A notorious Turkish mafia boss has intervened in a heated political dispute, issuing threats to a pro-Kurdish party MP. This follows the MP’s criticism of Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, particularly over his derogatory comments about the Constitutional Court in the ongoing judicial rift.
🔷 A notorious Turkish mafia boss has threatened HEDEP deputy Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu (@gergerliogluof) after he criticised Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey's far-right MHP and a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.#ÖmerFarukGergerlioğlu | #TurkishMafia | #HEDEP
— MedyaNews (@1MedyaNews) November 15, 2023
Alaattin Çakıcı, a former member of the ultranationalist Grey Wolves and a well-known mafia figure, has made headlines with his intervention. Çakıcı, infamous for his ruthless actions, including the murder of his wife, and history of working with Turkish intelligence, has recently escalated his public presence with contentious statements. Released from prison in 2020 under a pandemic-related law, Çakıcı has been compared to Al Capone by international media.
The conflict between Bahçeli and HEDEP MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, known for his unwavering commitment to human rights, grew more intense after Çakıcı’s derogatory remarks towards Gergerlioğlu. Çakıcı responded to Gergerlioğlu on social media, warning him to “mind his words and not to speak beyond his stature.”
Gergerlioğlu had demanded that Bahçeli respect the Constitution and the Constitutional Court, while also questioning Bahçeli’s connections with controversial figures like Çakıcı. In response, Çakıcı labeled Gergerlioğlu as an “extension of Qandil” (alluding to the Qandil Mountains, a Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, stronghold in Iraqi Kurdistan) and accused him of disrespecting his association with mafia leaders. Çakıcı’s aggressive post called for confrontation, describing Parliament members associated with Qandil as “cowardly jackals.”
The dispute originates from Bahçeli’s remarks at a parliamentary group meeting, where he accused the Constitutional Court of being biased towards groups like PKK and “FETÖ” (a term for the followers of Fethullah Gülen, implicated in the 2016 coup attempt), naming Gergerlioğlu among others. Gergerlioğlu refuted these claims, calling for higher political standards and respect for parliamentary representatives.
In a subsequent parliamentary session, MHP Deputy Group Chair Erkan Akçay retorted to Gergerlioğlu’s comments, suggesting he needed psychiatric treatment and further insulting him, which led to an uproar in the General Assembly. The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Sırrı Süreyya Önder of the HEDEP, had to call a recess to defuse the escalating tension.
Gergerlioğlu has filed a criminal complaint against Çakıcı and others who have threatened and insulted him.
