Investigation initiated against CHP leader Özel over accusations of offensive remarks towards the president
In the political landscape of Turkey, an investigation has been launched against Ozguer Ozcel, the Chair of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), for alleged insults against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This legal and political context is marked by heightened tensions between Turkey’s ruling AK Party and the CHP, against the backdrop of widespread corruption probes and political struggles over control of municipalities.
The investigation was initiated by Ankara’s chief public prosecutor following Ozguer Ozcel's remarks after visiting imprisoned CHP figures, including former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was removed from office after being arrested in a corruption probe targeting opposition-run municipalities. Ozguer Ozcel had publicly criticized what he termed a "join us or go to prison" pressure tactic used by ruling party associates on CHP mayors, a claim that government officials condemned as insulting and politically inflammatory.
Politically, the probe comes amid ongoing investigations that intensified after the CHP’s sweeping victory in the March 2024 local elections, when the AK Party lost major cities for the first time in two decades. The ruling party has pursued corruption cases and prosecutions against multiple opposition municipal officials, including arrests and suspensions, which the CHP denounces as politically motivated attempts to undermine opposition governance and intimidate its members.
Ozguer Ozcel's allegations also include claims of coercion and corruption by former AKP officials and affiliated lawyers, whom he accuses of pressuring detainees for false testimony and extortion—charges strongly denied by the accused and dismissed by government officials as fabricated to discredit judicial processes. The CHP has called for transparent investigations into these claims, while the government insists the investigations target actual corruption and lawful prosecution.
The CHP, as well as Ozguer Ozcel, has frequently criticized the statute that makes insulting the president a criminal offense, arguing it limits free speech. Politics, according to Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, should be conducted within the limits of decency and morality. The minister denounced Ozguer Ozcel's language, describing it as an overt attack on the national will and a violation of political norms.
The visit of Ozguer Ozcel to Marmara Prison to meet Ekrem Imamoglu and several other detainees sparked a backlash from government officials. The AK Party spokesperson, Omer Celik, strongly condemned Ozguer Ozcel's remarks towards the president, describing him as a source of political poison. The AK Party Chair, Efkan Ala, and Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also criticized Ozguer Ozcel for using insulting language and airing internal political contradictions in an unacceptable manner.
In summary, the investigation against Ozguer Ozcel for insulting the president is part of a broader legal and political confrontation between ruling and opposition parties in Turkey, where judicial actions intersect with political disputes over municipal control, allegations of judicial misuse, and critiques of government conduct.
- Ozguer Ozcel, while visiting Istanbul's Marmara Prison to meet imprisoned CHP figures, including the former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, traveled to Ankara to criticize the alleged use of coercion and corruption by former AKP officials and their affiliates.
- The ongoing political tension between Turkey's ruling AK Party and the CHP around municipal control, corruption probes, and alleged political interference, has led to a heated discussion on policy-and-legislation, with the CHP frequently criticizing the statute that criminalizes insulting the president as a limitation on free speech.
- Beyond the specific investigation against Ozguer Ozcel, the visit to the prison also stirred general-news controversy, as government officials like Omer Celik, Efkan Ala, and Burhanettin Duran criticized Ozguer Ozcel for using insulting language and airing internal political disagreements in an unacceptable manner.
