone who is silent when faced with injustice is a mute devil. Are you threatening me for telling the truth, Recep Tayyip Erdogan? Come on, let us see what happens.”
Haksızlık karşısında susan, dilsiz şeytandır.
Hak söze uydum diye, tehdit mi ediyorsun @RT_Erdogan?
Ben 28 Şubat'ın tanklı-tüfekli paşalarından korkmamıșım da, zamanında onlardan korkanlardan șimdi niye korkayım?
Hodri meydan!— Meral Akşener (@meral_aksener) March 9, 2019
In her post, Aksener recalled her bold and democratic attitude as an elected minister against the military intervention on February 28, 1997, popularly known as the “post-modern coup” and “February 28 Process,” during which Turkish military pressured and ultimately removed the democratically elected coalition government.
“I was not afraid of the armed generals during the February 28 process. Now, how can it be possible for me to be afraid of the ones who were then scared of the army?” Aksener said, aiming at Erdogan.
During a rally in Samsun province on Sunday, Aksener alleged that Erdogan had explicitly threatened her with imprisonment and that she had replied that she was ready to be jailed or killed.
Support from alliance
“We are alongside Aksener. The president threatened her with jail. What type of presidency is that?” commented Veli Agbaba, Deputy leader of Republican People’s Party (CHP), which is an electoral alliance of Aksener’s IYI party in the upcoming local elections.
Ahead of the local elections in Turkey, Erdogan called the opposition parties an “alliance of dishonor” and “pro-terror” in Denizli province. Aiming at mocking Erdogan’s labeling, Aksener greeted the crowds in the same province saying, “Oh, terrorists, how are you?”
Erdogan continued to blame opposition parties for cooperating with or supporting terrorist groups. “Am I so much of a fool to call my citizens terrorists?” he scolded.
He went on to say that he had ordered his lawyers to file a criminal complaint against Aksener with the allegation of “insulting the president,” and subsequently threatened her with imprisonment on Saturday.
Imprisonments after Erdogan’s threats
Recently, Erdogan called on public prosecutors to do their jobs, pointing out remarks and actions of opposition HDP leader Selahattin Demirtas. Demirtas was arrested in November 2016. He is still in jail facing possible prison sentences totaling more than 100 years on various terrorism charges.
Similarly, during a live broadcast on state-run television in 2015, Erdogan threatened the Cumhuriyet Daily and its editor-in-chief, Can Dündar, due to a news report allegedly claiming that a Turkish intelligence agency was illegally carrying arms into the civil war in Syria. The president responded, saying, “The person who wrote this story will pay a heavy price for it. I won’t let him go unpunished.”
Dundar was sentenced to nearly six years in prison. Later, an armed attack was launched on him in front of the courthouse. Dündar escaped unharmed but had to leave Turkey.
The post Turkish President threatens opposition leader with imprisonment – opposition leader challenges “I am ready to be killed or jailed” appeared first on IPA NEWS.
from IPA NEWS https://ipa.news/2019/03/11/turkish-president-threatens-opposition-leader-with-imprisonment-opposition-leader-challenges-i-am-ready-to-be-killed-or-jailed/
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