Criminal Complaint Filed Against Erdogan for His Racist Attitudes

ANKARA (Today’s Zaman) — Reactions to Erdogan’s words describing being Armenian as “uglier” than being Georgian has found rapid and angry backlash.

CHP deputy Hursit Günes filed a criminal complaint against Erdogan on Wednesday. Günes announced his plan to take legal action on his Twitter account, saying Erdogan had violated Article 10 of the Constitution and Articles 122 and 216 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) against discrimination.

In remarks to show his reaction, Günes said: “Look at this disgrace. Erdogan said being Armenian is ugly on NTV. What a shame! Calling a person Armenian, even if it is untrue, is not “ugly”. Seeing this as such is a low form of racism! Erdogan doesn’t hear what he says. If he becomes president, Turkey will not have only chosen a tyrant, but at the same time a racist.” He also appealed to Turkey’s citizens of Armenian descent not to be offended. “His mind isn’t in the right place,” he said, adding: “The world should know this is a racist person. He has defined the claim that he is Armenian as ‘ugly’ slander. His name is Tayyip Erdogan.”

He also said Erdogan’s mentality was what caused the death of journalist Hrant Dink, who was assassinated by an ultra-nationalist teenager in 2007.

Shortly after announcing his intention on Twitter to file a criminal complaint, Hursit Günes went to the Ankara Courthouse and did so.