Skip to main content

Erdogan mum as mob boss threatens Turkey’s main opposition leader

In an open letter filled with obscenities and threats of physical violence, a prominent leader in Turkey's mafia accused Kemal Kilicdaroglu of treason in concert with Kurdish militants and foreign powers.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu makes a press statement at his party's headquarters in Ankara, on September 16, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu makes a press statement at his party's headquarters in Ankara, on Sept. 16, 2020. — ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s main opposition leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, pressed charges with the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office against a notorious Turkish mafia boss Nov. 18 after he openly threatened him in a letter he shared via Twitter triggering uproar. Kilicdaroglu’s lawyer said the four-page diatribe handwritten and signed by Alaattin Cakici posed a direct threat to his client, who is the leader of the pro-secular Republican People’s Party (CHP).

In the letter, dated Nov. 17 and peppered with obscenities and threats of physical violence, Cakici accused Kilicdaroglu of treason in concert with Kurdish militants and foreign powers. “Be sensible,” he warned, using an expression that is commonly used by Turkish gangsters to intimidate their victims. Cakici’s ire was sparked by Kilicdaroglu’s suggestion in a speech to the parliament the same day that the mobster had been recently freed from prison thanks to pressure on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from his far-right nationalist partner Devlet Bahceli, while thousands of prisoners of conscience continue to rot in Turkish jails.

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in