Turkey Weekly 23 -30 September 2024
Turkey Today – 30.09.2024
Members of Hevra music group Zeynep Doğan, Gencay Morkoç and Yusuf Keleş were detained after making a solidarity visit to Mesopotamia Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER).
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has revealed that he held an in-person meeting with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah shortly after the Gaza war erupted last year.
Baykar General Manager Haluk Bayraktar responded to criticism regarding the fact that the company was among the sponsors together with an Israel-based company at a fair held in Azerbaijan by saying, “We can only be proud of this development.”
The DEM Party Women’s Assembly has launched a campaign titled “We insist on a free and equal life, we are against wars” and announced that they will organize panels, conferences and workshops.
Turkey Today – 29.09.2024
Turkey’s foreign minister stated that Hezbollah leader Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, was a significant figure for both Lebanon and the wider region, emphasizing that it would be difficult to find a replacement for him.
A Gazi University student stated that ultranationalist Grey Wolves members battered him at the university’s restroom. The student filed a criminal complaint after the attack.
Turkish gendarmerie temporarily detained Gazete Duvar correspondent Kadir Cesur and journalist Ruşen Takva for allegedly violating a military security zone in Van’s Özalp district near the Iranian border.
The Education Ministry has blocked CHP-led municipalities in İzmir province from providing cleaning services to public schools, despite an ongoing hygiene crisis caused by staff shortages.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish nationals. Despite the charges, the Democrat has been resisting growing calls from within his own party to resign.
Two suspected perpetrators have been arrested following the attack on a DEM party office in Istanbul. Images from a surveillance camera had revealed that the men were suspected of the offence, Istanbul police announced on Sunday. A third suspect is being sought.
Turkey Today – 28.09.2024
DEM Party building in Sultangazi district of Istanbul was targeted by an armed attack last night. The windows were broken by the bullets.
Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) Co-Director Veysel Ok said, “Kurdish media is banned the most as a result of the deadlock in the Kurdish issue. As the Kurdish question is tried to be suppressed with violence, the Kurdish media is the first target.”
A copper mine is planned to be established in the area covering the rural neighbourhoods of Diyarbakır’s Lice district. Residents took to the streets in protest at the project and made a statement to the press.
Mesopotamian Language and Culture Research Association’s former co-chair Rıfat Roni, who was detained in raids targeting Kurdish institutions, was sent to prison.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1018 and demanded justice for Abdülmecit Baskın, whose lifeless body was found in Gölbaşı shortly after being detained in Ankara 31 years ago.
Turkey Today – 27.09.2024
Bouthaina Shaaban, an adviser of Syria’s President Assad, has demanded Turkey to withdraw its forces from the Syrian territory for the opening of the normalization talks that President Erdoğan called for.
U.S. prosecutors have charged New York City Mayor Eric Adams with accepting illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel from Turkish nationals who sought to influence him.
President Erdoğan returned Turkey after skipping the U.S. President Biden’s dinner for the world leaders who attended the UN General Assembly.
A source from the Turkish defense ministry has said that Turkey was preparing for the potential evacuation of its citizens and foreign nationals from Lebanon as Israeli attacks continued.
Anadolu University submitted an inquiry to the court, asking whether the students detained at pride march face should be allowed to continue their education.
Turkey Today – 26.09.2024
İsmail Hakkı Pekin, former chief of military intelligence, suggested during a TV discussion the assassination of Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The detention period of 29 people Diyarbakır, including Kurdish language instructors, has been extended.
The construction of the “Cizre Dam”, which will submerge many historical buildings in Şirnex, has begun. While many lands were expropriated, citizens were warned to “leave the region”.
The fifth hearing of the case against MA reporter Mehmet Şah Oruç, who was detained for six months based on journalistic activities and open witness statements, was held in Bitlis. Trial adjourned until January.
The first hearing of the case against Dilruba Kayserilioğlu, who is charged with “insulting the president” due to a street interview, began in İzmir. Both observers and journalists were denied entry into the courtroom.
Turkey Today – 25.09.2024
The Justice Ministry has submitted its defense to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers regarding the case of Osman Kavala. The government argued that Kavala’s trial was not politically motivated.
A military operation was launched in areas declared as “special security zones” in rural areas of Van’s Çatak district.
President Erdoğan stated that the values upheld by the United Nations and the Western world are “dying in Gaza” as the conflict there persists in his speech during the UN General Assembly in New York.
4 people including Lütfiye Burcu Kara, reporter of Mücadele Birliği Newspaper, were detained in house raids in Izmir.
A new investigation was opened against journalist Ahmet Kanbal for “publicly disseminating misleading information” due to a news article that was previously ruled “non-prosecution”.
Turkey Today – 24.09.2024
The Silvan district governor’s office in Diyarbakır has rejected the DEM Party-led municipality’s decision to rename a park to “Rindêxan” after an important Kurdish figure. The office referred to Kurdish as a “foreign language.”
Hakkari Chief Public Prosecutor did not take the statement of JINNEWS reporter Rabia Önver, whose house was raided after her news on prostitution and drugs. Önver had wanted to testify at the Hakkari Courthouse with her lawyer.
Many people were detained in house raids in Istanbul and Mardin.
The US has proposed that Turkey could rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program if the S-400 missile systems purchased from Russia were stored under US control at the İncirlik Air Base.
A court has issued its detailed ruling in the case regarding the attack suffered by Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu during a rally in 2023. The court found all defendants guilty of intentional injury, but found no evidence that the attack was “premeditated.”
Turkey Today – 23.09.2024
The Ministry of Interior has appointed an inspector for multilingual Zarokistan Nursery and Day Care Centers opened by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality.
The DEM Party’s Legal and Human Rights Committee called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to initiate a violation procedure for Abdullah Öcalan’s “right to hope.”
The investigation into the death of Reber Soydan, who died under suspicious circumstances in prison, has been ruled “Nolle prosequi”.
Evrim Kepenek, bianet’s women and LGBTI+ news editor, is standing trial due to a social media post following the February 2023 earthquakes. The first hearing was held today.
Turkey Weekly 2 – 8 September 2024
Turkey Today – 08.09.2024
Turkey has attacked a vehicle in Kobanê with a drone. According to ANHA news agency, one civilian was injured.
The dead body of 8-year-old Narin Güran, who has been missing for 19 days in Diyarbakır, was found thrown into a stream north of her village in a sack with stones in it.
In Batman T-type prison Batman, 15 prisoners have been punished with two weeks of solitary confinement. The prison administration accuses them of dancing to Kurdish songs and thus carrying out propaganda for a terrorist organization.
Since early this morning, a drone of unknown origin has been circling over the Mexmûr refugee camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq without significant interruption. It is suspected to be a Turkish drone.
Turkey Today – 07.09.2024
A civilian has been killed in an artillery attack by Turkish-jihadist forces in northern Syria.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which accepted the application for the 6 children held by Turkey at the Habur Border Gate, asks a defense from Turkey. Lawyer Recepoğlu said: “This is the first application against Turkey that was accepted.”
Prisoner Şivekar Ataş, who has not been released despite her serious illnesses, has been placed in solitary confinement due to disciplinary punishment.
Turkey Today – 06.09.2024
The ECHR and Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe responded to the letter sent by Nobel laureates on the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan.
Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) chief ibrahim Kalın visited Libya as backers of the Tripoli government search for a way out of a political impasse that has shut down Libya’s oil exports and jeopardized four years of relative stability.
CHP will hold a party congress on Sept. 6 to change its statute. In its draft form, the party made amendments to articles regulating primary elections, term limits, and member responsibilities.
Turkey Today – 05.09.2024
After three people were killed in a Turkish drone attack in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq just yesterday, there has been another deadly airstrike by Turkey. One of the three victims is a child.
BRICS chair Yuri Ushakov has confirmed that Turkey formally applied to join the organization. The bloc would discuss potential expansion at its Oct. summit.
The lawsuit filed against lawyer Burhan Arta, who was detained and arrested in April last year based on the testimonies of confessing witness Ümit Akbıyık, due to “being an illegal organization member”, was held in Diyarbakır. Trial adjourned until December.
Journalist Mehmet Güleş was acquitted in the first hearing of the lawsuit filed against him due to “spreading terrorist organization propaganda”.
Turkey Today – 04.09.2024
A Turkish drone has once again attacked a vehicle in the Slemani area, killing three civilians, a father with two of his sons.
Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç said yesterday that street interviews are not banned in the country and that “everyone can freely express their thoughts”. However, 12 young people were arrested for a banner they unfurled at the September 1 World Peace Rally in Istanbul.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived in Ankara for talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the first such presidential visit in 12 years.
Prisoners in Giresun Espiye Type F Closed Prison have called for public awareness through their families against the increasing rights violations in recent days.
While the fate of 8-year-old Narin Güran in Amed has been unknown for 15 days, there has been no progress in the investigation.
Turkey Today – 03.09.2024
CPT member Kamaran Osman announced that Turkey bombed the territory of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq 24 times last night.
Eda Önal, the lawyer of ill prisoner Abdulkadir Kuday, stated that her client was not given water and his food was thrown in front of him.
Tuba Sert, who is being held in Manavgat Prison, said that guards threatened prisoner Zilan Demir and subjected her to psychological violence.
Nationalist youth group Turkey Youth Union (TGB) “physically attacked” two U.S. soldiers in civilian clothes in western Turkey, the U.S. Embassy in Turkey and the local governor’s office said, adding that 15 assailants had been detained over the incident.
In Artvin province, one villager was killed and two people were wounded in an armed attack by the company workers against the villagers who wanted to stop the teams coming to cut trees for the recreation area project to be built in the forest area.
Turkey Today – 02.09.2024
Former AKP MP Külünk warned President Erdoğan that the latter’s popularity was declining following the local election defeat, and called on him to leave the presidency “at the peak.”
Security camera footage captured the violence of the police while conducting GBT on young people in Batman.
Prisoners Hüseyin Sürgeç and Ersan Nazlıer in Maltepe Type L Prison were transferred to another prison without informing their families.
The release of Ataş Göbe, a 30-year prisoner in Bolu Type F Prison, was prevented for the second time because he refused to accept the “remorse” imposition.
Ebubekir Şahin, the head of Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), announced that new regulations would be introduced for street interviews and YouTube, requiring those who produce news and programs on the platform to obtain a license.
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Turkey Today – 01.09.2024
Three Kurds from Duhok/KRI were attacked by a racist mob in Istanbul because they spoke Kurdish to each other. 45-year-old Hakim Lokman was stabbed in the heart and two of his cousins were injured.
In Mardin’s Nusaybin district, eight villages and the surrounding area have been declared a restricted military area. The Turkish air force has bombed the Bagok mountain range.
President Erdoğan’s advisor Ayhan Ogan threatened the opposition for those who act “outrageously” and said, “Social memory records their behaviors, the state takes note of them. Illegitimate uprisings will be crushed very hard.”
The release of 32-year prisoners Aydın Kudat and Abdurrahman Güner was prevented for the 4th time.
Human rights activists demanded the immediate release of seriously ill prisoners Abdulkadir Kuday and Ayhan Aykaç.