Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP for Diyarbakır (Amed) Sezgin Tanrıkulu has highlighted the disorganisation within the opposition in response to the arrest of Turkish journalist Merdan Yanardağ, stating that the “so-called” opposition had worsened the situation by adding fuel to the arrest process.
Merdan Yanardağ was arrested on 26 June for questioning the isolation of imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, and remanded in custody on the following day.
Speaking on TELE1 TV, of which Yanardağ is editor-in-chief, Tanrıkulu criticised the polarising politics of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and asserted that the arrest of Yanardağ, as a prominent publisher and activist, plays a crucial role in testing the strength of the opposition. He emphasised that the AKP’s actions were strategic and should not be dismissed as mere coincidence.
Remarking on the timing of the arrest after the elections, the significance of the detained individual and the circumstances surrounding the arrest, Tanrıkulu asserted that this was a deliberate strategy behind the AKP’s actions. He criticised the opposition for contributing to the acceleration of the arrest process and urged them to unite and organise more effectively, cautioning them not to let the AKP dictate their boundaries.
After criticising the Turkish government’s isolation of Öcalan, Yanardağ was targeted by not only the ruling party but also by the Good Party (İYİP), which had been part of the main opposition alliance during the May elections.
Tanrıkulu pointed out the AKP’s objective to dismantle the opposition ahead of the upcoming local elections. He cautioned against falling into the trap of the AKP’s tactics and stressed the importance of unity and steadfastness among the opposition to successfully overcome these challenges.
