Gürsel Tekin: CHP 'Extras' Claim a Setup, Criminal Complaint Filed

Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed to the CHP Istanbul Provincial Directorate by the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance, denied claims that paid extras were brought from casting agencies to the party's member participation ceremony held yesterday. Tekin stated that these claims were a setup against them and said they had filed a criminal complaint against those responsible.

Tekin held a press conference at his party's Istanbul Provincial Headquarters regarding the badge-pinning ceremony held yesterday in Sarıyer, which was attended by CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

Tekin denied the claims, debated in public, that people were brought to the ceremony by shuttle buses from a casting agency. Tekin noted that they held a comprehensive meeting in Sarıyer yesterday, stating that hundreds of people from different political parties joined the party and they had no means to check anyone's record.

Tekin explained that many people came to the meeting by their own means, while some young people requested transportation support. Tekin stated, "Beyond that, we have no means to spend any money, and even if we did, we wouldn't. Because party membership is entirely based on volunteering. First, our Sarıyer Mayor and his administrators, who allocated the hall to us, were lynched. Any Turkish citizen can pay for and rent those halls. You rent the hall of your own party's mayor, and the mayor was lynched for giving you the hall."

Tekin reacted to news reports in some media outlets claiming that people were brought to the meeting by vehicles from a casting agency. Tekin said, "Honestly, they've done something the devil wouldn't even think of," arguing that they were set up and slandered.

Tekin stated that they called those who requested transportation and the youth branch president, but no one knew these individuals, and he added:

"Naturally, there's only one thing to do, two parties might know. First, the media that set this dirty trap might know, and second, our state prosecutors can find out through an investigation. We immediately filed a criminal complaint with the public prosecutor's office last night, without waiting for today. I state clearly and unequivocally here, as Gürsel Tekin and my colleagues, we have not been involved in any dirty dealings. We have not set a trap for anyone, neither internally nor externally. Whoever set this trap, even if it's my own brother, esteemed prosecutors, you will go to the very bottom of it. We must find those responsible for this FETÖ-like setup. We will find them, no one should worry."

Tekin noted that 700-800 people could not enter due to the limited capacity of the hall where the member participation ceremony was held, and stated that they would host participants in larger halls in the coming days.