Turkish president files suit against opposition leader

By Hanife Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his relatives have issued a suit for 1.5 million Turkish liras ($382,000) in damages against the main opposition leader.

The claim is related to allegations made by Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), that members of Erdogan’s family were involved in off-shore transactions worth $15 million.

On Tuesday, Kilicdaroglu, in a speech to party lawmakers, presented documents he alleged were evidence of his claims.

In documents presented to a civil court in Istanbul, the lawyer representing the president’s family alleged Kilicdaroglu had targeted them with insulting, derogatory and unrealistic allegations and had exposed to them to public animosity.