Opposition leaders wary of possible 'political assassinations' in Turkey

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (Photo: AA/File)

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Multiple opposition leaders have warned against political violence ahead of the elections, as the ruling alliance seems to lose votes.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was the first to bring up the topic, urging the opposition to avoid tensions.

"... We'll be calm. Other parties that form the [opposition] alliance don't want tensions. If some groups don't take weapons and kill people, there will be no tensions," he said in an interview with daily Cumhuriyet on October 8.

"Political murders... I have such concerns. Erdoğan said, 'Many more things will happen to you.' If a person who holds all the power of the state says such a thing, it's very dangerous. He openly threatens," he said, recalling the president's previous statements that were perceived as implicit threats.  

More recently, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said it would be better for the opposition to give up seeking to rule the country.

"Erdoğan wants to bring tensions to a climax and then hold an election. We need to stay away from tensions as soon as possible," said Kılıçdaroğlu.

Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party Chair Ali Babacan, a former senior figure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said Kılıçdaroğlu was right to be concerned about political violence.

"Because we had many incidents of political violence recently. There were attacks on journalists, attacks on political parties' high-level executives," he told TELE1 TV during a live interview on Saturday (October 9). "Looking at this, there is a worrying picture."

Since the start of the year, several opposition politicians and journalists critical of the government have been targeted in attacks. A member of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was killed in an armed attack on the party's provincial office in İzmir.  

CLICK - Two journalists and a politician attacked in front of their homes within 24 hours

CLICK - Second armed attack on HDP in a month

CLICK - MHP's Bahçeli calls killed HDP member 'a militia accomplice'

CLICK - Attempted attack against İYİ Party leader Akşener

Koray Aydın, the vice-chair of the İYİ (Good) Party, the allies of the CHP, said they head heard rumors of possible political assassinations.

"If there is such a plan, those who rule the country will have to give an account of this in the future. They'll pay a heavy price," Aydın told daily Sözcü yesterday (October 11). "I don't think this is possible."

What the ruling bloc says

The ruling AKP and their allies Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have dismissed the claims about political murders.

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu's statement was "immoral and irresponsible," Çelik said on Twitter today.

The AKP, in fact, was the party that ended the era of extrajudicial killings in Turkey, he wrote. Such a move would only serve the "fifth column activities of the enemies of Turkey," he added.

MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli dismissed Kılıçdaroğlu's statements as "fairytales."

"If you know something but not saying it, you're not a man," he told his party's parliamentary group today, addressing Kılıçdaroğlu. (VK)