A 63-year old woman in İstanbul was detained after she criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in a public market in Çatalca, according to a former opposition deputy.
The woman, Dürdane Ö., was reported to the police by another woman with whom she quarreled after Dürdane Ö. accused the AKP government of wasting public resources, former Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy and journalist Barış Yarkadaş announced on Twitter on Thursday night.
The woman spent the night at a police station and was subsequently sent to the prosecutor’s office for questioning, he said.
Dürdane Ö. reportedly told the woman who reported her that they somehow still continue to vote for the AKP despite the fact many people in the country are struggling with financial hardship.
In November Turkey was shaken by several instances of family suicides that were caused by financial problems.
Thousands of people in Turkey are under investigation, and most of them face imprisonment, over alleged insults of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government. The insult cases generally stem from social media posts shared by Erdoğan opponents. The Turkish police and judiciary perceive even the most minor criticism of Erdoğan or his government as an insult.
