Category Archives: News

Associated Press: Council of Europe Cites Rights Abuses in Turkey

The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner has blasted Turkish authorities for widespread human rights abuses in a stark review of the anti-government protests in Turkey earlier this year. The report by Nils Muiznieks published Tuesday also says that many allegations of abuse by Turkish police are not being investigated. “The Commissioner considers that impunity of law-enforcement officials committing human [...] → Read the full article…

Bianet: Police Releases Gezi Resistance Report

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Police authorities released a report regarding the demographics of over 5,000 individuals who have been detained during Gezi Resistance protests across Turkey. Police authorities released an analysis on Gezi Resistance. The report described in detail Gezi detainees’ basic demographics including monthly income, educational status and religious affiliation. According to Milliyet newspaper, the information leading to the drafting of report has [...] → Read the full article…

Al-Monitor: Jailed cartoons of Turkey – Pınar Tremblay

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Political cartoons as a form of graphic protest still have an effect on the body politics of Turkey. Even those who may not understand Turkish can see the message in a caricature. Cartoons make us not only smile, but promptly locate the undeniable truth in our minds. Erdogan is aware of this power, hence there is a Wikipedia entry in Turkish, ”Cartoons [...] → Read the full article…

Bianet: Barış Atay Detained For “Redhack Connection”

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While police detained artist Barış Atay and 7 individuals for their “connection with Redhack” in Istanbul, the toll exceeded 10 along with other detainees across Turkey. While police detained artist Barış Atay and 7 individuals for their “connection with Redhack” in Istanbul, the toll exceeded 10 along with other detainees across Turkey. Suspects have been ordered to make a statement [...] → Read the full article…

Bianet: Ali Ismail Korkmaz Hearing Postponed to 2014

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Kayseri 2nd High Criminal Court postponed the first hearing of Ali Ismail Korkmaz case to February 3, 2014. Previously, the trial was moved from Eskişehir province for “security reasons”. Kayseri 3rd High Criminal Court postponed the first hearing of Ali Ismail Korkmaz case to February 3, 2014. Originally, the hearing was set to November 20 at Eskişehir 2nd High Criminal Court. The [...] → Read the full article…

Bianet: Justice Demanders Charged With Public Disturbance

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3 detainees have been arrested for demonstrating to support Berkin Elvan, a 14 year old boy who has been been in coma for 156 days due to a police gas bomb canister. Several injuries were reported during police intervention. Berkin Elvan (14) is in coma for 156 days. Following an appeal from Taksim Solidarity group, dozens of activists have organized [...] → Read the full article…

Al-Monitor: AKP’s Social Media Wars – Emre Kızılkaya

A riot policeman uses a mobile phone to film protesters at Taksim Square in Istanbul

AKP might or might not be paying for the recent campaigns of insult and abuse on critics, but there is no doubt that Erdogan, who boasts of “setting up the news agenda,” is now keen to dominate the social media, too. As the 2014 elections approach, the social media offensive of the emerging “conservative industrial complex” is generating the risk of [...] → Read the full article…

New York Times: Turkey Moves to Silence Dissenters, but With One Eye on Its Image Abroad

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Late one night last summer, at the height of antigovernment demonstrations sweeping Turkey, a group of protest leaders rushed to the home of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, the capital, to negotiate a solution to the growing crisis.They came away with a tentative agreement, but it was never accepted by the rank-and-file protesters, and so the movement was [...] → Read the full article…

The Economist: Turkey – A row over co-ed flats

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AFTER eleven years of uninterrupted power is Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) finally beginning to unravel? Questions about AK’s future have been growing louder ever since Bulent Arinc, a deputy prime minister and government spokesman, aired his grievances against the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (pictured), on the state-run TRT Turk news channel last week. He even hinted that [...] → Read the full article…

Bloomberg: Turkey’s Cleavage Crackdown Goes to College – Marc Champion

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Erdogan has decided the best way to maximize his vote in Turkey’s first direct presidential election next year is to polarize the electorate. He wants to force Turks to choose between two options: You’re either with Erdogan, or against him. And if you are against him, you are with the old, wooden-headed, military-backed, secularist system and its decadent offspring. ”Those who [...] → Read the full article…