Turkish man detained after filing criminal complaint against Erdoğan

Duvar English

A prosecutor’s office in the southern Mersin province in Turkey has ordered to detain Oktay Avcu after he filed a criminal complaint against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Oktay Avcu went to Mersin Courthouse to file a criminal complaint against President Erdoğan over the latter's remarks of the montage video linking the main opposition’s presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

After the police did not allow Oktay Avcu to make a press statement in front of the courthouse, he submitted his complaint to the prosecutor's office.

After his submission, the police detained Avcu upon the order of the prosecutor's office, the daily Cumhuriyet reported on May 24.

In his complaint, Avcu said Erdoğan was “inciting the public to hatred and provocation with fake montage videos, deceiving the public.”

Speaking during a live broadcast on state-run TRT, Erdoğan on May 22 said “The CHP leader relied on the PKK terrorist organization. Kılıçdaroğlu has video shoots with those in Kandil. (PKK executives sang Kılıçdaroğlu's song). Doesn't matter if it's a montage or not. PKK members supported (the opposition) with videos.”

The video in question depicts as if executives of the PKK were singing the main opposition Nation Alliance's presidential candidate and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s campaign song.

After Erdoğan’s remarks, Kılıçdaroğlu called him “fraudulent video fabricator,” and added “I am tired of being slandered, this (Erdoğan) is not tired of slandering me. Show everyone who is clean and who is dirty my God. Amen!”

After huge backlash, Erdoğan on May 23 admitted that the video was fabricated but said it was the “product of the quick wit of our young people who fit these facts in 5 seconds” during an election rally held in Sivas province.

Similarly, presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın told broadcaster Habertürk TV on May 23 that "Video edited by a group of witty young people. The elements put together in the video are real. The real issue is whether the PKK cadres made these statements or not? That's what we should ask. We know the support statements of PKK cadres for Kılıçdaroğlu."

On the other hand, Kılıçdaroğlu told broadcaster Habertürk TV on May 23 in a harsh tone that "I wish Erdoğan could come across me. I would say 'swear', I would say 'swear if you believe in God'. Why are you slandering? If you accuse me, you have to face me. If you see yourself as a man, you have to come across me as a man. What is this mess?"