Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's Istanbul rally alleged to use paid actors
On 25 July 2026 the Republican People’s Party (CHP) held a member‑participation and badge‑awarding ceremony at the Rauf Denktaş Cultural Center in Sarıyer, Istanbul. Journalists reported that hundreds of individuals were brought to the event by three cast agencies, paid 950 Turkish lira each, and instructed to chant slogans such as “Halkın umudu Kılıçdaroğlu”. Some of those participants were said to wear CHP Youth Branch vests and to rehearse slogans and flag‑waving under direction of agency staff.
CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Gürsel Tekin publicly denied the allegations, filed a criminal complaint with the Republican Prosecutor’s Office, and called the reports a “FETÖ‑type trap”. CHP spokesperson Müslim Sarı labeled the claims a provocation and said the party will use all legal means to defend itself. The agency named Merss Production issued a statement asserting that no payment was received and that its involvement was purely voluntary, based on personal friendship with a party member.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened a preliminary investigation into the allegations after a complaint was filed.
Entities: BirGün · BirGün newspaper · CHP (Republican People’s Party) · Ebru Çelik · Gürsel Tekin · Istanbul Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı · Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu · Kemal Kılıçdaroğu · Merss Production · Müslim Sarı · Rauf Denktaş Cultural Center · Republican People’s Party (CHP)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 6 SOURCES] Participants were reportedly instructed to chant slogans such as “Halkın umudu Kılıçdaroğlu”. (belongs=true)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Some of the alleged paid participants wore CHP Youth Branch vests during the ceremony. (belongs=true)
- [DISPUTED] BirGün journalist Ebru Çelik reported the story based on participant observation, witnessing the payment and transport process. (BirGün newspaper.)
- [DISPUTED] CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Gürsel Tekin publicly denied the paid‑actor allegations. (belongs=true)
- [● 9 SOURCES] The ceremony took place on 25 July 2026 at the Rauf Denktaş Cultural Center in Sarıyer, Istanbul. (belongs=true)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Gürsel Tekin filed a criminal complaint with the Republican Prosecutor’s Office over the allegations. (belongs=true)
- [DISPUTED] CHP spokesperson Müslim Sarı said the accusations are a provocation and that the party will use all legal means to defend itself. (belongs=true)
- [DISPUTED] Hundreds of people were brought to the ceremony via cast agencies and paid 950 Turkish lira each. (belongs=true)
- [DISPUTED] Merss Production agency issued a statement claiming no payment was received and that its involvement was voluntary. (belongs=true)