A Turkish court has released four suspects in connection to a suspected attack on the İstanbul headquarters of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), placing three of them under judicial supervision, the Birgün daily reported.
Shots were fired into the air from a car traveling on the TEM Highway in the direction of Edirne near the headquarters of the CHP İstanbul branch on April 6 at 4 a.m. local time, in a suspected attack. Investigations revealed no bullet impacts on the CHP building. Two 9mm casings were found on the roadside, and security camera footage showed a vehicle speeding along the highway from which the shots were fired.
The four suspects, identified only by the initials A.Ö., F.E.E., A.P. and B.Ö, were released, with three of them, excluding A.Ö., who was not in the vehicle at the time of the incident, placed under judicial supervision measures including a travel ban and regularly checking in at a police station.
According to local media reports, an arrest warrant has been requested for another suspect related to the incident and identified by the initials E.D., who allegedly fired into the air.
Meanwhile, local news website Son Söz reported an incident on Tuesday at the election office of the CHP in western İzmir province. The perpetrator threw rocks at the election office in Konak, shattering windows.
When he was asked about the reason for the attack, the suspect reportedly said, “I targeted the building because it belonged to the CHP.”
In a separate incident on Monday, an election stand set up by the Esenler district office of İYİ (Good) Party, an ally of CHP, was attacked by a group in the evening. The development was announced on Twitter by Buğra Kavuncu, İYİ leader Meral Akşener’s chief advisor responsible for the party’s election campaign, who said they wouldn’t be intimidated by such attacks and obstacles.
Saldırılar, engellemeler bizi yıldıramaz. @iyipartiesenler teşkilâtımızın her bir üyesine geçmiş olsun.#Korkmuyoruz pic.twitter.com/yH5OmMec0Q
— Buğra Kavuncu (@SBugraKavuncu) April 10, 2023
İYİ’s Esenler district chair Ömer Kara spoke to the Sözcü daily about the attack, claiming it was carried out by plainclothes municipal police from the Esenler Municipality, which is run by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Many claim that the attacks are serving the purpose of creating a climate of fear in the pre-election period, which would intimidate and discourage political groups or individuals from the opposition.