CHP campaign office in İstanbul targeted in armed attack

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As the May 14 elections draw closer, opposition party campaign offices are becoming targets of attacks in Turkey. Just weeks after the last incident, the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), was hit again.

Gunshots were fired at the CHP's campaign office in the Örnek neighborhood in Ataşehir, İstanbul, according to a Twitter post by the CHP's de facto İstanbul provincial chair, Canan Kaftancıoğlu.

Also, the posters of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the CHP leader and presidential candidate, were found defaced with the initials of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

In her tweet, Kaftancıoğlu criticized the ruling government for creating an environment of fear and intimidation that emboldens attackers. She called on authorities to take responsibility and bring the perpetrators to justice. She also warned that no political party, including the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), would face such violence after the elections.

"The political understanding and fears of those in power who create these conditions are what give courage to those who attacked and damaged our Ataşehir Örnek Mahalle representative office and fired three gunshots (which are believed to be blank shots)," she wrote.

Eight suspects

Later in the day, the İstanbul Governor's Office issued a written statement, announcing that an incident had taken place at approximately 1 a.m. Six individuals were identified as suspects, who were cutting party flags and vandalizing the office windows. Additionally, two suspects on a motorcycle were reported to have fired blank shots into the air. The police are currently working to apprehend the suspects.

This is not the first time opposition party offices have been targeted in recent weeks. In late March, gunfire was aimed at the Good (İYİ) Party's İstanbul provincial office, which the police later dismissed as a stray bullet. Just earlier this month, a man was arrested for firing shots outside the CHP's Istanbul provincial office.

These incidents are raising concerns about the safety and fairness of the upcoming elections. The opposition parties have called on the authorities to take stronger measures to ensure a safe and fair election process.

Ataşehir Örnek Mah. temsilciliğimize saldıran tahrip eden ve 3 el ateş açanlara (kuru sıkı olduğu tahmin ediliyor) bu cesareti veren ve bu koşulları oluşturan iktidardakilerin siyaset anlayışı ve korkularıdır.
Biz korkmayız ama bence de sizler korkun. Korkacak çok şeyiniz var! pic.twitter.com/exOplS3p4v

— Canan Kaftancıoğlu (@Canan_Kaftanci) April 18, 2023

(VC/VK)