Turkey’s Interior Ministry has filed a complaint against main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for expressing support for former CHP lawmaker Berhan Şimşek, who called governors, district governors and judges “militants” of the Turkish government, the Demirören News Agency (DHA) reported on Friday.
The complaint accusing the CHP leader of “insulting a public officer” was filed with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office three days after Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu tweeted about it.
Soylu made the announcement on Jan. 26, after Kılıçdaroğlu supported Şimşek’s remarks regarding members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in a speech during his party’s group meeting in parliament.
“You’re all militants. You’re militants of corruption and immorality,” the CHP leader said on Tuesday, addressing Soylu and other members of the AKP government.
Kılıçdaroğlu was echoing remarks by Şimşek, who accused governors, district governors and judges of acting as if they were “militants” of the ruling AKP while criticizing the policies implemented by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government during a political debate program on Habertürk TV.
The Interior Ministry also filed a complaint against Şimşek due to his remarks on Jan. 23, in a move which was slammed by Kılıçdaroğlu.
“The Interior Ministry sent notices to all the governor’s offices, asking them to also file complaints. You’re all cowards if you don’t do it,” the CHP leader also said on Tuesday.
A number of governors also filed complaints against Kılıçdaroğlu and Şimşek, and Ankara governor Vasip Şahin is preparing to do the same, DHA said.