Minister of Defense Akar Files Criminal Complaint Against CHP Group Deputy Chair Özel

Click to read the article in Turkish

Former Chief of General Staff and current Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar has filed a criminal complaint against main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Manisa MP and CHP Group Deputy Chairperson Özgür Özel on the allegation that Özel insulted him.

Akar has also suited for non-pecuniary damages of 500 thousand Turkish Lira (approx. 95,000 US Dollar).

While Akar submitted the petition of his criminal complaint to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, he filed the lawsuit for damages at the Ankara Penal Court of First Instance on duty.

Requesting an immaterial compensation of 500 thousand Turkish Lira in his petition submitted to the court on duty, Akar has also demanded that Özel be "condemned" and the related ruling of the court be published on the two most read newspapers in Turkey.

In the petition submitted to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it has been stated that Özgür Özel insulted Hulusi Akar in a television program broadcast on November 19, 2018 and in his Parliamentary speech at the General Assembly on December 17, 2018.

Erdoğan said, "First compensation, then sentence..."

In the weekly group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) yesterday (December 25), AKP Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also used targeting remarks about Özgür Özel.

Attending the discussion program "Culture of Politics with Serhan Asker" aired on Halk TV channel, Özel said, "That chief of general staff... One day, we saw that he took off his uniform and became a minister who is a party member. He does not wear that uniform, but still wants to have its immunity. In a democracy, chiefs of general staff should also be questioned. It is, of course, the duty of ours to tell him 'Know your place'."

In response to these statements, Erdoğan answered, "They went so far as to impertinently attack the minister of national defense of our cabinet in this way. We have to give them the necessary lesson at the judiciary; in fact, we will do it. First, compensation; then, sentence..."

CLICK - From Erdoğan to CHP: We Have to Give Them Necessary Lesson at Judiciary

On the same day, Özel responded to Erdoğan in following words:

"We say 'Bring it on'. Where is the insult in what we said? If there is an insult, then there is compensation. Whom did we insult? If there is a crime, then there is punishment. Where is the crime in what we said? If there is a crime, it is Hulusi Akar not being able to answer us is crime, what he said is crime.

"Why are you disturbed? We said, 'Hulusi Akar did not visit his friends'. He said 'I did' and showed witnesses. His showed said, 'His mission was in our prison. He came only there, did not go to other five prisons'." (HA/SD)