Men sit under a statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of secular Turkey, in central Ankara February 17, 2010. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Today the democratic world is facing the serious problem of the ?judicialization of politics.? I don?t mean just the way state elites have been seizing politics via the high judiciary in Turkey.
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16.02.2010
Press release issued by the Registrar
Chamber judgment1
Akdas v. Turkey (no 41056/04)
SEIZURE OF THE NOVEL Les ONZE MILLE verges BY Guillaume Apollinaire and conviction of the publisher hindered public access to a work belonging to the european literary heritage
Unanimously:
Violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression)
of the European Convention on Human Rights
Principal facts
The applicant, Mr Rahmi Akdaş, was born in 1958 and lives in Bandırma. He is a publisher and in 1999 published the Turkish translation of the erotic novel Les onze mille verges by the French writer Guillaume Apollinaire (?The Eleven Thousand Rods? ? On Bir Bin Kırbaç in Turkish), which contains graphic descriptions of scenes of sexual intercourse, with various practices such as sadomasochism or vampirism………………………..
The Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors of Turkey (HSYK) had just ripped of a key special Prosecutor’s judicial authority who decreed the arrest of a Prosecutor related to Ergenekon case. HSYK had been effective in obstructing judicial investigations against the military tutelage.
Venice Commission secretary slams HSYK, urges judicial reform
A visitor looks at a 70 square meters wall painting by Turkish artist Ekrem Yalcindag at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, as part of the museum’s new exhibition “From Traditional to Contemporary”, February 16, 2010. REUTERS/Murad Sezer.
“Cultural Memory in Modern Turkish Art Explored at Istanbul Modern”
ISTANBUL.- İstanbul Modern?s new Exhibition, ?From Traditional to Contemporary: Cultural Memory in Modern Turkish Art?, will open in February 2010. Focusing on the relationship between art and the traditional, the Exhibition seeks to show how artists employ history in their construction of modernism. Curated by İstanbul Modern?s chief Curator Levent Çalıkoğlu, ?From Traditional to Contemporary: Cultural Memory in Modern Turkish Art? will be a exhibition in which modern and contemporary artists will take part. These are the artists who reinterpret information, which is traditional, in the context of a new language of expression.”
Europeans broadly satisfied with their lives, but survey highlights concerns over the future of the economic and social situation
Source: Europa
From press release:
Europeans are on average broadly satisfied with their personal situation, but less satisfied when it comes to the economy, public services and social policies in their country, according to an opinion survey released today. The Eurobarometer on the social climate in the EU also found large differences between countries, with people in the Nordic countries and the Netherlands generally most satisfied with their personal situation. The survey forms part of the European Commission?s Social Situation Report, also released today, which examines social trends in Europe, this year focusing on housing?.
Turkey’s Internet Repression
Wall Street Journal
By DAVID KEYES From my hotel balcony on Siraselviler street in the heart of Istanbul, I can see precisely why this bustling, modern metropolis deserves to
From Metal Injection: On February 13, 1970, the Birmingham quartet known as Black Sabbath released their self titled debut LP to the world. Fourty years ago today Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler & Bill Ward began a music revolution that would breath new life into the world’s bastard social scene of the time. It … Read more
USA: Still failing human rights in the name of global ?war?
Source: Amnesty International
As detentions in the US Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay enter their ninth year, and the 22 January 2010 deadline for the detention facility?s closure ordered by President Barack Obama approaches only to be missed, the administration has registered ?wins? in two recent court decisions on the detentions. They are Pyrrhic victories for the authorities, however, coming at a high cost to human rights principles and ensuring that Guantánamo will remain synonymous with injustice well into the second year of the Obama administration.
I was informed of a donation campaign that takes place in Romania by the organizers of World Blogging Forum. Here is their statement:
It is the cause of a young Romanian, called Daniel Raduta ( http://danielraduta.ro/?page_id=2) who was diagnosticated with leuchemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.
The online campaign has helped him raise 70000 eu so far, but he needs around 150000 eu.
It?s the case that brought a new era to charity in Eastern Europe. It?s proof that people can save a life with or without the help of officials. When they turn their backs on us, we grow stronger and more ambitious. And we win.
The Australian Research Council has released its 2010 list of journals, ranked into four grades: A*, A, B, and C (with a few listed as ?unranked?). The complete list can be accessed through the ARC website here, but it?s a large Excel file (5.27 mb). The list is part of an audit of university research initially proposed by the last government. As the ARC?s website explains:
2010-02-07 to Today 1- Google Buzz- not a Facebook killer in the short run. A roundup 2- Recep İvedik 3 on February 2010 3- ?Details of honor killing shocks Turkey? (UPI) 4- “Top Ten (Alternative) Valentine?s Songs 5- A fashion week in the campus 6- ?Teens Love Facebook, Hate Blogging, Are Always Online, and Don?t … Read more
We live in Public is the most impressive movie/documentary I have seen recently. It is about the life of Josh Harris who happened to be one of the stars of early internet era. Such a visionary and understandably eccentric. I believe he might show up time sometime soon with a new web idea. The film … Read more
The Turkish army Economist Scores of officers, including retired generals, have been interrogated or arrested in connection with the so-called Ergenekon case, named after an alleged Interview with Ali BALCI on Turkish scholarship and Ergenekon case by Changing Turkey Ali Balcı, Dr., is a Research Assistant at Sakarya University. He graduated from the Department of … Read more
Our dean, Prof. Nezih Erdoğan directed a short documentary.It will be shown in santralistanbul on 17 February. Facebook event site here. Info in Turkish: Tarih: 17 Şubat 2010 Çarşamba Saat: 17:00 Yer: Santral Kampüsü, E1-301 Yapımını ve yönetimini İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dekanı Prof. Dr. Nezih Erdoğan?ın üstlendiği İstanbul Do/Redo/Undo: Sular, Sokaklar, Suratlar videosunun … Read more