Turkey sets an example for democracy but gov't doesn't see it

The "justice march" from Ankara to Istanbul, started on June 15 by the social democratic main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, left its sixth day behind on June 20. There are rising calls on Kılıçdaroğlu to end it from President Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti).

Yesterday, on June 20, Kılıçdaroğlu convened his party's weekly parliamentary group meeting - not in the parliament but near the Kızılcahamam town in the outskirts of Ankara province. He and his followers still have 330 km to walk in order to complete the 450 km distance between Ankara and Istanbul.

His followers are not exclusively CHP members. For example, one founder of the AK Parti, Fatma Bostan Ünsal - who was expelled from the university where she was working after the foiled July 15, 2016 coup attempt - has taken part in the march for one day, carrying a placard with "justice" written on it. TV news footage has also shown some supporters of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), with their party flags hung on their balconies, applauding Kılıçdaroğlu in one town he passed through. No doubt that would draw a strong objection from MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, who supports the government's line against the march.

President Erdoğan has said the march is unconstitutional and Kılıçdaroğlu should accept the court ruling that sentenced CHP deputy Enis Berberoğlu to 25 years in jail. Berberoğlu is now in an Istanbul jail (which is why the march is heading toward Istanbul) on charges of providing video material to daily Cumhuriyet in 2015 about a gendarmerie search of Turkish intelligence trucks allegedly carrying military material for rebels in Syria in 2014.

Erdoğan has...