Nalin Öztekin
A Turkish court has appointed an expert to determine whether Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the former leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), acted with criminal intent when he allegedly insulted then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a 2014 election speech.
The case, which combines five separate lawsuits, stems from remarks Kılıçdaroğlu made during a campaign event in Erdemli, a district in southern Turkey’s Mersin province, ahead of the March 30, 2014, local elections. His speech referenced leaked audio recordings from the December 17-25, 2013, corruption investigations that implicated Erdoğan and his close circle.
At the latest hearing, held at Mersin’s 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance, Kılıçdaroğlu was absent, while his lawyer, Celal Çelik, attended. Çelik submitted both written and oral defenses, arguing for Kılıçdaroğlu’s acquittal.
However, the court decided to appoint an expert to assess whether Kılıçdaroğlu’s remarks—classified as “insult” in the indictment—were made with criminal intent. The trial was adjourned until June 19 to allow time for the expert report to be completed.
Background
In 2016, prosecutors indicted Kılıçdaroğlu on charges of “publicly insulting a public official over his duties,” citing his criticism of Erdoğan during the 2014 local election campaign. The prosecution also sought to bar Kılıçdaroğlu from holding political office and public service roles under Article 53/1 of the Turkish Penal Code.
On Nov. 22, 2024, Kılıçdaroğlu testified before the Ankara 57th Criminal Court of First Instance, saying:
"I am here not because I committed a crime, but to document crimes that have been committed and to leave a record in history. I assume the reason for these lawsuits and for me standing trial is that I called Erdoğan ‘Başçalan’ [chief thief], ‘Hırsız’ [thief], and ‘Başhırsız’ [master thief]. First of all, I must say that I have no regrets about speaking the truth, which has been proven with evidence. I take pride in the fact that I am not standing before this court for bribery. I take pride in the fact that I am not here as an embezzler who stole from orphans. I am here simply because I called a thief a thief."
