Interior Minister targets opposition Istanbul Mayor’s wife for making victory sign at election rally

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has targeted Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s wife Dilek İmamoğlu for making a victory sign during the opposition’s election rally in the eastern Van province and linked the victory sign to the PKK. It is a common tactic of the government to target the opposition with discourse of terror accusations, in an attempt to attract nationalist votes.

Wednesday May 03 2023 10:53 pm

This collage photo shows Dilek İmamoğlu (L) and Süleyman Soylu.

Duvar English

Interior Minister and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentarian candidate Süleyman Soylu has targeted Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s wife Dilek İmamoğlu after her participation at an election rally in the eastern province of Van.

Opposition Nation Alliance’s presidential candidate and Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu held a rally in Van on May 2 that saw the attendance of thousands of people. Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu, from the CHP, also took the stage during the rally, addressing citizens.

On May 3, Soylu commented on the rally and claimed that Ekrem İmamoğlu and Dilek İmamoğlu had conducted the propaganda of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) by “making the victory sign.”

“This Mr. Kemal held a rally in Van. Ekrem İmamoğlu also participated in the meeting with his wife. They have waved the flag of the (Peoples’ Democratic Party) HDP. They have made the victory sign done by the PKK. There were 11,000 people at the (rally) square. Ten thousand people shouted ‘Freedom for Selo,’” Soylu said, referring to jailed former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş.

“They have gathered HDP members there. They have gathered their own party members. And this was not enough; they shouted slogans of ‘Tooth for a tooth, blood for blood, (jailed PKK leader) Öcalan.’ It is very explicit what will happen if these (opposition) comes to rulership, God forbid,” Soylu, utilizing the classical rhetoric of terror accusations in an attempt to attract nationalist votes.