Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday targeted main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, saying he supports all terrorist organizations in Turkey, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
“This person [Kılıçdaroğlu] has never defended the rights of our nation and state. He has always been after unrest and division. He has supported all terrorist organizations,” said Erdoğan during a Justice and Development Party (AKP) meeting in Kastamonu province.
On Saturday the pro-Erdoğan Sabah, Star, Güneş, Akşam and Milat dailies also targeted Kılıçdaroğlu on their front pages, accusing him of being a spokesman for coup plotters and the faith-based Gülen movement.
Kılıçdaroğlu calls the July 15, 2016 coup attempt a controlled coup: “A coup is a controlled coup when it is known beforehand, not prevented and its results made use of.”
The CHP has recently criticized Erdoğan and the government for a new state of emergency decree issued on Dec. 24 that gives immunity to civilians who take part in thwarting coup and terror incidents and stipulates that all convicts and suspects under arrest for alleged crimes against the constitutional order in Turkey wear jumpsuits identifying their supposed crime.
Erdoğan on Friday filed a lawsuit against Kılıçdaroğlu for TL 250,000 in non-pecuniary damages for violating his personal rights during speeches on Dec. 22 and Dec. 24, 2017.
Erdoğan and members of his family on Dec. 1 filed a lawsuit against Kılıçdaroğlu for TL 1.5 million ($380,000) in damages for creating hatred in society against the president and his family during a speech on Nov. 28.
Kılıçdaroğlu said during his party meeting in Parliament on Nov. 28 that Erdoğan’s brother-in-law, brother, son and son’s father-in-law and his former executive assistant sent about $15 million to an offshore company called Bellway, Ltd., on the Isle of Man between December 2011 and January 2012.
On Nov. 24 Erdoğan filed another lawsuit against Kılıçdaroğlu for TL 1.5 million in non-pecuniary damages due to a speech on Nov. 21.