Government ally Bahçeli lambasted after continued threats against journalists, opposition

CHP's Kılıçdaroğlu (l) visited Davutoğlu after an attack on his deputy. (Photo: AA)

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Opposition parties have denounced Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli, a government ally, over his reaction to the recent attacks targeting his critics.

Two journalists and a politician from the Future Party, a splinter movement from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), were assaulted in front of their homes in successive attacks in Ankara, the capital, last week.

The attacks came after they were targeted by senior MHP figures following their criticism of Bahçeli.

After Ahmet Davutoğlu, the head of the Future Party and a former PM, said during an interview that he expected Bahçeli to denounce the attacks, the MHP chair lashed out at Davutoğlu, threatening him and the journalists who interviewed him.

"They had better not underestimate the MHP, they had better not cast aspersion on the MHP," he said on Twitter. "Because they have already fallen on their own sword, they have already been caught red handed with their faces not blushing."

After Bahçeli's latest remarks, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) expressed their concerns and accused Bahçeli of committing a crime.

CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu visited Davutoğlu at his party's İstanbul office last night. At a joint press conference after the meeting, Davutoğlu said, "Bahçeli targeted journalists, who are not a party to this matter. There are only a handful of journalists who speak freely. Do you want to silence them, too?"

Kılıçdaroğlu pointed out that the assailants were being investigated for petty offenses rather than organized crime while there were many journalists who stood trial on "terrorism" charges.

The HDP's deputy co-chair responsible for the press, Tayip Temel, released a written statement about Bahçeli's remarks last night.

"With his latest statement, the MHP chair has clearly committed a crime," the statement reads, referring to Bahçeli's remarks about three journalists for family Karar, who interviewed Davutoğlu.

"Throughout its history, fascism has founded its discourse based on lies and distortion. It is not a coincidence that this mentality targets intellectuals and freedom of the press.

"We don't accept these disgraceful statements and denounce those who made these statements in the strongest terms." (EKN/VK)