Police raid elderly woman's home upon criticism of Turkish presidential aide
Istanbul police raided the home of an 80-year-old woman after she criticized the fact that Turkey's Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun receives multiple wages. Altun confirmed recently that he had in fact received two wages.
Duvar English
Istanbul police recently raided the home of an 80-year-old woman after she criticized Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun for getting multiple wages, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Zeynel Emre said.
Altun recently confirmed that he receives two wages, one for his post at the presidential office, and another in the form of an allowance for his seat on the board of Borsa Istanbul, Turkey's stock exchange.
Altun's acknowledgment was in rebuttal to allegations that he received five wages but went to show the official's ample compensation from the government.
"You've abused enough," an 80-year-old woman identified only as E.B. reportedly said in response to allegations about Altun's wages, Emre said on Dec. 9.
Police reportedly raided the woman's home, where her children protested for her to be transferred to the courthouse as she has pre-existing conditions that make her vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.
"The police agreed and asked the prosecutor if they could take her statement at home. The prosecutor denied their request and she's was taken to the courthouse," Emre said.
The prosecutor pressed insult charges against the woman.
"This is personalized law. She didn't say anything insulting. There's a caste system based around the palace and everyone there gets special treatment!" Emre said, noting the pro-government practices of the Turkish judiciary.
Emre also slammed Altun's claims that he donated all 18,000 liras of his allowance from Borsa Istanbul, noting that "Nobody else in Turkey receives extra income to donate to charity."