On Jan. 20, Turkish police detained Ümit Özdağ, leader of the opposition Victory (Zafer) Party, in Ankara on charges of “insulting” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Özdağ was taken to Istanbul for testimony following controversial remarks he made criticizing Erdoğan and the ruling AKP government.
The Investigation and Özdağ’s Remarks
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation after Özdağ compared the impact of Erdoğan’s policies to that of historical Crusades during a party meeting in Antalya on Jan. 19.
“No Crusade in the last millennium has done the damage to the Turkish nation and state that Erdoğan and the AKP have done,” Özdağ declared.
He accused Erdoğan of fostering deism and atheism among Turks, claiming that faith has been undermined by exploitation in the name of religion. He also criticized the government’s integration policies, alleging that the influx of migrants has eroded Turkish culture.
Özdağ and his Victory Party are known for their strict anti-immigration stance and vocal criticism of Erdoğan’s administration.
Party’s Response and Public Outcry
Following Özdağ’s detention, the Victory Party called on supporters to gather in front of Istanbul’s Vatan police headquarters in protest. The party vowed to resist what it described as “AKP fascism,” with Özdağ stating:
“We will fight and we will win. Victory will belong to the Turkish state and the Turkish nation.”
Broader Crackdown on Opposition
Jan. 20 also saw increased action against opposition figures:
- Cem Aydın, head of the CHP youth branch, was escorted by eight police officers to testify for allegedly calling Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek a “mobile guillotine.”
- Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is now under investigation for reportedly “threatening” Gürlek and his family in remarks condemning Aydın’s detention.
Background on the Victory Party
Founded in 2021 by Özdağ after his departure from the İYİ (Good) Party, the Victory Party is a nationalist group with a focus on anti-immigration policies. Despite securing 2.23% of votes in the 2023 general elections, the party failed to pass the 7.5% electoral threshold to gain seats in Parliament.
Implications
These detentions and investigations signal a tightening of government control over political dissent in Turkey. Critics argue that such actions reflect an erosion of democratic freedoms, further polarizing an already divided political landscape. The coming weeks will likely see heightened tensions between the ruling AKP and opposition forces.
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