CHP's Kaftancıoğlu deposes for calling Erdoğan a 'dictator'

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Canan Kaftancıoğlu, the İstanbul chair of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) gave a statement yesterday (August 29) in an investigation for "insulting the president."

Prosecutors had opened the investigation because of Kaftancıoğlu's remarks during a speech addressing the party's youth branch on August 12, where she had called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a "dictator" without mentioning his name.

In her statement at the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan, Kaftancıoğlu said the word "dictator" fits Erdoğan's expanding powers and she, as a politician, had a responsibility to make such criticism.

"As a politician who is a member of the main opposition party, the duty I perform is a public duty, as I explained above. Criticizing the efforts of the politicians who make up the executive branch to expand their sphere of power is not only a right but also an obligation," said Kaftancıoğlu, as reported by Medyascope.

She noted that the president has the executive authority as the head of the government, legislative authority as the head of the ruling party, and also has judicial powers as he has the authority to elect members of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK), the country's judicial overseeing body.

What happened?

"We will send a dictator from this country by means of democracy," she had remarked during the event on August 12.

Prosecutors had opened an ex officio investigation into Kaftancıoğlu remarks following the event. President Erdoğan's lawyers had also filed criminal complaints, alleging that she had insulted him and violated his personal rights.

Kaftancıoğlu was in May sentenced to 4 years and 11 months in prison for "insulting a public official" and "openly degrading the state of the Republic of Türkiye" and "insulting the president" because of her social media posts from years ago.

She was also banned from politics due to the crimes she was found guilt of and her CHP membership was formally dropped. However, the party has refused to formally replace her. (EMK/VK)