Turkish far-right politician accused of inciting hatred goes on trial

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - A Turkish far-right politician accused of inciting public hatred and hostility went on trial Wednesday in a case critics view as an effort to suppress opposition to the president.

Umit Ozdag, the leader of Turkey’s Victory Party, was detained in January over accusations he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with comments he made during a party meeting in Antalya.

A day later Ozdag was formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for last year’s anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central Turkish province of Kayseri last year, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked.

Prosecutors have presented a series of posts from Ozdag’s social media as evidence against him. He faces up to four years in prison if found guilty.

Ozdag, a 64-year-old former academic, is an outspoken critic of Turkey's refugee policies and has previously called for the repatriation of millions of Syrian refugees.

Ozdag acknowledged advocating the return of refugees at the opening hearing of his trial at a prison complex on the outskirts of Istanbul. He denied he had incited for violence against them and told the court he had worked to calm tensions in Kayseri.

In his defense statement, Ozdag maintained that his imprisonment was politically motivated and aimed at silencing him over his criticism of the government’s recent effort to end a decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

"The reason why I am here … is because I criticized the talks held with the PKK terrorist organization's chief," Ozdag said.

The Victory Party strongly opposes any concessions to the PKK which Turkey, along with many Western states including the United States, Britain and the European Union, considers a terrorist organization. The conflict with the PKK has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths since the 1980s.

When the trial opened Wednesday, Ozdag’s lawyers requested more time to prepare, and the proceedings were adjourned until Tuesday.

The politician’s trial comes amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.

Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition - the Republican People's Party, or CHP - have faced waves of arrests this year. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was detained in March over allegations of corruption.

Many people in Turkey consider the cases to be politically driven, according to opinion polls. However, Erdogan's government insists the courts are impartial and free from political involvement.

Imamoglu is widely viewed as the main challenger to Erdogan's two-decade rule and is the CHP's candidate for the next presidential election. The election is due in 2028 but could be held earlier.