CHP official files criminal complaint against journalists over 'hired crowd' report

A report by BirGün newspaper has sparked controversy by alleging that hundreds of 'extras' were hired to fill the audience at a CHP membership event attended by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The report claims these individuals were recruited through casting agencies and paid 950 Turkish Lira each.

According to the BirGün report, three different casting agencies gathered hundreds of people in the morning and transported them to the event venue via approximately 20 service vehicles. The report also alleges that participants were rehearsed with slogans such as "Kılıçdaroğlu, the people's hope" and "Justice, law, justice." Some approximately 50 men were reportedly given CHP Youth Branch vests, and applause and slogans were allegedly directed by cast directors during speeches.

Following the publication of the report, Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed as a trustee to the CHP Istanbul Provincial Directorate, filed a criminal complaint with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The complaint targets BirGün reporter Ebru Çelik, Web Publishing Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, Sözcü TV reporter, and company representative Nedim Bayhan.

In the petition, the news was described as "untrue, false, and slanderous." The complaint argues that the CHP does not work with casting agencies for its events and that party officials were not consulted before the news was published, nor were they given the right to reply. The journalists are being sought for investigation under articles related to insult, spreading misleading information, and slander.