Ex-interior Minister Soylu demands immunity lift to address allegations

Suleyman Soylu, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Istanbul MP and former Interior Minister, has officially requested the lifting of his legislative immunity. According to reports, Soylu submitted a formal petition to the parliamentary chairmanship of the Turkish parliament, following through on a recent statement in which he pledged to address allegations against him.

In his petition, Soylu highlighted his 40 years of political involvement and service in various capacities. He stressed his commitment to the principles of accountability, transparency, and service to the nation.

Soylu acknowledged that politicians and political institutions often face allegations and accusations, and he expressed his readiness to confront these challenges openly.

‘We face numerous smear campaigns’

Soylu remarked, “While performing my duty as an MP under the honorable roof of our parliament, representing and serving our nation, we have faced numerous baseless, slanderous, manipulative, and systematically organized smear campaigns produced by internal and external sources aimed at our governments, the period when I served as Minister of the Interior, myself, and my colleagues.”

What happened?

Soylu has previously reacted strongly to news reports about him in the Cumhuriyet Daily. On social media, he challenged the newspaper’s allegations, stating, “If you do not prove my alleged baronship, you are dishonorable. I will soon give you another chance. I will apply to the Turkish parliament to lift my immunity.”