Bülent Arınç criticizes Süleymancılar investigation and sparks AK Party dispute

Former Turkish Parliament Speaker Bülent Arınç has criticized the ongoing investigation into the Süleymancılar group, specifically regarding the treatment of Alihan Kuriş and his family. While Arınç expressed trust in the Justice and Interior Ministers' assertions that the probe targets specific individuals rather than the religious community itself, he argued that the execution of the investigation violates the Criminal Procedure Code.

Arınç claimed that the presumption of innocence has been undermined because details of the investigation were leaked to the press and social media before an indictment was accepted by a court. He warned that individuals are being “executed” on social media without a final judicial verdict. He also suggested that the dispute might stem from property disagreements among relatives.

These comments have sparked significant tension within the AK Party. Fatih Süleyman Denizolgun, a former AK Party MP and relative of the group's former leader, issued a sharp rebuttal. Denizolgun accused Arınç of spreading disinformation and attempting to curry favor with the Kuriş family, stating that Arınç has failed to stand on the “correct side” of history.