Istanbul lawmaker accused of insulting Turkey

Turkish prosecutors on Friday launched an investigation into a lawmaker from the opposition Saadet (Felicity) Party accused of insulting the Turkish nation and praising crimes and criminals.

The investigation was launched into Istanbul lawmaker Nazır Cihangir Islam, who is accused of making posts on Twitter insulting the Turkish nation, the Republic of Turkey, and institutions and organs of the state while praising crimes and criminals, said a statement by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in the capital Ankara.

Islam's Twitter posts concerned the July 2016 defeated coup by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), claiming it was a "clash between two superstitious" parties.

On Friday, other lawmakers lambasted Islam's remarks, including Yavuz Ağıralioğlu, the group deputy chairman of the opposition Good (IYI) Party, who called them "unfortunate".

"Nobody can downplay the will against the coup attempt on July 15," Ağıralioğlu told Anadolu Agency, adding that doing so is an "insult to the nation."

Separately, Erkan Akçay, the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy group chairman, also criticized Islam, telling Anadolu Agency: "Equating the traitorous coup attempt by FETO and the stance against it amounts to serving FETO."

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.