Turkey investigates journalists over report alleging CHP used paid extras at ceremony

Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation following a criminal complaint against journalists over a report alleging that hundreds of people were paid to pose as supporters at an event held by the court-reinstated leadership of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), sparking condemnation from press groups, the BirGün daily reported.

The investigation was launched after Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed by a court to head the CHP’s İstanbul provincial organization, filed a complaint over reporting published on July 25.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation concerned allegations that people who were not party members were taken to a CHP event in İstanbul’s Sarıyer district under an agreement with a casting agency as well as publications about the alleged arrangement.

It said those named in the complaint would be questioned after preliminary inquiries were completed, according to a statement reported by TRT Haber.

The investigation comes amid a leadership crisis in the CHP. A court in May annulled the party’s November 2023 congress over allegations of vote buying, removing Özgür Özel as chairman and reinstating Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, whom Özel had defeated at the congress.

Özel resigned from the CHP on Friday with 90 lawmakers and established the New Party. With 91 seats in the 600-member parliament, it is poised to become the second-largest party and Turkey’s main opposition once its parliamentary group is formally registered.

The investigation concerns a BirGün report by Ebru Çelik, who registered with a casting agency and attended the CHP’s July 25 membership and badge-pinning ceremony as one of the people allegedly recruited to fill the venue.

The event was attended by Kılıçdaroğlu, Tekin and members of the party’s Central Executive Board.

BirGün reported that hundreds of people recruited through three casting agencies were promised 950 lira (about $20) each to attend the ceremony at an event center in İstanbul’s Ayazağa neighborhood.

Çelik said she learned of the arrangement after receiving a message advertising paid work at a four-hour “party gathering.” The message did not identify the party involved.

She registered as an extra and joined the other participants outside a shopping mall in Mecidiyeköy, from where they were transported to the venue in approximately 20 shuttle buses.

BirGün published photographs, messages and video footage that it said documented the recruitment and transportation of the participants as well as preparations at the venue.

According to Çelik, many of those recruited had no connection to Kılıçdaroğlu or the CHP. They included unemployed people, retirees, teachers awaiting public appointments and migrants from Iran, Egypt and Uzbekistan.

Some reportedly believed they had been hired as extras for a film, television series or advertisement rather than to attend a political event.

Çelik said casting agency staff gathered the participants behind the event center and had them rehearse slogans including “Kılıçdaroğlu is the hope of the people,” “Rights, law, justice,” “Kılıçdaroğlu is the hope of youth” and “Hero Kemal.”

According to the report, casting directors positioned participants throughout the hall and instructed them when to applaud, whistle, chant slogans and wave Turkish and CHP flags during speeches by Kılıçdaroğlu and Tekin.

Around 50 male participants, some of whom Çelik identified as casting directors, were allegedly given CHP youth branch vests. Some reportedly refused to carry CHP flags, while one was quoted as saying, “I support İmamoğlu. I’ll take my money and leave,” referring to jailed İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

The report also alleged that participants were prevented from leaving the hall, including to use the restroom or get fresh air, during speeches lasting approximately three hours.

The CHP leadership denied the allegations, saying the party had not hired a casting agency.

Tekin’s complaint names Çelik, BirGün web publishing coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, a Sözcü TV reporter and company representative Nedim Bayhan as suspects, according to BirGün.

The petition asks prosecutors to investigate them for insult, slander and “publicly disseminating misleading information.”

Tekin alleged that the reports contained false and defamatory claims. His complaint also said the journalists had neither contacted CHP officials for comment nor given the party an opportunity to respond before publication.

BirGün said it stood by Çelik and her report, describing it as participant-observation journalism based on concrete information.

“Our reporter’s story, carried out through participant observation, is based on concrete information and is entirely true,” the newspaper said.

BirGün also said Çelik did not accept the 950 lira payment offered to participants.

The criminal complaint and statements by CHP officials prompted criticism from press organizations.

The Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) said journalists should not be targeted because of their reporting.

“Attempts to discredit journalists by labeling them ‘hit men’ over unfavorable reports constitute a direct attack on press freedom,” the association said.

“The response to news reports should be to refute the allegations with documents and evidence, not insults, threats or announcements of criminal complaints.”

The DİSK Basın-İş journalists union also condemned Tekin’s statements, saying they targeted journalists and press freedom.

“Using criticism or denial of a report as a pretext for making insulting statements about a journalist doing her job is entirely unacceptable,” the union said, according to Bianet news website.

Özel had led the CHP since November 2023 and emerged as a central figure in the opposition after İmamoğlu, the party’s presidential candidate and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strongest political rival, was jailed pending trial on corruption charges in March 2025.

İmamoğlu and the CHP say the charges are politically motivated. At least 27 CHP mayors have since been jailed pending trial, while hundreds of party officials have been detained or arrested in investigations focusing largely on opposition-run municipalities.

The CHP says the cases are part of a government campaign to sideline Erdoğan’s elected rivals, an allegation the government denies.

Özel also faces several criminal cases, and prosecutors have asked parliament to lift his legislative immunity so he can stand trial.

Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, enacted in October 2022 and commonly known as the “disinformation law,” calls for prison sentences of one to three years for deliberately disseminating false information about Turkey’s internal or external security, public order or public health in a manner capable of disturbing public peace.

The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission said the provision’s terms were insufficiently clear and warned that it could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.