MHP withdraws complaint against former CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu filed over his remarks on YPG

Turkish government ally, nationalist MHP has withdrawn its complaint against former CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu who said, “The YPG are children protecting their homeland.” Kılıçdaroğlu was facing a lawsuit on the charge of “praising crime and criminal” as Ankara regards the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Thursday January 16 2025 02:31 pm

This file photo shows a 2017-dated meeting between MHP leader Bahçeli (right) and then-CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu (left). AA

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Turkish government ally, the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on Jan. 16 announced that it withdrew its previous criminal complaint against the former leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

In a social media statement, the party’s deputy chair Feti Yıldız said they withdrew their 2020-dated complaint following MHP leader Bahçeli’s recent efforts in Kurdish opening.

Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi eski Genel Başkanı Sayın Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu hakkında 05.02.2020 tarihinde Ankara Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı‘na vermiş olduğumuz şikayet dilekçesi üzerine soruşturma başlatılmış,
Türk Ceza Kanunu’nun
“Kamu Barışına Karşı Suçlar”bölümünde düzenlenen
“suç ve…
— Feti Yıldız (@YildizFeti) January 16, 2025

The complaint was regarding Kılıçdaroğlu’s “appraisal” of jailed Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş, and his remarks that “the PKK, PYD, YPG are separate,” and “the YPG are children protecting their homeland.”

Ankara regards the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Kılıçdaroğlu was facing a lawsuit following the MHP’s complaint on the charge of “praising crime and criminal,” and the first hearing was held in December 2024.

Yıldız said they were withdrawing their complaint following Bahçeli’s remarks that “We aim to build a terror-free century with the unification of hearts. With cautious and prudent optimism, we will hopefully raise the bar in a just struggle that will not prejudice the blessed existence of our state. If sacrifice is required, we will fulfill what is asked. We know that there is no development without change, but those who do not change their minds cannot change anything. We are aiming for a developed and strengthened Turkey.”

The move came after Bahçeli’s surprise proposal to end the conflict with the PKK, suggesting in October that jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan should announce an end to the insurgency at the Parliament in exchange for the possibility of his release.