President Erdogan sues Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu over defamatory statements
President Erdogan received Istanbul Mayor candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, Ankara, January 11, 2019 (AA Photo)
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan filed a lawsuit seeking ₺1 million ($29,132) in moral damages from Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
The claim asserts that, during a speech protesting the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer, Imamoglu made defamatory statements against Erdogan.
Additionally, Erdogan has filed a separate lawsuit against CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel, also seeking ₺1 million for “publicly insulting the President” and “slander” due to remarks made in a speech outside Esenyurt Municipality.
The petition claims Imamoglu violated Erdogan’s rights with slanderous accusations during an Oct. 31 rally opposing Ozer’s arrest, allegedly aiming to humiliate the president publicly.
It highlights Imamoglu’s statements referring to Erdogan as “a man with a baton” and mentioning “a government chasing dark intentions,” which, according to the petition, not only harmed Erdogan’s reputation but also incited public hatred and animosity by distorting the truth. A video recording of this segment of Imamoglu’s speech is included in the petition as evidence.
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