Erdoğan Said, ‘They Will Pay Price’; Investigation Launched Against Akpınar, Gezen

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The İstanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation against theater and film actors Müjdat Gezen and Metin Akpınar, who were targeted by pro-government media outlets and President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan due to their statements on a television program.

Akpınar said, "If we cannot reach democracy..."

Having attended a television program together with Müjdat Gezen on Halk TV on December 21, Metin Akpınar made the following remarks:

"A regime where individuals can determine their futures with their free will is democracy. I think that the we can only be saved from this polarization and chaos through democracy. If we can reach there, then, it is great, there will be no fighting or quarrels, we can pull off, then.

"If we cannot reach there, as in the case of every fascism, as it is faced by every fascism, they will perhaps hang its leader by the foot, s/he will perhaps die in a dungeon by being poisoned, s/he can end up badly like other mentioned leaders; but, we will be wasted and destroyed."

Targeting news

In the wake of their speeches, Akpınar and Gezen were reported by several pro-government media outlets in a targeting language.

The headlines of some of these news were as follows: "Death and coup threat to President Erdoğan by Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen" (Akşam newspaper); "Unabashed words to Erdoğan by Müjdat Gezen and Metin Akpınar" (Akit newspaper); "Müjdat Gezen has crossed the line again! Scandalous statements on Halk TV" (Takvim newspaper)...

Erdoğan did not address them by their names

Speaking at the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) on December 23, President Erdoğan addressed Akpınar and Gezen without referring to them by their names and said, "They will pay the price for it":

"How would you dare to bring me to the rope? We are people who have believed in martyrdom. These are pseudo-artists. You have mentioned hanging the president of the country on the rope? Now, you go and pay the price for it before the judiciary."

Investigation against Akpınar and Gezen

In the wake of the targeting news of the pro-government media and the above statement of President Erdoğan, the İstanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation against Müjdat Gezen and Metin Akpınar and summoned them to depose.

Releasing a statement, the Prosecutor's Office referred to the news, "where it was stated that Gezen and Akpınar used insulting remarks about the President and threatened him with death and coup." In the statement, it was also seen that the investigation was launched on Saturday (December 22). (HK/SD)