Ankara, Türkiye – Prosecutors questioned two Turkish business leaders on Wednesday after making recent scathing criticism of President Recep Erdogan’s government amid a fierce crackdown on dissent.
Orhan Tulan, Tuciad, chairman of the Turkish Industry and Business Association, and Omer Ala, chairman of the group’s advisory committee, has investigated allegations that attempt to spread misleading information and influence judicial proceedings. He appeared as a prosecutor as part of his work. Other media reported this.
These accusations followed their criticism last week of a series of legal proceedings against government economic policies and opposition parties, including journalists.
A few hours ago, Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan accused Tusiad of crossing that boundary.
“You might miss an old turkey, but you’ll know your location with a new turkey,” Erdogan said. “If you are a business association, you learn to act like a business association. You do not provoke people, do not provoke national institutions, and do not try to put pressure on the judiciary. ”
Turan and Ara are the latest well-known figures to face scrutiny and prosecution in recent weeks. They include Umit Ozdag, a far-right politician who was arrested last month for inciting violence while being arrested for allegedly in her role in the 2013 anti-government protests.
Five journalists working at Halk TV, a television station distributed to the opposition, said prison conditions after the station aired a secretly recorded interview with legal experts that the opposition party blamed bias. faced with.
Meanwhile, Ekrem Imamogul, a popular mayor of Istanbul and a potential candidate for Erdogan in the upcoming election, has been intertwined in multiple trials after criticising an investigation targeting opposition-led municipalities. He also risks a political ban if the High Court supports a 2020 conviction against a disgraceful member of Turkish High Election Commission.
The elected mayor, accused of ties with Kurdish militants, was removed from his duties and replaced by state-appointed officials.
Government officials argue that the courts are operating independently and that legal action against opposition figures is politically motivated.
