Turkey Today – 30.11.2024
Dersim Co-Mayor Birsen Orhan, replaced by a trustee, was under house arrest. While giving a statement to the prosecutor she was arrested.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation against CHP chair Özgür Özel for remarks targeting Prosecutor Akın Gürlek who approved the “terrorism” lawsuit against the party’s Esenyurt mayor.
A protester has interrupted President Erdoğan during his speech about Gaza, accusing him of breaching the trade embargo imposed upon Israel. Erdoğan firmly dismissed the protester, accusing her of being a “mouthpiece of Zionists.”
Turkey Today – 29.11.2024
Ayvaz Hazır, co-mayor of Van’s Bahçesaray district, was sentenced to 3 years and 11 months in prison for “committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organisation without being a member of an illegal organisation” and a trustee was appointed to the municipality.
Dersim Municipality trustee Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu dismissed deputy mayors Mustafa Taşkale and Ümit Kaya and appointed AKP member Ali Tekataş in their place.
5 journalist, who were detained through an investigation in Eskişehir, were referred to the court with the demand of arrest after their testifies at the prosecutor’s office.
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız called for a new regulation for trustee mayoral appointments in the laws regarding elections and political parties.
Turkey Today – 28.11.2024
Batman Co-mayors Gülistan Sönük and Yeşil Işık and municipality council members were prevented from entering the municipality by the police.
In the final hearing of the case against 31 members of HDK, DBP, and DEM Party, 21 people were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months each and 3 people were sentenced to 1 year and 3 months each.
According to the report prepared by IHD Mersin Branch, ill prisoners are prevented from accessing health care and releases are postponed with the decisions of the Administration and Observation Board.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said 11 prisons are under construction and projects for 21 prisons are being studied.
Following criticism of television series by President Erdoğan, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed penalties on four TV dramas and issued fines to several news programms aired on opposition channels.
Turkey Today – 27.11.2024
The Ministry of Justice accepted the DEM Party’s application to visit Öcalan.
Police raids in Şirnak, Dersim and Diyarbakır with arrests were also carried out today.
The Ministry of Interior announced that yesterday 231 people, including journalists and writers, were detained in house raids in 30 provinces. The detention of more than 200 people was protested in many cities.
The detention period for nine journalists, including bianet reporter Tuğçe Yılmaz, has been extended for one day.
CHP has condemned a presidential decree that would decrease funds allocated to municipalities from the national budget. Deputy Chair Gökan Zeybek criticized the regulation, accusing the government of hindering municipalities.
Turkey Today – 25.11.2024
Authorities in İstanbul have imposed restrictions on public transportation in Taksim ahead of planned Nov 25 demonstrations marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
The government has requested the closure of municipality-run daycare centers, citing legal rulings. The CHP operates more than 650 daycare centers nationwide. Party leaders criticized the decision as politically motivated, warning it would hurt families and working mothers.
Canadian journalist Neil Hauer was denied entry to Turkey. The Armenia-based journalist suggested that the entry ban might be related to his reporting on Azerbaijan’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh.Adana Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation against those who were beaten during the police attack on the trustee protest on the charge “resisting to prevent the fullfill of duty”.
Turkey Weekly 18 – 24 November 2024
Turkey Today – 24.11.2024
In the attack of paramilitary structures supported by Turkey against Efrin-Shahba, 1 person died and 3 children were wounded, one of them seriously.
Birsen Orhan, co-mayor of Dersim Municipality, who was replaced with a trustee, was referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace on Duty with the demand of arrest.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan commented on the rising tensions between Russia and the West, and said there was a risk of nuclear war, “this is not a joke.”
President Erdoğan held a telephone conversation with Russian President Putin on bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia as well as regional and global issues.
At the 9th Ordinary Congress of the Felicity Party, Mahmut Arıkan became the new chairman of the party.
Turkey Today – 23.11.2024
Diyarbakır Governorate banned the slogan “Jin, jyan, azadî” before an event organized by the Free Women’s Movement (TJA) in Diyarbakır.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has blamed the murders of 32 women on the victims for “opening the door” to their murderers and “not obeying our warning.”
CHP’s former chair Kılıçdaroğlu attended and testified in the first hearing of the lawsuit filed against him for “insulting” Erdoğan over his 2014-dated remarks. He is facing a political ban and an 11-year prison sentence.
Demonstrations for ill prisoners were held in Ankara and Istanbul on 25 November to draw attention to the situation of ill women prisoners and demand their release.
Serhat Ayar, who was detained in Batman during the protests against the trustee, was arrested despite his 84 per cent disability report.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1026 asking the fate of Hayrettin Eren, who disappeared in detention 44 years ago.
Turkey Today – 22.11.2024
A trustee has been appointed to Dersim and Ovacik municipalities.
Former Sakarya Garrison Commander Colonel Fahri Can Çağlar, who was arrested for sexually assaulting soldiers under his command, was sentenced to 44 years in prison.
The Co-Chair of the Human Rights Association in Batman said protesters detained during demonstrations against the removal of Batman’s mayor were reportedly subjected to mistreatment, including being forced to listen to a nationalist song, “Ölürüm Türkiyem,”.
After a meeting with MIT Chief Ibrahim Kalın CHP Chair Özgür Özel said this cooperation is specific to membership applications for the party’s overseas offices and aims to prevent infiltration by ISIS, the Gülenists, and the PKK.
The 4th hearing of the retrial against Osman Akın, Responsible Editor-in-Chief of Yeni Yaşam newspaper, was held in Istanbul. Akın, accused of “publicly degrading the military or security organization of the state”, was acquitted.
Turkey Today – 21.11.2024
DEM Party Esenyurt District Co-Chairs Rojda Yılmaz and Abdullah Arınan were arrested.
The commission minutes, chaired by AKP member Mehmet Muş, who claimed that no language other than Turkish was included in the minutes and that there was no ban on Kurdish, included English words and expressions.
President Erdoğan has expressed opposition to the United States’ decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to target inside Russia, warning that this move could escalate the conflict.
The Constitutional Court has annulled a law provision that allows the Interior Ministry to deny passports to those whose departure from the country is deemed impermissible.
MHP has announced that three of its deputies resigned from the party upon its request. Three figures allegedly involved in gold smuggling.
Turkey Today – 20.11.2024
Dersim Co-Mayor Cevdet Konak (DEM Party) and Ovacik mayor Mustafa Sarıgül (CHP) were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison.
Speaking in front of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, DEM Party Women’s Assembly Spokesperson Halide Türkoğlu pointed out that a woman is murdered every 10 minutes and emphasized the implementation of current laws.
PKK Central Council member Helin Ümit has denied the claim made in the Turkish media that the Kurdistan Freedom Movement has rejected a proposal by Abdullah Öcalan to resolve the Kurdish question.
Police disrupt Transgender Day of Remembrance event in Istanbul. Officers conducted background checks on trans+ activists, citizens, lokma vendors, and bianet journalist Tuğçe Yılmaz.
Politician Selahattin Demirtaş has stated that he would want to play a role in a possible peace process but he could not “as long as he is in prison.”
Turkey Today – 19.11.2024
The trustee of Batman Municipality hung a banner reading “One state, one flag, one nation, one homeland” at the entrance of the municipality and stationed police on every floor of the municipality.
The United States issued a warning to Turkey regarding the hosting of Hamas leadership, stating that Washington did not believe that leaders of a “designated terrorist organization should be living comfortably.”
The phone of prisoner Şaban Kaygusuz, who spoke Kurdish during his weekly phone call, was cut off after a warning that “speaking Kurdish is forbidden”.
Lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz, who was arrested for his professional activities, was subjected to disciplinary proceedings for greeting and hugging his client H.A., who is in the same prison.
CHP Chair Özel criticized the government for appointing a trustee to Istanbul’s Esenyurt district municipality, calling it an “occupation.” He declared the vigil would continue until previous mayor Ahmet Özer returned to duty.
Turkey Today – 18.11.2024
The DEM Party’s branch in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district has been searched by the police and books and pictures have been confiscated.
DEM Esenyurt District Co-Chairs Rojda Yılmaz and Abdullah Arınan were detained at the police station where they went to testify.
Journalist Furkan Karabay, who was arrested on Nov 9 over a news report and social media posts regarding the investigation into detained Esenyurt Mayor Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özer, has been released following a court decision.
Stating that unlawful detentions were made during the trustee protests in Mardin, ÖHD Branch Co-Chair Lawyer Lokman Emen stated that detainees were threatened with sexual assault.
Lawyer Dilek Ekmekçi, who was arrested last month, has announced the beginning of an indefinite hunger strike. Ekmekçi claims she has been targeted and imprisoned as part of a conspiracy due to her activism.
Turkey Weekly 11 – 17 November 2024
Turkey Today – 17.11.2024
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Batman for a “democracy and peace” rally. They protested against the appointment of trustees and in favour of a democratic solution to the Kurdish question involving Abdullah Öcalan.
The Turkish army has put a new checkpoint into operation in Amedi in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Due to its strategic location on the western front of the Zap region, the checkpoint plays an important role in Turkey’s military strategy.
Meeting with Ahmet Türk, Co-Mayor of Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, who was replaced by a trustee, Future Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoğlu emphasized that bridges of dialogue should not be broken.
A series of concerts by Kurdish musicians are being banned in Turkey. A performance by the artist Xecê in Kars announced for today has been cancelled by the governor.
Turkey Today – 16.11.2024
Russia’s special envoy to Syria said it was too soon for Turkey and Syria to hold presidential talks, citing unresolved issues like Turkey’s military presence in Syria and its support for opposition groups.
Ekrem İmamoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Communities of Turkey, visited Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Ahmet Türk and Devrim Demir and reacted against the trustees.
The MHP has announced that it will propose a law to set new criteria for MPs and mayors.
24 people, including 6 children, were detained during house raids in Batman in the morning.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square for the 1025th time and demanded justice for Ali Tekdağ, who was abducted 33 years ago in Diyarbakır and disappeared in custody.
Writers, politicians, journalists and artists came together to draw attention to the oppression against the Free Press and gave the message that they will oppose the oppression with the spirit and will of the 90s.
Turkey Today – 15.11.2024
Turkey has been offered partner country status by the BRICS group of nations, according to Trade Minister Ömer Bolat.
Şaban Kaygusuz, a 90 percent disabled prisoner who is missing one hand and one leg, stated that he was held in solitary cell and his request for transfer was rejected without justification.
Seher Dursun, the lawyer of 30-year prisoner Elif Yaş, announced that her release was postponed for 6 months due to her negative answer to the question “Have you ever thought of moving to an independent ward?” by the Administration and Observation Board.
Following investigations into event expenditures by CHP-led Ankara and Istanbul municipalities, both opposition mayors disclosed that former AKP mayors had incurred even higher costs for fewer events.
Turkey Today – 14.11.2024
Human Rights Association Co-Chair Hüseyin Küçükbalaban has called for civil society organizations to be allowed to meet with Abdullah Öcalan and stated that the association delegation will make an application to go to İmralı Island.
Lawyers from the Asrın Law Office have made a new application for a meeting with their client Abdullah Öcalan.
Authorities in Ankara and Istanbul have launched investigations into the expenditures of CHP-led metropolitan municipalities in these provinces for events they organized.
President Erdoğan stated that Turkey is open to collaborating with Elon Musk on technological ventures if suitable opportunities for cooperation emerge after Musk was named as one of the figures in the Trump administration.
AKP founding member Hüseyin Çelik has criticized the presidential system and said the AKP became dependent on the MHP because of the absolute majority rule to elect a president.
Turkey Today – 13.11.2024
A child was injured in a Turkish drone attack on a village in Efrîn-Şehba in northern Syria.
The Turkish army has shelled the village of Baz as part of the military operation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
According to MA Turkey begins construction of a new road in Guherze to expand its offensive in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Many people, including children, were detained in simultaneous raids in Wan.
Serap Ergin, mother of Yunus Emre Ergin, who is being held in İslahiye T Type Closed Prison, said that although the prisoners were poisoned by the food they ate, they were not treated.
Prisoner Mehmet Faruk Engin, who was beaten in Kırşehir High Security Prison after he was subjected to strip search, was not given a medical report.
Turkey Today – 12.11.2024
Turkey has been pressing the United States to reassess its cooperation with Kurdish forces in Syria, with President Erdoğan suggesting the possibility of launching a new military operation across the border.
President Erdoğan and his Syrian counterpart Assad attended the extraordinary joint summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League in Riyadh.
AKP and MHP MPs, who aim to pass the “agents of influence” law, have signed a NATO declaration opposing a similar regulation introduced in Georgia, calling it a “threat to democracy.”
A decision of “nolle pros” was made in the criminal complaint of 64-year-old Adle Samur, who was subjected to strip search and violence in detention.
The 4th hearing of the lawsuit filed against BirGün newspaper columnist Gözde Bedeloğlu due to “insulting a public official for his duty” upon the complaint of MHP Antep MP Sermet Atay was held in Istanbul. The court sentenced BirGün newspaper columnist Gözde Bedeloğlu to 7,800 TL judicial fine.
Turkey Today – 11.11.2024
A new investigation was launched against Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who was replaced by a trustee, for “financing the organization”.
The council members of Mêrdîn Metropolitan Municipality, to which a trustee was appointed, held their meeting in front of the municipality building.
Diyarbakır Governorate announced that Kurşunludüzü and Görese Mountain regions in rural areas of Dicle district have been declared as “temporary special security zones” for 8 days.
A court has ruled for the four defendants’ continued detention in the first hearing of 8-year-old Narin Güran’s murder case. Güran was found dead 19 days after going missing in September.
Commenting on the government’s seeming reconciliation efforts with the PKK, former AKP deputy Metiner said, “Why should we deny Hizbollah the chance we gave to the PKK?” He argued that the former is not currently in a war with the state unlike the latter.
Turkey Weekly 3 – 10 November 2024
Turkey Today – 10.11.2024
A vehicle has been bombed by a Turkish drone in Şengal. Casualties are feared.
DEM MP Ceylan Akça stated that young people arrested in Batman while protesting against the trustee were tortured.
PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s family applied to Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and İmralı Prison Directorate demanding a meeting.
CHP MP Salıcı demanded a party leadership congress, criticizing party leader Özel’s “normalization” policies with President Erdoğan. In response, the CHP Spokesperson said Salıcı’s remarks were a result of “sheer arrogance and rabid ambition.”
Turkey Today – 09.11.2024
The house of Mehmet Erol, a member of the Municipality Assembly, was raided in connection with the protests against the trustee appointed to Batman Municipality, and his son Medeni Erol (25), who is 70 per cent mentally disabled, was detained . Erol was released on house arrest conditions.
3 of 9 people including representatives of political parties and civil society organisations who were detained in Izmir on 7 November were arrested.
President Erdoğan expressed hope that US President-elect Donald Trump would urge Israel to stop its military actions. He also suggested that the war in Ukraine could be resolved quickly if the US administration adopts a solution-focused approach.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1024 and sought the fate of Mehmet Şirin Bayram and Ramazan Tekin, who were forcibly disappeared under police detention 28 years ago.
Turkey Today – 08.11.2024
President Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated the judiciary on the appointment of trustees to municipalities.
People calling themselves police officers pulled a gun on journalists and tried to detain Yeni Yaşam Newspaper employee Veysi Akören.
5 people were detained in house raids in Mardin.
Prisoner in the Kobanê Case Aynur Aşan, has been subjected to a disciplinary investigation in the prison to which she was forcibly transferred because she objected to strip searches.
Journalist Furkan Karabay has been detained in a dawn raid on his home after over criticizing İstanbul’s chief prosecutor on social media.
President Tayyip Erdogan and Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides held an informal meeting on the sidelines of a summit in Hungary.
Turkey Today – 07.11.2024
The protestor who went viral on social media for his speech during protests following the appointment of a trustee to the Batman Municipality was taken into custody under torture by the police.
The appeal against the arrest of Esenyurt’s Mayor Ahmet Özer (CHP), who was removed from office and replaced with a trustee under the accusation of “membership in a terrorist organization,” was rejected.
President Erdogan tells his French counterpart Macron that Turkey is acting with strategic perspective towards full EU membership and underlines the need to revitalize process.
President Erdoğan has congratulated Donald Trump for his victory in the United States presidential elections, calling him a “friend.”
The streaming platform MUBI Turkey said it decided to cancel FEST Istanbul after the district governor’s office banned the screening of “Queer” movie “hours before the start of the festival.”
Turkey Today – 06.11.2024
At least 2 journalists were detained while covering protests against the appointment of trustees.
MHP chair Bahçeli called for legal regulation to allow President Erdoğan to run for office once again. He said “If terrorism is eradicated from our lives, if inflation is crushed, is it not a natural and right choice for our president to be elected once again?”
Targeting DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan’s statement regarding the trustees IYI Party Chair Musavvat Dervişoğlu threatened by saying “You will be treated the same way the Republican state treated Sheikh Sait.”
4 prisoners are on hunger strike in Sincan Prison for 54 days against the violations of their rights.
Gülistan Al, who is being held in Kayseri Bünyan Women’s Closed Prison, stated that she was subjected to verbal harassment and insults by gendarmes.
Turkey Today – 05.11.2024
Following the appointment of a trustee to the CHP-led Esenyurt District Municipality in Istanbul, trustees were also assigned to the Municipal Council. As a result, there is now no elected official remaining in the municipality.
The police used water cannons and pepper spray on protesters and detained At least 92 people during demonstrations against the appointment of trustees.
A new investigation was opened against Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who was replaced by a trustee, with the allegation of “financing an illegal organization”.
One of the first official acts of the trustee in Batman was to abolish the Kurdish section of the homepage.
16 bar associations issued a written statement condemning the appointment of trustees.
DEM Party and CHP MPs unfurled banners reading “Trusteeship is a coup against the will of the people” at the Parliament’s Plan and Budget Commission.
MHP chair Devlet Bahçeli has repeated his proposal that Abdullah Öcalan should address parliament to announce the dissolution of the PKK.
Turkey Today – 04.11.2024
The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that trustees were appointed to 3 DEM Party municipalities, citing ongoing investigations and penalties against the co-mayors.
Abdullah Güler, deputy chair of the AKP’s parliamentary group, said, “These practices will continue and are continuing within the legal framework.”
DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları stated that the trustee appointments discredited all the talks about peace that had dominated the political scene for the past month.
Batman Co-Mayor Gülistan Sönük, who was replaced by a trustee, said: “We did not and will not accept this plundering and usurping regime.”The suspicious deaths of 5 prisoners in Iğdır Type S Closed Prison in recent years have been publicized. DEM Party MP Yılmaz Hun called it “A special policy in Iğdır Type S Prison,”.
Turkey Today – 03.11.2024
President Erdoğan has filed a lawsuit against CHP chair Özgür Özel and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, demanding to be paid one million liras ($29,132) per each, for their remarks during a rally held against the removal of Esenyurt district mayor.
CHP member Gül Çiftci visited Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer in prison and Özer “thanked everyone who defended democracy and the will of the people since 30 October”.
Speaking at the Izmir congress of her party, DEM Party Spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan said to the state authorities: “If you have a politicisation programme, the address is Mr. Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Island Prison.”
Turkey Today – 02.11.2024
PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan was given a new 3-month “disciplinary punishment” on 16 October 2024, preventing him from seeing his family.
Prisoners Mehmet Savur, Selahattin Elma, Hayati Engin and Mehmet Şirin Gümüş, whose release was delayed due to their solitary confinement sentences, were released following the violation decision of the Constitutional Court.
In the 1023rd week of their protests, Saturday Mothers demanded justice for 8 people, including 3 children, some of whose bones were found 29 years after they were detained in Dargeçit 29 years ago.
4 of 20 people who were detained in house raids in Istanbul on 30 October were arrested on the allegation of “being an illegal organisation member”.
Turkey Today – 01.11.2024
The Parliament has begun budget discussions with deputies from the CHP missing, as the party boycotted the recent trustee appointment to a district municipality in Istanbul under their administration.
CHP’s former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has called on his party to quit the Parliament and “return to the nation” after the party’s Esenyurt district mayor was arrested and replaced by a trustee by the government.
Stating that the meeting in İmralı after 43 months does not mean that the isolation has been lifted, IHD Amed Branch Chair Ercan Yılmaz said: “It is important to open dialog channels, but the actors should be in positions to play their roles here.”
The house where Jinnews reporter Derya Ren was staying with Pirha News Agency reporter Kamber Yıldız in Adiyaman was raided by gendarmes.
A court sentenced Dilruba Kayserilioğlu to 11 months and 20 days in prison for “insulting the President” with her comments on a street interview. She was previously given another sentence for “insulting a segment of the public” over the same remarks.