Leader of Turkey's Opposition Party Accuses Erdogan of Interfering in Judicial Affairs

The leader of Turkey's main opposition party on Tuesday accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan of interfering in judicial matters and labeled him a "dictator." His long march protesting the detention of one of the party's parliamentary representatives entered its sixth day. According to Reuters, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, 68, and leader of the secular Republican People's Party (CHP), began a 425-kilometer march from Ankara to Istanbul last week following the sentencing of Eriş Berberoğlu, a member of his party, to 25 years in prison for espionage. Eriş Berberoğlu is the first parliamentary representative of the CHP to be tried and imprisoned in the wave of mass arrests following the failed coup in July 2016. In this extensive crackdown, over 50,000 people have been imprisoned, and more than 150,000 have been dismissed or suspended from their jobs. In his speech during a stop at a national park 100 kilometers west of Ankara, Kilicdaroglu stated, "I will always stand for justice. If someone tells me that your rights are a privilege, I will speak of their dictatorship. I say you, Erdogan, are a dictator." His remarks were a reaction to Erdogan's comments a few days earlier, where he stated that justice must also be served in parliament and that the government only allows the CHP to hold this march as a privilege. Erdogan likened those supporting the march in Ankara and Istanbul to the coup plotters from the previous year, adding, "If your judiciary summons you, do not be surprised." In response to Erdogan's statements, Kilicdaroglu accused him of interfering in judicial affairs and asked, "If I prove that your government instructs the courts, will you resign from your position like an honorable man?" Reuters adds that human rights groups and government critics, including members of the CHP, claim that since the coup, the government has moved towards autocracy. However, the government argues that these widespread arrests are necessary due to extensive security threats it faces. A 59-year-old woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "I have participated from the starting point of the march. We want justice for our children. That is the only reason for our march." According to Reuters, Kilicdaroglu, with his small stature, has covered over 100 kilometers of the march so far. He and his companions are moving along the side of a highway from Ankara westward, occasionally carrying a small placard that reads 'justice.' Officials from the CHP state that he only eats soup in the mornings and shares the same food provided to the other marchers, who number around a thousand. During the day, he alternates between two pairs of walking shoes and massages his feet at night to reduce swelling. He sleeps at night in a caravan provided for him. Kilicdaroglu, who plans to continue the march to the prison where his party member is incarcerated, condemned the arrests and purges following the coup on Tuesday, stating that academics have been detained and dismissed without reason, and questioning why journalists have been imprisoned. According to the Turkish Journalists' Union, about 160 journalists are imprisoned in the country, and since the failed coup in the summer of 2016, the government has shut down over 130 media and news institutions. A crowd of about 1,000 people gathered to hear Kilicdaroglu's speech, chanting "Arm in arm against fascism" and "Justice, justice." This march is expected to last about 25 days, with participants covering between 16 to 20 kilometers daily.