Turkey violated CHP leader's rights by fining him for criticizing Erdoğan, top Europe rights court rules

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu right in his case against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. While Turkish courts ruled that Kılıçdaroğlu "attacked Erdoğan's personal rights" in two separate speeches in 2012, the ECHR ruled that the country violated the main opposition leader's freedom of expression.

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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu right in his case against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Kılıçdaroğlu in 2018 applied to the ECHR on the grounds that his freedom of expression was violated when he was fined for criticizing then-Prime Minister Erdoğan in 2012.

The CHP leader criticized Erdoğan, who is also the leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), on two separate parliamentary group meetings on Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, 2012.

While Turkish courts ruled that Kılıçdaroğlu "attacked Erdoğan's personal rights" in two separate speeches, the ECHR on Oct. 27 ruled that the country violated the main opposition leader's freedom of expression.

Turkey was also fined to pay Kılıçdaroğlu 13,000 euros in compensation, including court expenses.

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