Turkish presidential spokesperson deems mafia leader Çakıcı's threats against CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu 'unacceptable'

Duvar English 

Turkish presidential spokesperson has deemed mafia leader Alaattin Çakıcı's threats against main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu "unacceptable." 

"It's unacceptable for an individual to threaten another in Turkey in terms of the norms of the state of law," Kalın said on Nov. 21 when asked what President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan thinks about Çakıcı's threats and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli's support for him. 

"The prosecutor's office launched an investigation. The legal process is ongoing. Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu filed a complaint against him. The courts will do what's necessary within the scope of the law," Kalın said. 

Kılıçdaroğlu was threatened by Çakıcı on Nov. 17 after the former criticized the government for allowing the release of “mafia leaders and drug traffickers" in an amnesty law in April.

Çakıcı was released from prison on April 16 as part of the law that was drafted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally MHP. Journalists and political prisoners were excluded from the government's amnesty law.

Çakıcı's release had been a long-term project for MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli. Shortly after calling for a general amnesty on May 12, 2018, Bahçeli had paid a visit to Çakıcı in prison, who he deemed “a lover of the nation.”

Çakıcı released a statement on Twitter on Nov. 17 telling Kılıçdaroğlu to “watch his step.” “If you put Bahçeli in the same pot as traitors, you would be making the mistake of your life,” Çakıcı wrote.

While the CHP leader on Nov. 18 filed a complaint against Çakıcı, the mafia leader responded to the main opposition head with yet another threat.

"Get Bahçeli's name out of your mouth, you couldn't even add up to his balls," Çakıcı said in a new open letter.

"Rather than speaking like a woman, get me killed if you have the guts," Çakıcı added.

Later in the day, Bahçeli, a very close friend of the mafia leader, came to Çakıcı's support and defended his threatening letter.

While Bahçeli was slammed for defending a mafia leader, the AKP had remained silent on the issue until Nov. 19. 

Kalın on Nov. 21 said that Bahçeli's long-term friendship shouldn't pose a conflict with the norms put forward by the law. 

"There shouldn't be a conflict between personal relations and the norms put forward by the law," the spokesperson said.