ISTANBUL — After 18 days of antigovernment demonstrations that presented a broad rebuke to the country’s leadership, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered the riot police to storm the center of the protest movement in Gezi Park on Saturday evening, setting off a night of chaos in downtown Istanbul. As protesters fled the tear gas and water cannons, the police [...] → Read the full article…
As academics concerned with the recent developments in Turkey, we stand in solidarity with the people peacefully protesting to protect Gezi Park in Taksim, and we condemn the excessive police brutality that was inflicted on them. What started on Monday, May 27, as a movement to peacefully protest the demolition of a public park and its replacement with a shopping [...] → Read the full article…
The meeting of Amnesty International Turkey officials with Istanbul Gov. Hüseyin Avni Mutlu to invite him to stop police violence against peaceful protesters yesterday ended with disappointment, AI Turkey director Murat Çekiç has said. “Unfortunately, Mr. Governor kept saying that police violence had a basis in legitimate cause. In that sense our meeting was a disappointment. On the other hand, [...] → Read the full article…
Technically a chemical weapon, tear gas is seeing heavy use in Turkish protests. On Wednesday, hundreds of Turkish riot police forced thousands of protestors out of Taksim Square in Istanbul, by showering them with tear gas and blasting them with water cannons. The square has been ground zero for protests that started on May 31 with the goal to stop [...] → Read the full article…
Peaceful protests in cities throughout Turkey have been met with violence from police. The president of the Turkish Medical Association, Ahmet Ozdemir Aktan, calls for an end to inappropriate use of chemical agents Millions of Turkish citizens are outraged by the violent interference of the government in peaceful protests aimed at saving Istanbul’s Gezi Park.1 Within a few days this [...] → Read the full article…
ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed protesters Sunday, the tenth day of demonstrations against his government, warning that “even patience has an end.” He gave a series of speeches to supporters in the nation’s capital, Ankara, as well as in the southern city of Adana. “We have been patient. We will be patient, but even [...] → Read the full article…
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s prime minister convened his party leadership on Saturday to discuss anti-government protests that have entered their ninth day, as an opposition party leader urged the government to call early elections and renew its mandate. With thousands of people still occupying Istanbul’s central Taksim Square, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, met with top officials from his Justice and Development [...] → Read the full article…
Protesters at Gezi Park who sparked nationwide demonstrations against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government continued to occupy the park on Friday, with the pious among them performing Friday prayers. Protesters at Gezi Park who sparked nationwide demonstrations against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government continued to occupy the park on Friday, with the pious among them performing Friday prayers.There [...] → Read the full article…
Reporters Without Borders is very worried by the growing number of news providers being arrested in connection with the continuing anti-government protests in Turkey. “The arrests of news providers throughout the country is a source of deep concern,” Reporters Without Borders said. “We urge the authorities to act with restraint and stop carrying out such arrests, which are so disproportionate [...] → Read the full article…
The police response to the initial protests against the demolition of Taksim Gezi Park in favor of a mall were wrong, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has said, apologizing to injured protesters “with environmental concerns.” during a speech today. But Arınç added in a speech today that the government did not “feel like they owed anything to those who cause [...] → Read the full article…