MHP Chair Bahçeli says it is ‘ignoble’ to call Çakıcı a ‘mafia leader’

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Devlet Bahçeli, the Chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which has been in the People's Alliance with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), has expressed his support for Alaattin Çakıcı, who has recently insulted and threatened main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on social media.

After Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu filed a criminal complaint against Alaattin Çakıcı yesterday (November 18), Çakıcı has shared another open letter on social media, insulting and threatening the politician again.

Convicted of leading a criminal organization and having served 16 years behind bars, Çakıcı was released from prison on April 15, 2020 after the Parliament passed "the law of criminal enforcement" in a stated attempt to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in prisons.

CLICK - Kılıçdaroğlu files a criminal complaint against Çakıcı

The social media messages of MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli backing Çakıcı on Twitter came within this context. Bahçeli has slammed main opposition CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu for calling Çakıcı a "so-called mafia leader" and "the dark face of the underworld." According to Bahçeli, calling Çakıcı as such is a "slander" just as it is "characterless and ignoble."

Bahçeli has also referred to Selahattin Demirtaş, the arrested former Co-Chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), as well as to arrested businessperson and rights defender Osman Kavala:

"CHP Chair's respect and admiration for [Selahattin] Demirtaş is obvious. His love and sympathy for Osman Kavala, a hitman and supplier for [George] Soros, is known. And its crystal-clear that he is close to the separatist terrorist organization PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] terrorists, who have the blood of Turkish soldiers on their hands."

Within this context, slamming Kılıçdaroğlu for calling Çakıcı a "so-called mafia" and "the dark face of the underworld," Bahçeli has said that Alaattin Çakıcı was an "ülkücü", namely a member of the ultra-nationalist Grey Wolves, which have recently been banned in France.

Accusing CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu of "trying to create a perception in the eyes of the public," Bahçeli has said, "...my answer is the following: 1-Alaattin Çakıcı is the son of an 'ülkücü' martyr of ours. 2- Alaattin Çakıcı is an 'ülkücü' with a love for his country and nation. 3- He is my comrade."

Concluding his thread on Twitter, Devlet Bahçeli has further claimed that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu "is in cooperation with the PKK and in dialogue with the FETÖ," referring to the "Fethullahist Terrorist Organization," which is held accountable for the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

What happened?

In his speech at the Parliamentary group meeting, Kılıçdaroğlu addressed Devlet Bahçeli, the Chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and said, "He criticizes the CHP very often because he has been assigned with being a watchman." He also asked, "Will you stop releasing mafia leaders and drug traffickers while imprisoning criminals of thought?"

Following this statement, Alaattin Çakıcı shared a statement on his Twitter account and warned Kılıçdaroğlu "to watch his step." He also threatened the main opposition chair by saying, "If you equate traitors with Bahçeli, you will make the biggest mistake of your life."

After this statement was shared with the public on social media, several prominent figures from the CHP, including CHP Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairs Engin Altay and Özgür Özel, Spokesperson Faik Öztrak and Ankara MP Levent Gök have denounced the statement.

After Kılıçdaroğlu filed a complaint for "insult" and "threat" against Çakıcı on November 18, he has once again insulted and threatened him.

(EKN/SD)