Criminal complaint against journalist who claimed opposition, PKK started forest fires together

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The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has filed a criminal complaint against İbrahim Karagül, a pro-government journalist who alleged that the CHP and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) started the recent forest fires together.

"CHP acted together with the PKK in forest fires. PKK burned the forests and they [CHP] misled [the public]. This is a very dirty alliance. Kılıçdaroğlu [CHP leader] is a national security problem. This is how they burned Marmaris," Karagül wrote on Twitter yesterday (August 1).

Karagül, the former editor-in-chief of daily Yeni Şafak, deleted the tweet after receiving criticism.

The CHP filed a criminal complaint against the journalist for "slander, insult and inciting the public into hatred and animosity" and demands 100,000 lira for immaterial damages, said Celal Çelik, an attorney of the party and its leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

Most pro-government media outlets, as well as some pro-opposition ones, claimed that the PKK, which claimed many forest fires in the past, was behind the recent fires.

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Since July 28, more than 120 wildfires have erupted in Turkey, especially its southern and southwestern parts. Most of the fires have been contained but fires in Muğla and Antalya continue to spread.

While the authorities don't rule out arson in individual cases, meteorologists cite the arid and hot weather, as well as the "foehn effect" caused by northern winds as the main reason for the fires in the south. (HA/VK)