European delegations on the ground for pre-electoral observation A six-member cross-party delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) paid a pre-electoral visit to Turkey on May 5-6 for observation ahead of the June 7 elections Two detained for attack on HDP election bureau in Bartın Two people allegedly involved in an attack on … Read more
Turkey’s Kurdish peace bid ‘lost on way to printers’ Turkish PM Davutoğlu said two pages about the Kurdish peace bid were accidentally lost while his party’s electoral manifesto was being sent to the printing press, stirring fresh controversy with the HDP, which is focused on the Kurdish problem President Erdoğan chairs cabinet, with Ağrı incident and electorate … Read more
Turkey’s state-run TV refuses to air CHP ad ‘targeting gov’t’ The state-run Turkish Radio Television (TRT) has refused to air an election campaign advertisement by the main opposition party ‘because it directly targets the government,’ Turkish President Erdoğan promises police force full support President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged full support to Turkey’s police force against any … Read more
Turkey’s GDP to rise to $25,000 under presidential system: Erdoğan Turkey’s current $11,000 GDP per capita will rise to $25,000 by 2023 if the country swiftly adopts the presidential system, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Erdoğan plan for super-presidency puts Turkey’s democracy at stake World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Simon Tisdall The Turkish president’s attempted … Read more
Turkish cartoonists sentenced to jail for insulting Erdoğan Two cartoonists for the popular satirical weekly Penguen have been jailed to 11 months in prison, over a satirical piece on free speech in which they were convicted of including a ‘ball-shaped hand gesture insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.’ Caricaturist Fined For “Insulting Erdoğan” Bianet :: English Caricaturist … Read more
Turkish politicians head to Washington over worries about Armenian resolution Worried about a draft resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives that recognizes the 1915 killings of Ottoman Armenians as genocide, a group of Turkish politicians have set out for Washington to ensure that the resolution does not pass. Turkey launches operation against PKK hideouts Turkish security … Read more
Turkey’s Deputy PM trashes Ankara mayor after call to quit Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has declared that Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek is corrupt and has ‘no manners,’ in an unusually frank speech amid intra-government clashes, hours after the latter called for his resignation. No further step before PKK lays down arms: Erdoğan President Erdoğan continues … Read more
Turkey’s top religious body says in vitro fertilization contains adultery elements, is not acceptable Top religious affairs body has said surrogate motherhood was religiously unacceptable Ankara mayor calls for deputy PM’s resignation over row with President Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek has called on PM Davutoğlu to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç 39 dead from swine flu, Turkish … Read more
Reactions to Öcalan’s Message Bianet :: English We compiled PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s Newroz message’s reactions by various politicians, human rights activists and writers. Erdoğan: I Don’t Look at Monitoring Committee Positively Bianet :: English President Erdoğan said that he didn’t look at the idea of a monitoring committee to the resolution of the Kurdish … Read more
Turkey’s lira drops to record low after US jobs data The currency has hit record lows for weeks as government officials make repeated calls for the Central Bank to cut Turkish interest rates Turkey is Ranked #23 in SwissLeaks Bianet :: English According to the latest leaks that reveled HSBC’s data in Switzerland, Turkey is ranked … Read more
Key corruption probe targeting President Erdoğan’s son dismissed The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office has ruled that there are no legal grounds for the prosecution of 96 suspects, including President Erdoğan’s son Bilal Erdoğan, on allegations off corruption Turkish PM Davutoğlu mandates Arınç over Kurdish peace bid With the minor Cabinet reshuffle, the dossier on the Kurdish resolution … Read more
Unlike many previous accounts that are withheld, Fuat Avni does not violate users’ privacy but provides insights about the government. I could not verify yet, but I hear Twitter might actually try a legal process to undo the request. We will see… Twitter withholds account of whistleblower Fuat Avni in Turkey Today’s Zaman Twitter withheld access to the Twitter account … Read more
Turkish deputy PM slams women ‘having vacation without husbands’ Bülent Arınç defends his criticism against ‘laughing women’ with a puzzling complaint about ‘pole climbers’ Spam messages reign in Turkish presidential hopefuls’ campaigns Turkey’s presidential hopefuls have continued campaigning by sending text messages to mobile phone users Turks Divided on Erdogan and the Country’s Direction pewglobal.org – Jul 30, 2:55 … Read more
However, he is not a marginal figure. He represents the governing party that’s transforming Turkey… And by the way, he repeatedly makes similar statements, most remain in domestic sphere. But this laughing issue seems to have gone beyond Turkey… Sometimes he functions like a political troll. As the AKP is under pressure in both domestic politics (check … Read more
Turkish Parliament approves controversial intel bill Turkish Parliament approved a much-debated law increasing the powers and immunities of the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) amid criticism Turkish PM Erdoğan slams judiciary, promises ?cleaning? Turkey?s prime minister has continued on the warpath against his erstwhile ally Fethullah Gülen Turkish President Abdullah Gul (L) and Prime Minister Tayyip … Read more