Erdoğan toll today: A local Journalist, Mine Bekiroğlu, sentenced to prison…

An EU-Turkey Reset Project Syndicate by Martti Ahtisaari, et al. Never have the European Union and Turkey needed one another more, and yet rarely have they been so distant. The EU should redouble its efforts to revitalize the relationship, strengthening both its criticism of Turkey’s democratic backsliding and the credibility of the accession process. Turkey and EU … Read more

When Tsipras in Public, one remembers Erdoğan in Public….

Tsipras was in public today, talking to ordinary citizens…     Erdoğan gets angry when he sees citizens walking and smoking. He wants standing in silence (!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2A-BEwM5n8 Turkish officials mark WWI Gallipoli victory Turkish officials have marked the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Victory, the battle that marked a turnaround against the Allied Forces in favor … Read more

To have or not to have? Erdoğan’s latest decision is that there is no Kurdish problem in Turkey…

BIA MEDIA MONITORING 2014: Media’s 3 Years: A Summary With Graphics  Bianet :: English According to BIA Media Monitoring Report 2014, 22 journalists and 10 distributors entered the year of 2015 in prison. While the number of jailed journalists took a dive, the number of detentions, censorship and layoffs soared. Here is what happened in terms … Read more

As AKP’s Security Bill about to be passed, Amnesty Turkey starts a petition campaign…

Amnesty Turkey campaign at Change.org Turkey: The last exit before the police state A cartoon guide to Turkey’s nosedive in human rights. In other news: European Court of Human Rights fines Turkey over length of investigation The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has fined Turkey for violating Article 3 of the European Convention on Human … Read more

Dear @Mashable There is nothing surprising about Erdoğan’s stand on Özgecan murder…

This is in reaction to Mashable headline linked below. The Mashable author is surprised that Erdoğan was critical of violence against women but when you deconstruct his arguments, one can see that he is one of the most vocal critic of modern women rights. Erdoğan was critical of rape and murder of Özgecan Aslan but during the same period … Read more

As Davutoğlu eagerly promotes Homeland Security Act, “Conscientious Objector Receives 15 Months of Prison” despite EU reforms…

Conscientious Objector Receives 15 Months of Prison Bianet :: English Mehmet Tarhan, a conscientious objector from Turkey, received 15 months of prison and 9,000 liras fine despite related ECHR rulings. Advocates Protest Homeland Security Act With Night-Watch  Bianet :: English Advocates affiliated with Istanbul Bar Association held a night-long “justice watch” in Istanbul Courthouse against Turkey’s homeland … Read more

Cyberculture agenda: UK Tribunal Declares NSA’s Data-Sharing with British Intel Illegal …Adidas is the first major brand to use Twitter’s Group DM for marketing…

10 Reasons Why Millennials Follow Brands on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest  All Facebook by Shea Bennett A new study has identified ten distinct reasons why millennial social media users follower brands on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. And the top reason varies from platform to platform.   Youtube ditches Flash, but it hardly matters Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow … Read more

an Infographic about Turkey’s human rights record in ECHR rulings… Dispatches from Turkey…

Infographic: Turkey’s human rights record in ECHR rulings Turkey still heads the notorious list of countries sued or convicted at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), but the number of applications against Ankara has recently been falling. AKP eyes elections results to push for new Constitution The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is making calculations … Read more

As Facebook caves in, Turkey’s authoritarian march continues: “Specially authorized courts to be reintroduced

Zuckerberg’s free-speech rhetoric proves empty as Facebook censors Charlie … International Business Times UK “In comparison with Twitter and YouTube, Facebook cooperates with the Turkish authorities much better,” Yaman Akdeniz, a professor in cyberlaw at Bilgi University in Istambul, told the New York Times. “Therefore it’s not surprising that Facebook . Facebook Caves to Turkish Government … Read more

Qatar announces support to Cairo… Now, it seems, only Russia left for Turkey…

Qatar announces support to Cairo, marking split with Turkey Hurriyet Daily News Qatar has announced its determination to thaw ties with Egypt, diverging from an agreement with Turkey, only few days after renewing commitments to close relations with Ankara Brave New Turkey  NYT > Turkey by By ANDREW FINKEL Why is the government going off the rails … Read more

EFD Rights Watch: Head of STV Channel arrested while Zaman chief editor Dumanlı released… #GazetecilerDerhalBırakılsın

  Turkish deputy PM objects to arrest of media bosses Hurriyet Daily News Deputy PM Arınç has opposed the detention of two media chiefs who were taken into custody during controversial weekend raids on journalists and television staff linked to Gülen Turkey appeals ECHR ruling on compulsory religion classes in schools Hurriyet Daily News Turkey has appealed … Read more

Despite more transparency claims “Turkey falls behind in global corruption index…

Turkey falls behind in global corruption index Turkey slumps alarmingly in Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index Turkey’s Growing Corruption Problem Is Getting Harder to Hide  Global Voices Online by Ece Basay Money in a shoebox. Viral image. In the last twelve months, the Turkish state has appeared significantly more corrupt. That is the underlying message of … Read more

EFD Rights Watch: ECHR Landmark decision- “Turkey discriminates against Alevis over worship places

Turkey discriminates against Alevis over worship places, Euro court says in landmark ruling Turkey was sued at the ECHR over the non-payment of the electricity bills of a cemevi by the state, while those of other worship places are paid ECHR Convicts Turkey of Punishing Funeral Attendance  Bianet :: English The European Court of Human Rights convicted … Read more

Erdoğan’s palace to be protected by commandos… Open Source Analysis of The IS Attack on Kobane… “NATO calls on Turkey to join EU sanctions against Russia as Putin visits Ankara…

The IS Attack on Kobane: Open Source Analysis turkeywonk.wordpress.com – aaronstein1 – Nov 30, 6:55 AM – Yesterday, the Islamic State detonated four suicide car bombs in the embattled town of Kobane. One VBIED detonated just inside the Mursitpinar border gate. After the explosion, clashes broke out between the YPG and the Islamic state in … Read more