İYİ Party Istanbul chair attacked in front of broadcaster critical of gov't

Duvar English 

Right-wing opposition Good (İYİ) Party Istanbul chair Buğra Kavuncu was subjected to an attack in front of the building of Halk TV, a broadcaster critical of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), on Aug. 20. 

Kavuncu was leaving the building in Istanbul's Bakırköy when an unknown assailant approached and punched him. 

The opposition politician said that the attack can't be branded as an isolated incident. 

"We need to see how this atmosphere was created," Kavuncu said, as he also revealed that his security guards were removed for an unknown reason.

"I was assigned security guards. We hadn't asked for that. They were removed without any explanation," he said. 

A similar attack took place in front of the Halk TV's building in March, when a group assaulted journalist Levent Gültekin and broke his fingers. 

Most recently, a group attacked Halk TV's live broadcast in the Marmaris district of the Aegean province of Muğla on Aug. 5. 

Kavuncu on Aug. 20 said that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan must think about what his words may cause, referring to the president's appreciation of an attack on İYİ Party leader Meral Akşener back in May. 

Erdoğan on May 26 praised a pro-government group's attack against Akşener and said that she was taught a lesson. Shockingly, he said that more will follow, adding, "These are your better days." 

Akşener was subjected to another verbal attack on Aug. 10. 

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