Turkish prosecutors launched an investigation into the writer and publisher Ragip Zarakolu after he was accused of covert support for the coup due to an article, the Diken news website reported.

The investigation was opened after a criminal lawsuit was filed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish officials were outraged by his article, published by the news sites Evrensel and Arti Gercek.

Fahrettin Altun, the president’s director of public relations, accused the author of threats of a coup d'etat because Erdogan’s photo was published next to one of the former PM, Adnan Menderes, who was killed after the 1960 coup.

Erdogan’s lawyers filed a criminal complaint alleging that Zarakolu compared him to Menderes and was trying to harm public order, creating fear and disagreement. They also accused Zarakolu of striving for a coup.

Zarakolu categorically rejected the allegations. He said his article protects against coups.

The writer is also a human rights defender and defender of freedom of speech, who has been harassed several times by the Turkish authorities.