Erdoğan sues CHP chair Kılıçdaroğlu for 2 million liras over comments on family wealth

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 17 sued main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, demanding 2 million Turkish Liras ($271,000) in compensation after Kılıçdaroğlu said that Erdoğan family has “billions of dollars abroad.”

Main opposition CHP chair ordered to pay 556,000 liras to Erdoğan family over offshore money remarks

Erdoğan's lawyer Ahmet Özel said in a written statement that the lawsuit concerns Kılıçdaroğlu's remarks published in Cumhuriyet newspaper on the same day. “We are sure that he [Kılıçdaroğlu] will not again be able to prove such groundless claims, as he could not also in the past. He will continue to pursue the tactic of 'throw dirt enough, and some will stick,'” Özel said.

Kılıçdaroğlu said in his interview with Cumhuriyet's İpek Özbey that “Erdoğan's wealth is accumulating.” “Some 83 million people [of Turkey] are working for a handful of people…If Erdoğan family loves their country, they should bring their wealth to Turkey. They have billions of dollars [abroad],” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

When asked on what he based this claim, Kılıçdaroğlu reiterated his previous remark that Erdoğan cannot stand up against the U.S. since he faces the threat of his financial assets being investigated in the country.

“This is why I am sure [of my statement]: When Trump told Erdoğan, 'We will analyse your wealth wealth, pull yourself together,' he did not utter a word. We also know that Erdoğan family betrayed Turkey in terms of tax. This was the issue about Isle of Man,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

In November 2017, Kılıçdaroğlu said in various speeches that Erdoğan family transferred at least $15 million to the Bellway Limited in 2011 and 2012 and he publicly listed 10 payments as a proof.

Erdoğan in turn rejected the claims as “lies” and said Kılıçdaroğlu “will pay the price for this attack.” Erdoğan also said that “not a single penny has gone abroad,” calling on Kılıçdaroğlu to hand over all documents to the prosecutors.

Kılıçdaroğlu has been so far ordered to pay 556,000 liras to Erdoğan over these Isle of Man comments.