English PEN (@englishpen) Campaign: “Release Ahmet Şık”

Turkey: Release Ahmet Şık English PEN – Cat Lucas – Jan 6, 7:46 AM We, the undersigned, call for the immediate release of award-winning investigative journalist and author Ahmet Şık and other writers detained in violation of their right to freedom of expression in Turkey. Following his detention on 29   Turkey in grip of fear … Read more

It seems that (paranoid) conspiracy theories increasingly shape US-Turkey relations…

Accusations about US in Turkish media must stop, State Department’s Kirby says   U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby has warned the Turkish media about making false accusations about the United States. In Turkey’s Unrest, Some See an Extreme Version of Post-9/11 America NYT > Turkey by By TIM ARANGO and RICK GLADSTONE   Turkey’s president and … Read more

Meanwhile #istanbul now suffering a heavy snow storm… not seen for some years…

Bosphorus closed, flights cancelled, schools closed, traffic density %90 last evening… Fresh snowfall paralyzes Istanbul traffic, density at 90 percent  Forecast snowfall and cold weather have badly affected Istanbul’s rush-hour traffic, increasing the traffic density to up to 90 percent. Number of foreign tourists visiting Istanbul plunges for first time in 16 years Hurriyet Daily News The … Read more

Anything goes… Turkey extends state of emergency for the third time…

  Turkey extends state of emergency   Turkey’s state of emergency will be extended for another three months, the government said on Jan. 3. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş made the announcement following a cabinet meeting Journalist Ahmet Şık Back in Silivri After 5 Months Bianet :: English   Journalist Ahmet Şık was sent to Silivri Prison … Read more

Isis claimed #ReinaMassacre, the Tragedy Transcends Borders as many foreign nationals are among the victims….

Foreign nationals named among victims of Istanbul attack World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Jon Henley Seven Saudis, four Iraqis, two Indians, two Tunisians and one each from France, Syria, Israel and Belgium reportedly killed Istanbul: First Darkness, Then Terror NYT > Turkey by By KAYA GENC   The New Year attack reinforces a sense that this … Read more

Turkish justice at work: Journalist Ahmet Şık Taken Into Custody- GOOD NEWS Necmiye Alpay, Aslı Erdoğan, Zana Kaya Released

Journalist Ahmet Şık Taken Into Custody Bianet :: English   Journalist Ahmet Şık was taken into custody in his apartment by police this morning. ÖZGÜR GÜNDEM CASE: Necmiye Alpay, Aslı Erdoğan, Zana Kaya Released Bianet :: English   Tried in Özgür Gündem case, Aslı Erdoğan, Necmiye Alpay and Zana Kaya have been released. Erdoğan was arrested since … Read more

Bana Alabed, Aleppo’s tweeting girl, meets Turkey’s President Erdogan BUT some questions Bana’s father’s position…

Bana Alabed, Aleppo’s tweeting girl, meets Turkey’s President Erdogan BBC News | Europe | World Edition   Syrian seven-year-old Bana Alabed, who tweeted about life in Aleppo, meets Turkey’s President Erdogan. Aleppo tweeter Bana al-Abed meets Turkish president Erdogan – video World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Guardian Staff   Bana al-Abed, the Syrian girl whose Tweets from … Read more

Turkish justice: “Police who shot dead Gezi protester fined $2,800”

Police who shot dead Gezi protester fined $2,800  Hurriyet Daily News   A court in Istanbul has fined a police officer who shot dead a protester during the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Turkey’s high court receives 60,000 applications since July 15 coup attempt: Top Judge  Hurriyet Daily News   Some 60,000 individual applications have been made to … Read more

Turkey in Europe: “German school in Istanbul cancels Christmas”

‘OUTRAGEOUS!’ Germany’s fury as teachers ‘banned from even MENTIONING Christmas in class’ Express.co.uk Usually the Istanbul Lisesi holds a small celebration for Christmas and teaches its pupils, who are both German and Turkish, about the Christian … German school in Istanbul cancels Christmas – Deutsche Welle German School in Istanbul Forced to Deny ‘Banning’ Christmas – … Read more

A chart on Terror attacks in Turkey and A map that shows which HDP offices attacked after the Kayseri bombing

Terror attacks in Turkey..The chart speaks for itself.. pic.twitter.com/QlBH9ZtS5o — METIN GURCAN (@Metin4020) December 18, 2016 NEWS ANALYSIS: PKK striking to drag Turkey into civil war  Hurriyet Daily News   Exactly a week after a suicide bomb attack in Beşiktaş that killed 46 people and wounded 166 on Dec. 10, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) … Read more

Istanbul news roundup: “Istanbul’s housing prices decline amid oversupply

Murder in Istanbul BBC News | Europe | World Edition   Twelve men from the countries of the former USSR have been assassinated in Turkey, and there’s evidence that some of the hitmen were from Russia. Istanbul’s housing prices decline amid oversupply Hurriyet Daily News   Property prices have dropped up to 20 percent in several parts … Read more

This time sad news come from #Kayseri -Turkey PM blames PKK for car bomb that killed 13 soldiers… HDP office attacked afterwards….

Turkey PM blames PKK for car bomb that killed 13 soldiers on bus World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Nicola Slawson   Blast near university in Kayseri targets public bus, wounding 55 other soldiers and civilians Car bomb kills soldiers on public bus in Turkey – video World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk   A car bomb in … Read more

For the record, 259 journalist jailed in 2016, Turkey is the world leader…

2016 prison census: 259 journalists jailed worldwide https://t.co/TeZjE8THPs via @pressfreedomYou guessed it. Turkey is the world leader. pic.twitter.com/p7sn8oQsKY — ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) December 13, 2016 Turkey: Silencing the Media hrw.org – Dec 14, 9:01 PM (Istanbul) – Turkey’s government has all but silenced independent media in an effort to prevent scrutiny or criticism of its … Read more

Hundreds of HDP executives detained as death toll reaches 44 in the latest Istanbul bombed attack….

  HDP Executives Detained in Simultaneous Operations 118 people from the HDP have been detained during operations launched against HDP’s provincial and district executives in İstanbul, Ankara, Adana, Manisa and Mersin. HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş suffers heart spasm in prison: MP Bilgen Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş suffered a heart spasm in jail on Dec. … Read more

In the mean time, “European judiciary network votes to suspend observer status of Turkey’s HSYK…

European judiciary network votes to suspend observer status of Turkey’s HSYK The European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) on Dec. 8 decided to suspend the observer status of the Turkish High Council for Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), citing concerns that the body is no longer sufficiently independent from the state’s executive and legislature branches. … Read more