When Sedat Peker, a convicted Turkish mob boss, began posting videos on social media earlier this month in which he made uncorroborated claims of corruption, murder and drug running against top politicians, millions of Turks tuned in to watch.

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Son zamanların en iyi videosu bu bence :) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SedatPeker?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SedatPeker</a> <a href="https://t.co/UbeT2TEjsw">pic.twitter.com/UbeT2TEjsw</a>
— Arif Kocabıyık (@Arif_Ilave) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arif_Ilave/status/1396928002571767814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The seven videos Peker has posted so far have been viewed more than 56 million times on YouTube.

Some Turks see them as an embarrassment for President Tayyip Erdogan's government, which has ruled Turkey for nearly two decades and vaunted its success in breaking ties between the state and mafia.

Opposition parties have called for the resignation of Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, the main target of Peker's rambling monologues, in which he speaks from behind a desk in a mixture of street jargon and political rhetoric.

"You cannot handle this by going on screens and blathering," said IYI Party leader Meral Aksener.

Soylu has rejected accusations against him, which include extending Peker's police protection after he left jail and warning him of a crackdown on his organisation, calling them "disgusting lies" and a plot against the country.

Soylu filed a criminal complaint against Peker and said he was being targeted because of his fight against organised crime.

Asked in a televised interview why millions had watched the videos, Soylu snapped back that millions also watched child pornography.

Erdogan weighed into the issue on Wednesday and implied support for Soylu, telling parliament the government was chasing criminal gang members "no matter where in the world they run to."

Peker, 49, rose to prominence in the 1990s as a mob figure and was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2007 for crimes including forming and leading a criminal gang. He has served several sentences in Turkey and has said he is now in Dubai.

The Anadolu state news agency said&nbsp;Peker&nbsp;was now also suspected of involvement in a terror group led by a US-based Muslim preacher that Turkey blames for a failed coup against Erdogan in 2016.

The accusations thrown by&nbsp;Peker&nbsp;at Erdogan's allies,&nbsp;including a former prime minister, top officials and their relatives,&nbsp;range from corruption and drug trafficking to rape and assassinations.

The videos have focused heavily on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, whom&nbsp;Peker&nbsp;alleges had offered him protection and then tipped him off about new impending charges, allowing him to flee abroad.

None of the allegations has been proven and those involved have protested their innocence.

But the political scandal sparked by the videos comes at an inopportune time for Erdogan, who is losing ground in opinion polls because of a depreciating currency and runaway inflation.

Addressing the allegations directly for the first time on Wednesday, Erdogan vowed to stand "side by side" with Soylu, a nationalist who is seen as one of Turkey's most popular and powerful officials.

"We have crushed criminal organisations one by one for 19 years," Erdogan said Wednesday.

"We follow criminal gang members wherever they may flee to in the world."

(With inputs from agencies)

When Sedat Peker, a convicted Turkish mob boss, began posting videos on social media earlier this month in which he made uncorroborated claims of corruption, murder and drug running against top politicians, millions of Turks tuned in to watch.

When Sedat Peker, a convicted Turkish mob boss, began posting videos on social media earlier this month in which he made uncorroborated claims of corruption, murder and drug running against top politicians, millions of Turks tuned in to watch. Son zamanların en iyi videosu bu bence :) #SedatPeker pic.twitter.com/UbeT2TEjsw — Arif Kocabıyık (@Arif_Ilave) May 24, 2021 × The seven videos Peker has posted so far have been viewed more than 56 million times on YouTube. Some Turks see them as an embarrassment for President Tayyip Erdogan's government, which has ruled Turkey for nearly two decades and vaunted its success in breaking ties between the state and mafia. Opposition parties have called for the resignation of Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, the main target of Peker's rambling monologues, in which he speaks from behind a desk in a mixture of street jargon and political rhetoric. "You cannot handle this by going on screens and blathering," said IYI Party leader Meral Aksener. Soylu has rejected accusations against him, which include extending Peker's police protection after he left jail and warning him of a crackdown on his organisation, calling them "disgusting lies" and a plot against the country. Soylu filed a criminal complaint against Peker and said he was being targeted because of his fight against organised crime. Asked in a televised interview why millions had watched the videos, Soylu snapped back that millions also watched child pornography. Erdogan weighed into the issue on Wednesday and implied support for Soylu, telling parliament the government was chasing criminal gang members "no matter where in the world they run to." Peker, 49, rose to prominence in the 1990s as a mob figure and was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2007 for crimes including forming and leading a criminal gang. He has served several sentences in Turkey and has said he is now in Dubai. The Anadolu state news agency said Peker was now also suspected of involvement in a terror group led by a US-based Muslim preacher that Turkey blames for a failed coup against Erdogan in 2016. The accusations thrown by Peker at Erdogan's allies, including a former prime minister, top officials and their relatives, range from corruption and drug trafficking to rape and assassinations. The videos have focused heavily on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, whom Peker alleges had offered him protection and then tipped him off about new impending charges, allowing him to flee abroad. None of the allegations has been proven and those involved have protested their innocence. But the political scandal sparked by the videos comes at an inopportune time for Erdogan, who is losing ground in opinion polls because of a depreciating currency and runaway inflation. Addressing the allegations directly for the first time on Wednesday, Erdogan vowed to stand "side by side" with Soylu, a nationalist who is seen as one of Turkey's most popular and powerful officials. "We have crushed criminal organisations one by one for 19 years," Erdogan said Wednesday. "We follow criminal gang members wherever they may flee to in the world." (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Video of Turkish mobster targeting top politicians goes viral

Media rights groups on Sunday urged&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;authorities to investigate explosive allegations by a mafia boss about the high-profile&nbsp;killings&nbsp;of two&nbsp;journalists&nbsp;in the 1990s. &nbsp;

Sedat Peker, an underworld mobster exiled abroad, has accused members of the government and the ruling AKP party of corruption and various crimes in a series of YouTube posts over the past three weeks.

In the latest, released on Sunday, he alleges former interior minister Mehmet Agar was the head of the "deep state" in Turkey, and alleges Agar was involved in the 1993 murder of prominent investigative journalist Ugur Mumcu.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/record-number-of-journalists-jailed-in-2020-china-leads-list-of-offenders-report-349920">Record number of journalists jailed in 2020, China leads list of offenders: Report</a>

Mumcu, who wrote for the Cumhuriyet daily, was killed in the capital Ankara after somebody rigged his car to explode when he switched on the ignition.&nbsp;The perpetrators were never identified.

In his video recording, Peker described Mumcu as a "martyr" and an "honourable man".

The mafia boss also claimed the murder of&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adali had been ordered by a former lieutenant colonel and a senior official of the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT), Korkut Eken.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/forgive-those-who-killed-our-father-sons-of-killed-saudi-journalist-jamal-khashoggi-300279">'Forgive those who killed our father': Sons of killed Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi</a>

Adali, who worked for the left-wing Yeni Duzen newspaper in Nicosia, was shot dead in front of his home in 1996. His killers have never been identified.

Calls to investigate

Erol Onderoglu, Turkey representative for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said Peker's allegations needed to be investigated.&nbsp;

The truth about the&nbsp;killings&nbsp;of&nbsp;journalists&nbsp;in the 1990s had been "swept under the rug", he tweeted.

"Peker's legitimacy or position does not justify silence. #Impunity," he added.

The&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;Journalists' Union called for answers Sunday.

"We want an investigation&nbsp;into&nbsp;the #UgurMumcu and #KutluAdali murders," the union tweeted.

"We demand that the suspects be put on trial. We&nbsp;call&nbsp;on prosecutors to do their duty."

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🧱 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/U%C4%9FurMumcu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UğurMumcu</a> ve <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KutluAdal%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KutluAdalı</a> cinayetlerine dair iddiaların soruşturulmasını istiyoruz. Şüphelilerin yargılanmasını talep ediyoruz. Savcıları göreve çağırıyoruz. Tuğla çekilsin, duvar yıkılsın! <a href="https://t.co/viPBLSpqyv">pic.twitter.com/viPBLSpqyv</a>
— Gazeteciler Sendikası (@TGS_org_tr) <a href="https://twitter.com/TGS_org_tr/status/1396401949289877508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Peker, 50, who has been jailed several times for a range of offences, from fraud to running a criminal group, fled Turkey in 2020 to avoid prosecution and is thought to be currently living in the United Arab Emirates.

Since then, he has released a spate of videos in which he claims to expose state-media-mafia links after police operations against him and his associates across the country in April.

In one, he accuses Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu of having offered him protection and of having tipped him off about an impending investigation against him last year, which allowed him to flee before being arrested.

Soylu is one of the most powerful figures in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government. Despite pressure from the opposition to resign, he has dismissed Peker's allegations.

A journalist for Turkey's state news agency Anadolu was fired Friday after raising Peker's claims against the interior minister at a government press conference with other ministers.

Fahrettin Altun, the&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;presidency's director of communications, wrote on Twitter: "Those who seek to harm the respectability of our state will pay the price."

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Yalan, iftira ve yapay krizlerle gündemi kuşatma altına almaya çalışanlar şimdi de 6 ay sonrası için boş vaatler vermeye başladı. 
 
Seçimlerin tarihi bellidir. 
 
6 ay sonra ne olacak ki böylesine cüretkâr sözler söyleyebiliyorsunuz? 
 
Hayırdır! 
 
Yine kimlerin dolduruşuna geldiniz?
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) <a href="https://twitter.com/fahrettinaltun/status/1396196179264823305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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There was no immediate reaction to the latest claims.&nbsp;

Some commentators refer to what they&nbsp;call&nbsp;the workings of the "deep state" — derin devlet in&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;— to talk about a shadowy structure alleged to exist with links between politicians, secret services, mafia and extremist groups.

Media rights groups on Sunday urged Turkish authorities to investigate explosive allegations by a mafia boss about the high-profile killings of two journalists in the 1990s.

Media rights groups on Sunday urged Turkish authorities to investigate explosive allegations by a mafia boss about the high-profile killings of two journalists in the 1990s. Sedat Peker, an underworld mobster exiled abroad, has accused members of the government and the ruling AKP party of corruption and various crimes in a series of YouTube posts over the past three weeks. In the latest, released on Sunday, he alleges former interior minister Mehmet Agar was the head of the "deep state" in Turkey, and alleges Agar was involved in the 1993 murder of prominent investigative journalist Ugur Mumcu. Also Read | Record number of journalists jailed in 2020, China leads list of offenders: Report Mumcu, who wrote for the Cumhuriyet daily, was killed in the capital Ankara after somebody rigged his car to explode when he switched on the ignition. The perpetrators were never identified. In his video recording, Peker described Mumcu as a "martyr" and an "honourable man". The mafia boss also claimed the murder of Turkish Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adali had been ordered by a former lieutenant colonel and a senior official of the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT), Korkut Eken. Also Read | 'Forgive those who killed our father': Sons of killed Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi Adali, who worked for the left-wing Yeni Duzen newspaper in Nicosia, was shot dead in front of his home in 1996. His killers have never been identified. Calls to investigate Erol Onderoglu, Turkey representative for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said Peker's allegations needed to be investigated. The truth about the killings of journalists in the 1990s had been "swept under the rug", he tweeted. "Peker's legitimacy or position does not justify silence. #Impunity," he added. The Turkish Journalists' Union called for answers Sunday. "We want an investigation into the #UgurMumcu and #KutluAdali murders," the union tweeted. "We demand that the suspects be put on trial. We call on prosecutors to do their duty." 🧱 #UğurMumcu ve #KutluAdalı cinayetlerine dair iddiaların soruşturulmasını istiyoruz. Şüphelilerin yargılanmasını talep ediyoruz. Savcıları göreve çağırıyoruz. Tuğla çekilsin, duvar yıkılsın! pic.twitter.com/viPBLSpqyv — Gazeteciler Sendikası (@TGS_org_tr) May 23, 2021 × Peker, 50, who has been jailed several times for a range of offences, from fraud to running a criminal group, fled Turkey in 2020 to avoid prosecution and is thought to be currently living in the United Arab Emirates. Since then, he has released a spate of videos in which he claims to expose state-media-mafia links after police operations against him and his associates across the country in April. In one, he accuses Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu of having offered him protection and of having tipped him off about an impending investigation against him last year, which allowed him to flee before being arrested. Soylu is one of the most powerful figures in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government. Despite pressure from the opposition to resign, he has dismissed Peker's allegations. A journalist for Turkey's state news agency Anadolu was fired Friday after raising Peker's claims against the interior minister at a government press conference with other ministers. Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency's director of communications, wrote on Twitter: "Those who seek to harm the respectability of our state will pay the price." Yalan, iftira ve yapay krizlerle gündemi kuşatma altına almaya çalışanlar şimdi de 6 ay sonrası için boş vaatler vermeye başladı. Seçimlerin tarihi bellidir. 6 ay sonra ne olacak ki böylesine cüretkâr sözler söyleyebiliyorsunuz? Hayırdır! Yine kimlerin dolduruşuna geldiniz? — Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) May 22, 2021 × There was no immediate reaction to the latest claims. Some commentators refer to what they call the workings of the "deep state" — derin devlet in Turkish — to talk about a shadowy structure alleged to exist with links between politicians, secret services, mafia and extremist groups.

Activists call for fresh probe into killings of Turkish journalists

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Watch: Video of Turkish mobster targeting top politicians goes viral

Activists call for fresh probe into killings of Turkish journalists