Jadaliyya: Gezi Resistance, Police Violence, and Turkey’s Accession to the European Union — Elif Babül
Various governmental agencies that continue to plan, execute, and maintain impunity for violence have been receiving training on “good governance” from their peers in EU countries since at least 2004. Given that history, is it not time to look more deeply into the structure of “advanced liberal democracies” and their national security doctrines that lie at the heart of the [...] → Read the full article…
Hurriyet Daily News: New law to permit Turkish police to detain ‘possible’ protesters
A new regulation will allow Turkish police to detain those who possess the “risk of conducting a protest” from 12 to 24 hours without the demand of a prosecutor or a judge, prompting acute worries from opposition deputies. The new regulations that will be conducted jointly by the justice and interior ministries will allow the police to detain a suspect [...] → Read the full article…
Bianet: “Tear Gas Must Be Banned in Turkey and worldwide”
“Turkey or worldwide, tear gas must not be produced,” said Chamber of Chemical Engineers 2nd Chairperson Onur Gökulu, responding police authorities’ statements on the planned production of “national tear gas” “We are opposed to the production and use of tear gas not only in Turkey but anywhere in the world. Turkey or worldwide, tear gas must not be produced,” said [...] → Read the full article…
Amnesty International Report: Gezi Park Protests – Brutal Denial of the Right to Peaceful Assembly in Turkey
In a major report issued today, Amnesty International has given compelling and comprehensive documentation of Gezi events, providing detailed evidence of Turkish authorities suppression of freedom of assembly and expression. At least eight thousand injured, at least five confirmed deaths (with strong evidence linking at least three of these deaths to police abuse), many thousands detained. As this powerful video [...] → Read the full article…
Bianet: Gedik Shot by 6 Bullets, Case Evidence Missing
An autopsy revealed that 6 bullets hit Hasan Ferit Gedik in last night’s shooting in Gülsuyu neighborhood, Istanbul. However, Gedik’s clothes at the time of the incident were reported “missing”. The death report of Hasan Ferit Gedik – a 21 year old man who was shot by a group in Istanbul’s Gülsuyu neighborhood – revealed that 6 bullets hit the [...] → Read the full article…
The Guardian: Erdoğan’s split personality, the reformer v the tyrant – Ian Traynor
The Turkish prime minister revealed the iron fist in his velvet glove this summer, but of which is his true character built? All summer long, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been in a very bad mood. The public squares and parks of Istanbul and several other Turkish cities were taken over by protesters he angrily dismissed as “riff-raff”, turning the full [...] → Read the full article…
The Independent: How Turkey blew its chance to lead this troubled region
By Patrick Cockburn World View: The country could have enhanced its influence and saved a lot of lives. It did the exact opposite Whatever happened to the idea that Turkey was the coming power in the Middle East, with its surging economy and stable democracy under a mildly Islamic government which might be the model for Arab states as they [...] → Read the full article…
Firat News: Occupied factory to stage fashion show
Workers of the Kazova textile factory in Istanbul’s Bomonti district will exhibit their own products, pullovers, in a fashion show outside the factory on Saturday evening. The event will also be supported by Orhan Alkaya, Pelin Batu, Cengiz Bozkurt, Deniz Türkali, Nilüfer Açıkalın, Güler İnce, İlkay Akkaya, Pınar Aydınlar, Hakan Yeşilyurt, Ece Temelkuran, Ruhi Su Dostlar Korosu, Metin Yeğin, Grup [...] → Read the full article…
Physicians for Human Rights: PHR Documents Unlawful Use of Force and Tear Gas and Attacks on Medical Community in Turkey
Report Shows Government’s Excessive and Unnecessary Tactics Constitute Ill Treatment New York – NY The Turkish government has engaged in unnecessary and excessive violence, used tear gas as a weapon on a massive scale, and intentionally targeted medical facilities and staff during the June demonstrations, according to a new report by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR). The report discusses how [...] → Read the full article…