Turkish Opposition Leader Özgür Özel Faces Multiple Legal Petitions

Lawyer Mehmet Yıldırım has filed a petition with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor seeking the detention of CHP leader Özgür Özel, accusing him of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and invoking Article 14 of the Turkish Constitution. Yıldırım publicised the request on social media, citing Özel’s statements about alleged “Istanbul BB stock exchange” corruption as evidence of a crime against the state.

Separately, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek sued Özel for defamation over remarks made during a rally, and the Istanbul 20th Civil Court ordered Özel to pay 150,000 TL in moral damages. The ruling was upheld on appeal, and the payment is to be donated to the Turkish Red Crescent.

Both legal actions target the same opposition figure, reflecting heightened judicial pressure on the CHP leadership.