Cumhuriyet newspaper responds to interior minister's threats

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Daily Cumhuriyet has responded to Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu after his tweets targeting the newspaper over its headline story about mafia-state relations yesterday (May 11).

"It's within no one's limit to attack Turkey's most reputable and oldest newspaper," Cumhuriyet said and underlined that its reporting was impartial and objective.

The report in question was about videos released on YouTube by Sedat Peker, a formerly pro-government figure who fled the country after an investigation was opened against him for leading an organized crime group.

In the videos, Peker accuses ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Tolga Ağar of sexually assaulting and killing Yeldana Kaharman, an 18-year-old journalist from Kazakhstan.

He claims that the incident was covered up with the help of Mehmet Ağar, his father and a former interior minister, and the Commander General of Gendarmerie.

He also claims that Ağar threatened and forced Mübariz Mansimov, a businessperson from Azerbaijan, to sell a luxury yacht marina. Ağar currently holds an executive position in the company operating the marina.

What did Soylu say?

After Cumhuriyet's headline, Minister Soylu accused the newspaper of "casting aspersions on the most glorious commander of our history of counterterrorism."

"Your history is the history of deep, dirty and dark relations. Turkey is not the old Turkey," he wrote on Twitter. "You will be brought to account before the law."

He also accused the newspaper of "taking revenge for its partner HDPKK," compounding the abbreviations of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Responding to Soylu in today's headline story, Cumhuriyet said, "We don't approve the interior minister's threatening statement and don't accept his allegations.

"No one can accuse Cumhuriyet, which has always sided with the interests of the Republic of Turkey, with terrorism, no one can portray it as if it is together with terrorists, no one can associate it with terrorists.

"No one can pull Cumhuriyet newspapers into mafia debates and dirty relationships.

"The Ministry of Interior, whose duties are determined by the principles set by our constitution, is not an authority of accusing and threatening newspapers. Cumhuriyet newspaper will continue its path without fear." (TP/VK)