Turkey’s banking regulator has filed a criminal complaint against more than 20 people, including former central bank governors, journalists and an economist, over alleged attempts to manipulate the country’s exchange rate in a move that could chill criticism of the government’s unorthodox economic policies.
The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency said on Twitter on Monday it was seeking legal action against 26 people and Twitter accounts over “their posts on social media and [through] media outlets”, amid a currency crisis that has slashed 35 per cent from the value of the lira this year.
Among those accused are Durmus Yilmaz, who led the central bank between 2006 and 2011 and is now an opposition lawmaker. Rusdu Saracoglu, another former central bank governor, is also on the list posted by the banking watchdog.