CHP appoints new provincial chairs amid figüran scandal

CHP provincial appointments figüran scandal Gürsel Tekin journalist summons İstanbul investigation

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) Central Executive Board, chaired by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, announced new provincial chairpersons for twelve provinces, including Mustafa Gültekin in Trabzon, Olcay Can in Zonguldak and others.

An Istanbul court opened a criminal investigation after allegations that the party’s 25 July membership event in Sarıyer’s Rauf Denktaş Cultural Centre used paid “figurants.” The prosecutor’s office said the figurants received about 950 TRY each. CHP Istanbul chair Gürsel Tekin filed a complaint that triggered the probe. Journalists Timur Soykan, Fatih Altaylı, Uğur Dündar and four others have been summoned as suspects or witnesses. Agency owner Ömer İne, who supplied the participants, denied receiving money from the CHP.

Rumours that Tekin had been removed and replaced by Mehmet Ali Yüksel were addressed by party spokesperson Müslim Sarı, who said no decision had been taken.

Entities: Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP) · Fatih Altaylı · Gürsel Tekin · Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office · Mehmet Ali Yüksel · Merss Production · Mustafa Gültekin · Rauf Denktaş Cultural Centre · Republican People's Party (CHP) · Republican People’s Party (CHP) · Timur Soykan · Uğur Dündar

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 10 SOURCES] The alleged payment to figurants was roughly 950 TRY per person. (payment amount)
[● 10 SOURCES] The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal investigation into allegations that the CHP used paid figurants at its 25 July event in Sarıyer. (investigation opened)
[● 9 SOURCES] Merss Production owner Ömer İne said he supported the event but received no money from the CHP. (owner statement)
[● 10 SOURCES] Journalists Timur Soykan and Fatih Altaylı were summoned as suspects in the investigation. (journalist summons)
[● 10 SOURCES] The event took place on 25 July at the Rauf Denktaş Cultural Centre in Sarıyer, Istanbul. (event details)
[● 11 SOURCES] CHP Istanbul chair Gürsel Tekin filed a criminal complaint that triggered the investigation. (complaint filed)
[● 10 SOURCES] Journalist Uğur Dündar was also summoned to appear before the prosecutor. (journalist summons)
[● 10 SOURCES] Journalists Ebru Çelik, Uğur Koç, Berkant Gültekin and Nedim Bayhan gave statements to the prosecutor. (additional statements)