32 years in jail sought for Turkish socialist party leader over 'insulting' Erdoğan

Turkish prosecutors have sought 32 years in prison in total for socialist People's Liberation Party (HKP) leader Nurullah Efe Ankut over “insulting the President” in the case in which seven lawsuits were combined.

Friday May 26 2023 11:02 pm

Nurullah Efe Ankut during his official propaganda speech of the HKP broadcasted on state television TRT

Duvar English

Turkish prosecutors have demanded 32 years in prison in total for socialist People's Liberation Party (HKP) leader Nurullah Efe Ankut over “insulting the President.”

Seven lawsuits filed against Ankut over the charge of "insulting the President" were combined, increasing the amount of punishment requested for him to 32 years in total.

The first hearing of the combined cases was held on May 25 at the Istanbul 52nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Nurullah Efe Ankut, his lawyers, HKP lawyers and members attended the hearing, ANKA News Agency reported.

Genel Başkan’ımız Nurullah Efe Ankut, Çağlayan Adliyesi 52’nci Asliye Ceza Mahkemesinde görülecek dava için mahkeme salonuna giriş yapıyor:
Eninde sonunda AKP’giller ve Reisi bu mahkemelerde yargılanacak! pic.twitter.com/Ta43IFJAb2
— HKP (@kurtuluspartisi) May 25, 2023

Giving his testimony, the HKP leader said “Currently, I am here on behalf of the Republic of Turkey to try this criminal organization ‘Tayyipians’. As a court, you are here to judge the one who objects to the illegal palace (the government).”

When the presiding judge replied to Ankut, “Let's not blame each other, this is our country,” he said “My country is falling apart. This is not their (the government) country.”

Saying that the laws of the state were destroyed and a gang state was established, the socialist leader stated “They are enemies of the secular Republic. Everyone is intimidated or deceived. Tayyip does not have a diploma. He thinks his heart is true, tells the lie and believes in it. This is called ‘personality disorder.’ The probability that Tayyip can scare us is the possibility that a field vole can scare a lion.”

The court dismissed the request for acquittal of Ankut and adjourned the hearing to Feb. 20, 2024.

Making a press statement after the hearing, lawyer Pınar Akbina said “The lawsuits and investigations brought against Nurullah Efe are incessant. Because he fearlessly pours out the crimes of AKP members. For this reason, he has been sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison for insulting the President so far.

Nurullah Efe Ankut is known for making furious official propaganda speeches broadcasted on state television TRT prior to the elections.

In his speech before the May 14 elections, Ankut deemed all political parties except the HKP “imperialist” and “American puppet.”

Genel Başkan'ımız Nurullah Efe Ankut'un Türkiye'yi sarsan Birinci TRT Konuşmasının tamamını bir kez daha halkımızla paylaşıyoruz.
Genel Başkan'ımızın İkinci Konuşması yarın saat 14.21'de TRT 1'de yayınlanacaktır. Tüm halkımızı ekran başına davet ediyoruz. #FarklıOlanYalnızBiziz pic.twitter.com/sVHsTedwRh
— HKP (@kurtuluspartisi) May 12, 2023

His party received 0.06% of the votes in the May 14 parliamentary elections.