AK Parti Sözcüsü Ömer Çelik accused main-opposition leader Özgür Özel of "displaying great ignorance of democratic politics" after the CHP chairman referred to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a “junta leader” during a rally in Istanbul late Tuesday. Çelik said describing a head of state elected repeatedly by popular vote as heading a junta showed that Özel “stands against democratic politics.” Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç separately called the language a serious insult to the presidency and the nation’s democratic will. Tunç added that Istanbul prosecutors have opened an investigation on charges of insulting the president and violating public-assembly laws; police have detained 42 people in connection with the rally. The exchange deepens tensions between the ruling AK Parti and the Republican People’s Party, which has intensified its criticism of the government over corruption and terrorism probes targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality officials.