The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has come up with yet another scandalous act, ridiculing and defaming President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and various ministers at a cartoon exhibition organized at its headquarters.

The exhibition, which contains dozens of cartoons humiliating the country's leading political and civil society figures, is expected to be the subject of criminal complaints. It opened on Friday when the entire country celebrated the 87th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey and is still open at CHP's head office in Ankara. The cartoons that drew the biggest reaction from jurists were the ones that do so to Gül, because according to Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), it is a crime to insult the president and those who are found guilty can be imprisoned for up to four years. Among the others exhibited are ones that accuse Erdoğan as well as deputy prime ministers Bülent Arınç and Cemil Çiçek, Minister of Transportation Binali Yıldırım, Minister of State Faruk Özak, former Interior Minister Abdülkadir Aksu, former Minister of Finance Kemal Unakıtan and former National Education Minister Hüseyin Çelik of charges such as nepotism and corruption in which the wording is tantamount to accusing them of treason.One of the pieces exhibited at the CHP's event is a poster for the apocryphal film “Great Profiteering,” starring Gül, Erdoğan, Unakıtan and Yıldırım. Another movie poster was designed to present Gül, Erdoğan and the Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen as brothers who are plotting against the Turkish state. Others insult Erdoğan and ministers one that depicts Erdoğan as Adolf Hitler in a poster that says, “One day, you will be angry at me because I did not sell more Turkish soil,” with the signature “Recep Tayyip Hitler” under it. CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu visited the exhibition on Saturday, too. To the question “Whose crying is fake among the ones below?” asked on a cartoon where the options are “A) Fethullah, B) Arınç-Aksu, C) Mrs. Erdoğan, D) Mr. Recep, or E) All of the above,” he personally marked the “All of the above” choice.The organizer of the exhibition is Umut Tunç, head of CHP youth branches, who was promoted to his current position by party Secretary-General Önder Sav for his support of Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy in May. Tunç initially was enthusiastically calling on former leader Deniz Baykal, who resigned over a sex tape scandal, to return to his post but later changed his mind and declared his support for Kılıçdaroğlu. Jurists say there are a number of acts violating individuals' rights and freedoms contained in the cartoons. “There are insults against various individuals. Criminal investigations and personal compensation cases can be launched for them,” said retired Chief Prosecutor Reşat Petek. This view is also shared by Justice and Law Association President Ayhan Gültekin who said: “This situation is covered by law. I think individuals who have been targeted will seek their legal rights in the relevant bodies.”Boğaziçi Lawyers' Association President Bilal Çalışır drew attention to TCK provisions including Article 299 and 125 that amongst other things cover acts of defamation against the president. He particularly criticizes Kılıçdaroğlu for being involved in this insulting exhibition. “He should not forget that he has responsibilities vis-à-vis the people as a party leader,” he said. 01 November 2010, MondayTODAY'S ZAMAN  İSTANBUL