Kılıçdaroğlu says Russia behind sex tape scandal concerning İnce

In a message shared on social media, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said that Russia was behind the sex tape scandal that led to Muharrem İnce’s withdrawal from the presidential race. Kılıçdaroğlu warned Russia not to interfere with Turkish domestic affairs and said, “If you want our friendship after May 15, take off your hands from Turk’s state.”

Thursday May 11 2023 10:09 pm

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Opposition Nation Alliance’s presidential candidate and Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has alleged that Russia was behind the sex tape scandal concerning Homeland Party leader Muharrem İnce.

Kılıçdaroğlu shared his message on social media, both in Turkish and Russian. “Dear Russian friends, you are behind the montages, plots, Deep Fake contents, tapes that came out in this country yesterday. If you want our friendship after May 15 (in the aftermath of the elections), take off your hands from Turk’s state. We still stand by cooperation and friendship,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Sevgili Rus Dostlarımız,
Dün bu ülkede ortaya saçılan montajlar, kumpaslar, Deep Fake içerikler, kasetlerin arkasında siz varsınız. Eğer 15 Mayıs sonrası dostluğumuzun devamını istiyorsanız, elinizi Türk’ün devletinden çekin. Biz hala işbirlikten ve dostluktan yanayız.
— Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (@kilicdarogluk) May 11, 2023

İnce on May 11 withdrew from the presidential race, saying that “(the main opposition) will have no excuses when they lose the elections.” The politician’s move came following allegations that a sex tape leaked on the internet belonged to İnce.

Aferwards, many organized social media accounts alleged that Kılıçdaroğlu had utilized such a method to force İnce to withdraw from the presidential race and said that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan should be supported.

In a speech on May 11, Erdoğan also argued that Kılıçdaroğlu played a role in İnce’s decision and once again utilized terrorism rhetoric to tarnish the opposition’s image.

Earlier, Erdoğan Toprak, a long-time friend of Kılıçdaroğlu and CHP advisor running the election campaign, had said they were receiving reports that Russia was intervening in the Turkish elections and that they were disturbed about this.