In his post on his social media account, Taskin quoted the words of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s lawyer and made the following statement:
“Sezgin Tanrikulu criticized without insulting anyone. The insincere lynching culture targeting him is the work of ruling trolls. As President Erdoğan’s lawyer said some time ago while defending Erdoğan in a case, ‘Freedom of expression It also contains sermons that may be shocking to some people.
Cezgin Tanrıkulu made criticisms without insulting anyone. The insincere lynching culture targeting him is the work of government trolls. As President Erdoğan’s lawyer said some time ago while defending Erdoğan in a case, ‘Freedom of expression is shocking for some people…
– Yuksel Taskinn (@yukseltaskinn) 11 September 2023
What happened?
CHP Diyarbakir deputy Sezgin Tanrikulu spoke by phone in a program broadcast on TV100 and said, “Everything the Turkish Armed Forces does is not free from criticism. We are parliamentarians and we question them. Is this the Turkish Armed Forces? is not the force that carried out this” coup on September 12? Is this not the same army that carried out the coup on July 15? Who tried, burned the villages… There are cases that I follow. Is this not the Turkish Armed Forces that threw 15 villagers from a helicopter From? What is established by the ECHR decision… We take a critical approach. We ask questions, we ask whether it is true or not, we do this to remove such doubts about the Turkish Armed Forces We ask. If everything had been done right in 40 years, Turkey would not be in this situation. The ECtHR’s decision is, 15 villagers, who shot it? It burned so many villages? It’s just Roboski Uludere became…Turkey has come to this point because you can’t look at it critically.”
Sezgin Tanrikulu, who made a statement on his social media account after his words sparked controversy, said, “After my statements yesterday, I will deal one by one before the law with all those who made such statements about me /Writers who went much further than this.” Strong criticism on some digital platforms. “When that day comes, please don’t come to me with words like ‘I’m sorry, I did wrong, I’m sorry’ etc.”
Ankara’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against Tanrikulu, citing his statements.
Following Tanrikulu’s statements, CHP spokesperson Faik Oztrack said, “Diyarbakir deputy Sezgin Tanrikulu’s statements that blame the apple of our country’s eye, the Turkish Armed Forces, are unacceptable. “This issue will be discussed in our authorized bodies,” he said, and CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said, “TSK is the apple of our eye.”
Regarding the investigation launched against CHP member Cezgin Tanrikulu, he said, “This is once again an admission that the AKP is the new master of the deep state.”
Vice Chairman of the Green Left Party Istanbul and Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Cirri Sürey Onder, published a message of support to Tanrikulu and said, “He fought for rights for years. He stood with the oppressed. He is our brother. “
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also targeted Tanrikulu. Erdoğan said, “This person will be punished before the law for criticizing the world’s most respected and brave army. These cowardly insults and slanders against our Turkish armed forces, whose bravery is praised even by their enemies, Will not be spared.”
