Erdoğan takes rivals to court for election barbs
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 03, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Riled by the pre-election remarks from two members of the opposition Republican People’s Party, the prime minister, who is also the leader of the Justice and Development Party, sues both of them for defamation
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has filed a defamation suit against the main opposition party leader Deniz Baykal and Mustafa Özyürek from the same party for allegedly insulting statements. Erdoğan’s lawyers requested 100,000 Turkish Liras from Baykal and 20,000 liras from Özyürek.
At his party’s election campaign in Sinop on Saturday, Republican People’s Party, or CHP, leader Baykal targeted Erdoğan’s attitude toward the opposition and the media. "The boorish demeanor he adopted may well befit him but it does not befit the prime minister of the Turkish Republic. Erdoğan became a prime minister but he has not matured enough to become a man," said Baykal.
The complaint letter said Baykal’s statements harmed Erdoğan’s personal rights and dignity, did not reflect the truth and requested a compensation of 100,000 liras from Baykal.
A separate complaint letter concerning Özyürek’s statements in the party building on the same day demanded 20,000 liras from CHP spokesperson Özyürek. Özyürek said the duty of political party leaders was not to behave impolitely in public, but to demonstrate a more civilized and democratic fashion, adding that Erdoğan had adopted a boorish style.
The letter said Özyürek’s words exceeded the limitations of criticism and freedom of expression. According to the letter, Özyürek’s words were unjust and heavy remarks that the laws cannot tolerate.
Baykal had continued his criticism of the government’s economic policies Sunday in Adıyaman. Stating that as of last November 645,000 people had lost their jobs, Baykal had said handing out green cards for healthcare was not enough. "After making people lose their jobs and leading them to poverty, handing out green cards and praising themselves for that is meaningless. A government’s duty is to provide jobs and food."
"The prime minister is traveling here and there. He travels and what does he say? Does he talk about workers’ problems? Does he mention the problems of our farmers? He is always attacking the CHP and the media," he had added.
Baykal also repeated calls for a televised duel with Erdoğan saying, "Do not talk behind my back in self-arranged meetings. If you have confidence, come and discuss issues with me on TV. He had called on me to be in public squares and at rallies when he was also here. Here I am. Here I am in Adıyaman, here is the Republican People’s Party."
The Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, leader, Devlet Bahçeli, had also reacted to Erdoğan’s criticism of opposition parties of not meeting people on the ground. "The prime minister has been saying that we are trying to escape from the people. In fact we have been on the ground for 40 years. But we do not have the state’s planes and helicopters at our service for election campaigns," Bahçeli had said Sunday.
At his party’s election campaign in Sinop on Saturday, Republican People’s Party, or CHP, leader Baykal targeted Erdoğan’s attitude toward the opposition and the media. "The boorish demeanor he adopted may well befit him but it does not befit the prime minister of the Turkish Republic. Erdoğan became a prime minister but he has not matured enough to become a man," said Baykal.
The complaint letter said Baykal’s statements harmed Erdoğan’s personal rights and dignity, did not reflect the truth and requested a compensation of 100,000 liras from Baykal.
A separate complaint letter concerning Özyürek’s statements in the party building on the same day demanded 20,000 liras from CHP spokesperson Özyürek. Özyürek said the duty of political party leaders was not to behave impolitely in public, but to demonstrate a more civilized and democratic fashion, adding that Erdoğan had adopted a boorish style.
The letter said Özyürek’s words exceeded the limitations of criticism and freedom of expression. According to the letter, Özyürek’s words were unjust and heavy remarks that the laws cannot tolerate.
Baykal had continued his criticism of the government’s economic policies Sunday in Adıyaman. Stating that as of last November 645,000 people had lost their jobs, Baykal had said handing out green cards for healthcare was not enough. "After making people lose their jobs and leading them to poverty, handing out green cards and praising themselves for that is meaningless. A government’s duty is to provide jobs and food."
"The prime minister is traveling here and there. He travels and what does he say? Does he talk about workers’ problems? Does he mention the problems of our farmers? He is always attacking the CHP and the media," he had added.
Baykal also repeated calls for a televised duel with Erdoğan saying, "Do not talk behind my back in self-arranged meetings. If you have confidence, come and discuss issues with me on TV. He had called on me to be in public squares and at rallies when he was also here. Here I am. Here I am in Adıyaman, here is the Republican People’s Party."
The Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, leader, Devlet Bahçeli, had also reacted to Erdoğan’s criticism of opposition parties of not meeting people on the ground. "The prime minister has been saying that we are trying to escape from the people. In fact we have been on the ground for 40 years. But we do not have the state’s planes and helicopters at our service for election campaigns," Bahçeli had said Sunday.