New decree to restrict use of assembly and demonstration rights in Turkey A change in the 1985-dated decree regulating the right to assembly and demonstrate restricts the use of this right considerably. Silopi today: Police Attack in Southeastern Province: 3 Deaths Bianet :: English According to HDP deputies İrmez and Encü, the police opened fire in Şırnak … Read more
Turkey swingers’ club suspects face up to 177 years in jail World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk Prosecutors demand lengthy prison sentences for 29 people charged with organising wife-swapping parties to which prostitutes were taken New cabinet decree gives mining companies until 2020 to match safety standards A new cabinet decree has postponed a 2006 obligation and given … Read more
Funerals of 13 YPG/YPJ Members Delivered to Families Bianet :: English Funerals of 13 YPG/YPJ members were delivered to their families while 11 funerals are still being kept in Mürşitpınar border gate, near Syria. 7.5-year prison sentence sought for 18 Turkish journalists Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office has prepared an indictment against 18 journalists who are accused of … Read more
Corruption impunity prevails and Turkey’s judiciary politicized: US human rights report The U.S.’s annual human rights report on Turkey has slammed a series of violations over the past year, focusing particularly on the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly Media transparency vital for functioning democracy: Council of Europe A report adopted by … Read more
Country Report on Terrorism 2014 – Turkey June, 2015 Overview: Largely because of the ongoing conflict in Syria, Turkey has voiced increasing concern about terrorist groups near its border, including Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), al-Nusrah Front, and other al-Qa’ida (AQ)-affiliated groups. Throughout 2014, Turkey served as a source and transit country for … Read more
Turkey’s Erdogan, master tactician, seen angling for new election Reuters.com – Orhan Coskun – Jun 12, 8:12 AM – ANKARA President Tayyip Erdogan’s statesmanlike appeals for Turkey’s rival parties to leave egos aside and form a new government may suggest the combative leader has turned over a new leaf, but even those close to him … Read more
HDP leadership insistently called its followers to be calm…. While at least 4 dead and hundreds injured in the explosions… Blasts hit Kurdish party’s election rally in Turkey AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (IN DEPTH) At least 10 wounded in latest incident at campaign event of pro-Kurdish HDP party, two days before legislative polls. As many as 50 injured after … Read more
HDP co-chair mocks Erdoğan’s nationwide inaugurations Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş celebrated opening a soda can during his meeting with Turkish humorists and cartoonists in Istanbul, teasing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s successive inauguration meetings on the run up to the June 7 elections. Main opposition CHP’s election truck towed away in Erzurum An election campaign … Read more
Web game becomes latest battlefield in Turkish politics A simple, multiplayer game on the web has become the latest battleground for Turkish politics ahead of the June 7 general election, gaming website Kotaku has reported. Turkish LGBTI associations condemn homophobic news items against openly gay HDP candidate Three LGBTI associations have condemned homophobic news items published by … Read more
Turkey’s Best Election Campaigner Isn’t Even Running for Office Read the Bloomberg piece here. OSCE parliamentarians to observe Turkey’s upcoming election Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) parliamentarians will observe the upcoming parliamentary election in Turkey and provide leadership for the OSCE’s short-term observer mission, the organization said in a written statement … Read more
Turkish TV stations air 44 hours of live Erdoğan speeches in one week: Report The report is prepared by a member of Turkey’s top television and radio watchdog. President Erdoğan defiant over right to speak on upcoming polls Despite rising criticism from opposition parties and a fresh reaction from two members of Turkey’s top election body, President … Read more
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
Former CIA Boss Goss Hired to Lobby for the Turkish Government Bloomberg – Isobel Finkel – May 11, 6:36 AM – Porter Goss, a director of the CIA under the Bush administration, has been hired by Turkey’s government to lobby Congress on matters including counter-terrorism, energy-security, and stability in the the NATO-member’s region. Goss’s role … Read more
AKP suggests presidential system for Turkey in line with Erdoğan’s insistence Ruling AKP has vowed to change the country’s administrative system from a parliamentary to a presidential system Deputy PM cites ‘presidential system’ as safety valve against autocracy Describing the presidential system as an “antidote” to introduce an effective system of governance, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş … Read more
Erdoğan warns Pope Francis not to repeat ‘mistake’ about Armenian claims Turkish President Erdoğan has condemned Pope Francis, warning him to not repeat the ‘mistake’ of describing the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians as ‘genocide.’ European Parliament set to vote on ‘genocide’ claims The European Parliament is set to discuss and vote on a resolution April 15 … Read more