“Turkey’s democratic deficit high on German president?s agenda WHILE Turkish Journalist Sentenced to Prison for Insulting Prime Minister in a Tweet

Turkish Journalist Sentenced to Prison for Insulting Prime Minister in a Tweet  Mashable! by Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai A Turkish journalist is going to prison for insulting Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Twitter.   Turkey’s democratic deficit high on German president?s agenda Some conservative journalists had told the German president to give this message to Turkey: ‘We do not … Read more

EFD Rights Watch: “All special courts to be scrapped before local elections… Possible Balyoz re-trial…

Key evidence in Turkey?s Balyoz coup case ?fabricated,? expert report says   Turkey?s science watchdog said that the date of key files on a hard drive have been modified Balyoz convicts demand retrial upon expert report on altered evidence   Twelve people convicted in the Balyoz coup plot case have demanded a retrial after a … Read more

President Gül invites opposition leaders for meeting amid political crisis.. A politics roundup…

Turkish President Gül invites opposition leaders for meeting amid political crisis The invitation comes amid an ongoing political crisis fueled by a bill on the judiciary   In Scandal, Turkey?s Leaders May Be Losing Their Tight Grip on News Media The New York Times (USA)  Sunday, January 12, 2014, p. A 11 By Tim Arango … Read more

More than 2500 police, including Turkey’s deputy police chief replaced while Prosecutor Öz claims to be threatened by the PM…

Graft probe prosecutor claims he was ?threatened? by Turkish gov?t   Öz says he was ‘threatened’ by two people sent by PM Erdoğan to stop the probe   Turkey’s under-fire Erdogan sidles up to military Turkey’s embattled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears willing to mend fences with the once all-powerful army which he fought … Read more

The Guardian: “a bitter battle between two wounded men… A politics roundup…

Beneath Turkey’s turmoil is a bitter battle between two wounded men | Fiachra Gibbons   Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s abuse of power is being exposed by the equally intimidating exiled spiritual leader Fethullah Gülen Imagine for a moment you saw yourself as a “model for the world” like the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who … Read more

for a pro-AKP columnist: “From Vatican to CIA, all allied to bring AKP down…

One of the vocal pro-AKP columnist Dilipak’s claim are widely shared at Star , a staunchly pro-AKP daily, here.  Unfortunately, what I observe is that this paranoid belief system is not peculiar to some but a general attitude in AKP circles while they have entered a state of denial on the graft probe… A news … Read more

Turkey’s Council of State annuls controversial regulation on judicial police BUT gov’t de facto plots a coup by controlling police and army against Judiciary…

  Turkey’s Council of State annuls controversial regulation on judicial police The regulation obliged those carrying out investigations to inform their superiors Turkey: court overturns move blocking probe   ANKARA, Turkey (AP) ? A Turkish high court has suspended an attempt by the government to funnel all corruption investigations through top police and judicial officials Turkish Armed Forces … Read more

PM Erdoğan: ?dialogue among brothers? will fix misunderstandings… A politics roundup…

Misunderstandings will be resolved through ?dialogue among brothers,? says PM Erdoğan Misunderstandings should be resolved through ?internal dialogue? within the ruling Justice and Development Party, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said ************ Erdoğan gets ready for a new Kurdish move Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is going to meet with Masoud Barzani Deputy … Read more

Cengiz Aktar: CHP değişmesin! – Mut?a nikâhı – Vahşi doğaya modern Türkiye?de yer yok

CHP değişmesin!  Basındaki kayıtsız şartsız iktidar muhipleri CHP?nin mecliste başörtüsü serbestîsi konusundaki duruşunu sevmedi. AKP?den kralcı yazarlar CHP?nin bu kayda değer değişimi karşısında karalar bağlamış vaziyette eski günleri yâd ediyor. Yıllardır donup kalmış bir CHP?nin iktidar için yarattığı muhalefet boşluğu hiç değişmesin der gibiler. Oysa devlet partisi CHP?nin 14 yıl önceki tavrı (Ecevit de bu … Read more

“PKK?s urban wing vows to support ‘democratic protests’… EFD Rights Watch and a Social fabric roundup…

PKK?s urban wing vows to support ‘democratic protests’ The PKK?s urban wing has vowed to support the ?democratic protests across the country? VIDEO: Turkey activist death sparks clashes Police in Turkey clash with demonstrators after the death of a 22-year-old activist in the south-eastern city of Antakya. When is it free to assemble in Turkey? … Read more

Turkey now open conflict with Iran: Deputy PM suggests ‘Hezbevil’ not Hezbullah….How Turks can travel freely to Europe

 Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ suggests Hezbollah needs to change its name to ?Hezb-evil.? AA photo ‘Hezbevil’ not Hezbullah, Deputy PM suggests Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ has suggested that ?pro-al-Assad? Iran-based. Syrian opposition split as peace moves forge ahead International efforts to end the conflict in Syria accelerate on Monday with key … Read more

Yeni Anayasa Gündemi: Kasım’da anayasa referandumu olabilir…

Erdoğan’ın ABD ziyareti ve Yeni Anayasa Sabah Başbakan Erdoğan’ın ABD ziyareti, kim ne derse desin, Türkiye’nin iftihar ettiği başarılı bir ziyaret olmuştur. Sadece karşılanışı, misafir edilişi, şahsına ve heyetine gösterilen özel ilgi bakımından değil; Erdoğan ile Obama‘nın çalışma süreleri Bekir Bozdağ’dan yeni Anayasa açıklaması HABERTURK Başbakan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘ın, 2014 yılında 3 seçim olabileceği şeklindeki … Read more

2 from Turkey at Time?s 100 most influential people list… Arab women idolize Turkish soap stars… A social fabric roundup..

Fethullah Gülen an d Abdullah Öcalan make Time?s 100 most influential people list from Hurriyet Daily News PKK‘s jailed leader Öcalan and Turkish religious scholar Gülen were selected in Time’s list.     Arab women idolize Turkish soap stars from Hurriyet Daily News Turkish TV series that have gained particularly popularity in the Middle East … Read more