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Spokesperson of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Selin Sayek Böke has lambasted a report published by the pro-government Bugün daily earlier this week that speculated about her religion, saying what the daily has done is a hate crime.
Bugün ran a story on its front page in its Tuesday edition with the headline "CHP Spokesperson Böke was baptized."
The daily stated that one of their reporters phoned the İzmir deputy and asked, “Are you Christian?” to which Sayek-Böke told the reporter to refer to her party's headquarters. The pro-government daily claimed that her religion has caused “serious disturbances” within the party due to her high rank.
The article also highlighted that CHP deputy Selina Doğan from İstanbul is Armenian Orthodox.
Releasing a statement on Wednesday, Böke said what Bugün daily did is "a grave crime of discrimination," adding that she has never concealed anything about her religious roots or had any fears concerning them.
"Those who committed this hate crime thinking that I will be ashamed of [my roots] are actually the ones who should be ashamed. My family has been living in this land and serving this country for centuries. And I am proud of it. One side of my family is Muslim while the other side is Christian. This is a richness of Anatolia. I am the child of this country as much as anyone else. Defying those who committed this hate crime, I will continue to be so," said Böke in her statement.
The CHP spokesperson also said she will continue to fight for the building of a Turkey in which nobody is subject to any discrimination, adding that this country will never be handed over to a dark mentality.
The Bugün daily owned by businessman Akın İpek was among those critical of the government prior to the appointment of trustees to the İpek Media Group in a politically motivated move last year. The trustees fired journalists working for the paper and turned the paper into a government mouthpiece.
[Cihan/Today's Zaman]
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