Turkey Weekly 6 – 12 May 2024
Turkey Today – 12.05.2024
President Erdoğan in a speech today “Netanyahu’s genocidal methods have reached a level that would make even Hitler envious.”
The General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses responded to the application regarding the “mouth search” practice imposed on prisoners, claiming that they were not authorised to do so and that the gendarmerie was responsible.
Reber Soydan, a prisoner kept in a solitary confinement in Van F Type High Security Prison, died under suspicious circumstances.
Political prisoners in Turkey continue their protest demanding freedom for PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question.
Turkey Today – 11.05.2024
Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality trustee spent 769 thousand Liras on appetizers under the name of “representation and entertainment expenses”. A total of 267 kilos of appetizers were purchased.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 998 and asked for justice for Halil Alpsoy and Kasım Alpsoy who were detained by the police in 1994 and found dead some weeks later.
The Justice Watch of Emine Şenyaşar whose husband and two sons were murdered by the bodyguards and relatives of former AKP deputy Ibrahim Halil continues on day 100 in front of the Justice Ministry.
Mardin’s Nusaybin district former HDP co-mayor was released yesterday after 7 years in prison.
Turkey Today – 10.05.2024
Ill prisoners in Kürkçüler Type F Closed Prison have not been able to receive treatment because they did not accept the imposition of “intraoral searches”.
The Court of Cassation has overturned the prison sentence given to Sinan Aygül, the first journalist to be sentenced under the “offense of publicly disseminating misleading information,” also known as the “censorship law.”.
DEM Party Spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan emphasized that the new constitution should be democratic and civil and said that the decision to be made in the Kobanê Case will be important at this point.
Trade Minister Ömer Bolat has refuted the Israeli foreign minister’s statement that President Erdoğan eased the export ban imposed on Israel.
The chair of the Parliamentary Commission on Digital Mediums from the ruling AKP, Hüseyin Yayman, has warned the social media platform X that it could face closure if it did not appoint a local representative.
Turkey Today – 09.05.2024
Osman Kavala has demanded the retrial of the Gezi Park case in which he has received an aggravated life sentence.
Yusuf S., a high school student in Diyarbakır, was sentenced to imprisonment for “insulting the president” on the grounds that he said “Dictator Erdoğan”.
The trial in Diyarbakır against twenty Kurdish media professionals for alleged membership in a terrorist organization continued with the questioning of key witness Ümit Akbıyık. Trial adjourned until November.
The fourth hearing of the trial where journalists Elif Akgül and Haluk Kalafat are being tried on charges of “openly insulting the Turkish nation” due to their news about the Armenian genocide, was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned to July.
The first session of the trial opened against journalist Furkan Karabay on charges of “publicly insulting a public official due to their duty in a chain” upon the complaint of Istanbul Justice Commission President Bekir Altun, was held in Istanbul. The judge ruled for the acquittal of journalist Furkan Karabay.
Turkey Today – 08.05.2024
An armed assault last night targeted the office of DEM Party in Urfa’s Birecik district. The attack was carried out by the brother of the Birecik district mayor, who had resigned from DEM party following his election.
CHP’s Diyarbakır MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu has stated that the Kobanê case was not a legal, but a political case; and former HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ were political hostages of the government.
The Turkish Parliament’s ad hoc commission on the İliç Gold Mine disaster arrived at the mine site three months after the accident. The committee observed and heard from experts regarding the malpractices that led to the collapse of the heap leach.
The first hearing of the lawsuit filed against artist Pınar Aydınlar for “making illegal organization propaganda” was held in Tunceli. The court sentenced her to 1 year, 6 months and 22 days in prison.
The 23rd hearing of the trial where journalist and writer Ercan Aktaş, on terrorism charges was held in İstanbul. Trial adjourned until October.
Turkey Today – 07.05.2024
A new 3-month family visit ban was imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has not been heard from for 38 months, on the grounds of “disciplinary punishment”.
Simultaneous police raids in the Urfa led to at least 14 detentions, including members and executives of DEM Party.
CHP chair Özgür Özel met with MHP chair Devlet Bahçeli after seven years in a closed meeting in the parliament.
Erdoğan stated that he welcomed Hamas’s decision to accept a ceasefire in Gaza, stating that this decision was in line with Ankara’s recommendation. He also expressed his hope that Israel would follow.
The retrial of the case in which MA reporter Delal Akyüz is being prosecuted for the allegation of “knowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization,” was held in İzmir. Trial adjourned until November.
Investigated over the documentary ‘Bakur’, filmmaker and cinematographer Koray Kesik has been released with an international travel ban.
Turkey Today – 06.05.2024
The Supreme Election Council (YSK) announced the official results of the local elections upon the completion of the objections submitted by the political parties. Elections in three districts and four towns will be held again on June 2.
The newly elected DEM Party district municipality of Artuklu / Mardin, has identified around 100 “ghost” employees hired by the previous AKP administration who have not shown up for work since the new co-mayors took office.
MA reporter Esra Solin Dal, charged with “membership in a terrorist organization”, has been placed in solitary confinement at the Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison in İstanbul.
Journalists Derya Us and Nurcan Yalçın were detained during morning raids in Diyarbakır. A lawsuit was filed against lawyer Necat Çiçek on the charge of “providing legal services to those who are prosecuted for crimes related to the organization”, citing the allegations of confessor Ümit Akbıyık.
Communication giant Turkcell has appointed Boğaziçi University rector Naci İnci to its executive board, which features former deputies of the ruling AKP.
…
Turkey Weekly 1- 5 May 2024
Turkey Today – 05.05.2024
A second major raid takes place in Istanbul in connection with the protests on 1 May. Seventy people are apparently wanted and the police have smashed down flat doors.
38 people who were taken into custody in Istanbul on 1 May were sent to prison.
Reacting to the Ministry of Justice’s response that there is “no isolation”, PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s brother Mehmet Öcalan asked, “If there is no isolation and violation, why can’t we meet?”.
Felicity Party chair Temel Karamollaoğlu has announced that he would step down from his position due to “health issues.”
Turkey Today – 04.05.2024
Families of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and three other prisoners under absolute isolation in İmralı applied for a meeting with their relatives.
The fourth hearing of the case filed against Leyla Zana on the charge of “making propaganda for a terrorist organization” was held in Ankara. The prosecutor repeated his request for a prison sentence. Trial adjourned until July.
Prosecutor’s statements were taken from 14 people who were taken into custody on Thursday within the scope of an investigation initiated by the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. 12 of the 14 people were released on judicial control, while Nesibe Akan and Mahmut Yıldırım were sent to prison.
A court has sentenced journalist Barış Terkoğlu to a 2 year prison sentence for “targeting individuals involved in counterterrorism efforts.” The charge concerned two news articles detailing the court rulings from then-judge and current deputy Justice Minister Akın Gürlek.
Turkey Today – 03.05.2024
The police have detained 29 people with early morning raids at their homes, for participating in the Workers’ Day march in Istanbul deemed “illegal” by the Istanbul Governor’s Office.
In Izmir, Koray Kesik, the art director of the documentary Bakur, was detained. Three houses were raided in the morning in Mardin’s Nusaybin district. One person was detained during the house raids.
President Erdoğan, after his first one-on-one meeting with the CHP chair Özel in eight years, stated he would visit the CHP at the earliest opportunity, saying, “Turkey needs this.”
CHP deputies have walked from the Parliament to the Education Ministry to protest the latter’s new curriculum. The deputies said the new curriculum serves the AKP’s “own ideological obsessions.”
Turkey Today – 02.05.2024
A joint statement was made after Numan Kurtulmuş’s visit to the DEM Party. While Kurtulmuş stated that the demands were conveyed, DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları said that road cleaning is needed for the construction of a democratic Turkey.
It was stated that a military operation was launched in the rural areas of Diyarbakır’s Lice, Kulp and Silvan districts.
The third hearing of the trial against IHD Co-Chair Eren Keskin and IHD member Güllistan Yarkın was held in Istanbul. Both were acquitted as the elements of the crime did not exist.
The first hearing of the case filed against lawyer Özüm Vurgun due to “being an illegal organization member” ended in a verdict. The court ruled that the charges against Vurgun were not proven and acquitted her.
The 22nd hearing of the trial in which Mehmet Kamış, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the closed Zaman newspaper, is being tried for “attempting to abolish or prevent the functioning of the Turkish Grand National Assembly,” was held in İstanbul. The court decided to extend Mehmet Kamış’s detention. Trial adjourned until July.
Turkey Today – 01.05.2024
Police attacked protestors with pepper spray and plastic bullets, and detained at least 217 during Istanbul’s Workers’ Day celebrations.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that Turkey would join in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Hamas made a statement praising MHP President Devlet Bahçeli.
Parliament Speaker Kurtulmuş has visited CHP leader Özel as part of the preparations for the new constitution by the government. After the visit, Özel said there was no need for a new constitution “when the constitution is not being respected.”
Emine Şenyaşar, who continued her protest in front of the Ministry of Justice for the 90th day, once again demanded that the records of the incident be revealed.