ISTANBUL, Feb 11 (Reuters) – President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday named as Turkey’s new justice minister Akin Gurlek, the Istanbul chief prosecutor behind the sweeping crackdown on the main opposition party, drawing fierce criticism from critics.
Since his appointment as chief prosecutor in 2024, Gurlek has overseen a series of arrests and indictments targeting the Republican People’s Party (CHP), including investigations into the jailed Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.
Hundreds of party members and elected officials have been detained in the sweeping crackdown that has been widely criticized as politicized, a claim rejected by the government.
CHP deputy chairperson Gul Ciftci said in a statement on X that Gurlek’s appointment was “an open reward for the operations he has carried out against our party.”
Erdogan’s appointment of Gurlek as justice minister, replacing Yilmaz Tunc, is the first cabinet shuffle since the last election in mid-2023. It was announced in the country’s Official Gazette.
The announcement also said Erdogan had appointed Erzurum provincial governor Mustafa Ciftci as interior minister, replacing Ali Yerlikaya.
A reason for the shuffle was not given.
(Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Jonathan Spicer )
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