The leader of Turkey's Felicity Party (Saadet) Temel Karamollaoğlu has said the Turkish authorities refused to renew his passport last year after alleging he was linked with terrorism.
"My passport was cancelled by adding the word 'terror' to the beginning of my name," Karamollaoğlu said.
He was allowed to get his new passport 15 days later, but nevertheless the authorities blacklisting a political party's leader was "scandal," Karamollaoğlu said.
Tens of thousands of Turkish citizens had their passports invalidated via government decrees under the emergency rule declared following a coup attempt in 2016.
The interior ministry in March declared that Turkish passports belonging to 57,191 people which were cancelled over suspected criminal activity have been reinstated.
The perception operations against the Felicity Party gained momentum again in the 23rd June elections. Previously, Felicity Party President Temel Karamollaoğlu's vehicle exemption was abolished and police guards withdrew from protecting him. Finally, while the repercussions of the scandal continue, the Founding Chairman of the Felicity Party and the Chairman of the Economic and Social Research Center (ESAM) Recai Kutan said he was investigating the matter, the Ministry said it was wrong and the situation was corrected later.
Karamollaoğlu said in a television show on Turkish channel Halk TV on Tuesday that he found he had been blacklisted when he went to renew his passport following the June 24 general elections last year.
After Karamollaoglu's statements over the matter, Felicity (Saadet) Party issued a necessary explanation over Temel Karamollaoglu's statement on the grounds of terrorism that was not given a passport.
Saadet Party Headquarters made a statement on the issue. Here is the full text of the description:
"In a TV program, Mr. Temel Karamollaoğlu made a statement about the fact that he was not given a passport on the grounds of "Terrorism" and many press organizations made news about him and various explanations were made from the related institutions. In terms of correction of the mistakes stated in the program and the explanations of the institutions. the following information has been shared.
In a TV program, our President Mr. Temel Karamollaoğlu's assessment of the fact that he was not given a passport on the grounds of the "Terror" allegation was reported in many press organizations and various statements were made from the related institutions. In order to correct the errors expressed in the program partially and in both the news and the explanations of the institutions, it was necessary to share the following information:
1. Following the 24 June 2018 elections, our President personally visited the Ankara Provincial Directorate of Population and applied for a Diplomatic Passport to attend an international meeting to which he was invited.
2. During the application, it was stated by the authorities that the President could not be given a passport on the grounds of “Terror”.
3. In order to find out the cause of this grave situation and to correct it immediately, it has been learned that this situation can only be corrected by the General Directorate of Security and the Ministry of Interior.
4. As a result of the oral meetings and initiatives with the Undersecretariat of the Ministry of Interior, the President of the Ministry of Interior personally called our President to state that ‘Terrorism’ in the security investigation record was removed and his passport would be delivered to him from the Provincial Directorate of Population.
5. Our President received his passport 6 days after the application (12.07.2018).
6. In the said statement, it is not the cancellation of the passport, but the regrettable situation of the Ministry of Interior that “Terror” is placed on the security investigation record of the President of a political party.
It is announced to the public with respect.