An Istanbul public prosecutor’s office on Friday launched an investigation into Professor Ahmet Maranki, who on Wednesday implied that a civil war could break out in Turkey if the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) does not win upcoming elections slated for June 24, the Hürriyet daily reported.
“An investigation has been launched into this person [Maranki] for inciting people to enmity or hatred by means of the media, and he was summoned to testify as a suspect,” the Küçükçemece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a written statement.
Speaking on a live program on Akit TV on Wednesday night, Maranki, who introduces himself as a professor of alternative medicine, said if the elections do not yield the “expected result,” in other words, if the AKP does not win, “they will fight by taking out what they had buried in Belgrad Forest [in İstanbul],” meaning weapons are buried there.
Maranki has attracted widespread criticism on social media for his controversial remarks, with many calling on prosecutors to take action against him on the grounds that he is aiming to create tension in the society ahead of the elections.
Turkey will hold snap presidential and general elections on June 24.
Saying he’s a “master of plants,” Maranki has had many cases filed against him due to his alleged use of illegal drugs.
There is also controversy surrounding his title of professor, with many calling him a fake professor and claiming that he is deceiving people with his medical recommendations.