02.10.2025 13:33
The lawsuit for moral damages filed by Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu against CHP Chairman Özgür Özel has been dismissed.
In the High Military Council (YAŞ) meeting, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, who was appointed as the Chief of General Staff, filed a lawsuit for moral damages against CHP Chairman Özel in March.
Özel stated, "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal," regarding the approval of the expulsion decision of 5 lieutenants who took an oath, and the appointment of the Discipline Board President, Lieutenant General Tevfik Algan, who put a note of dissent on this decision, saying, "I know what you are doing, Commander of the Land Forces Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu and Commander of the Naval Forces Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, and I am telling you what I told Hulusi Akar. You are a person who has received not the good prayers of your friends, but their curses."
In response, Bayraktaroğlu filed a lawsuit for moral damages against Özel. The first hearing of the case, which is being heard at the Ankara 1st Civil Court of First Instance, was attended by the lawyers of both parties.
Bayraktaroğlu's lawyer stated during the hearing, "Due to the fact that the plaintiff is a member of the military, he cannot exercise his right to respond within the framework of the laws, and can only seek his rights through legal action in the courts. We request that our case be accepted."
"THE STATEMENTS ARE ONLY POLITICAL CRITICISM"
Özel's lawyer stated, "The defendant is the leader of the main opposition party and a politician. The plaintiff is a public official who uses public power. It is established by national and international case law that public officials have a higher obligation to tolerate criticisms from politicians compared to ordinary citizens. The statements made by my client are merely political criticisms. Therefore, we request that the case be dismissed."
The judge, stating that there were no other issues to be investigated in the file, decided to dismiss the case as it was deemed appropriate.