Turkey Weekly 27 – 31 January 2025
Turkey Today – 31.01.2025
Turkey-backed SNA attacked Zirgan City in Northern Syria. Turkey also continues its attacks on the areas around the Tishreen dam.
Thousands marched against the appointment of a trustee to Siirt municipality.
The fifth hearing in the trial of detained lawyer Dilek Ekmekçi, who is facing charges of “membership in a terrorist organization,” was held in Istanbul. The court sentenced Dilek Ekmekçi to 1 year and 13 months for “knowingly and willingly aiding an illegal organisation”. Ekmekçi was released with a ban on leaving the country.
Mazlum Akpolat (Mazlum Jinda), a Kurdish musician sentenced to 22 months and 15 days in prison for singing a Kurdish song, was arrested.
Turkey Today – 30.01.2025
The Istanbul Bar Association has denounced the arrest of board member Ferit Epözdemir, calling it part of a wave of arbitrary detentions, while lawyers rallied at the Istanbul Courthouse in support. Bar President Kaboğlu warned against threats to justice.
HDP former Amed MP Dersim Dağ was detained at Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Dağ was released afterwards.
Ill prisoner Abdulsamet Burak, who was transferred to Adana Suluca High Security Prison, was not given food during the 3-day transfer.
A military delegation visited Syria yesterday for technical discussions aimed at enhancing defense and security cooperation, according to Defense Ministry Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry announced that three Turkish citizens, who had been out of contact for some time, were killed in by an Israeli airstrike while attempting to cross from Lebanon into Israel.
Journalist Suat Toktaş were arrested, journalists Barış Pehlivan and Kürşad Oğuz were released on judicial control conditions.
Turkey Today – 29.01.2025
Sofya Alağaş, DEM Party co-mayor of Siirt, was dismissed and replaced by the local governor.
In Kobanê, two people have been killed and two others seriously injured as a result of a Turkish drone attack on their home. Yesterday, 13 people died in a Turkish attack on a weekly market in Sirrin.
President Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and MİT Director İbrahim met with the Hamas delegation in Ankara.
Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş and Programme Coordinator Kürşad Oğuz were taken to testify.
The 7th hearing of the case in which journalist Hayri Demir is being retried on charges of “membership in an organization” was held in Ankara. Trial postponed to April.
CHP leader Özgür Özel announced that they launched the process to name the main opposition’s presidential candidate for the next election and it would be concluded in coming months.
Turkey Today – 28.01.2025
Siirt Co-Mayor Sofya Alağaş was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison.
Turkey bombed a village in Kobane. 3 people from the same family, including 1 child, were killed, 4 people were injured. The areas around the Tishreen dam were also bombed.
MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli said, “It is my sincere wish that the expected call is announced as soon as possible” and called for “Come, leave it to your own will, declare that you regret it and that this struggle will never yield results”.
AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said “The visit traffic has been completed. What is expected from now on is the emergence of the call for the liquidation of the terrorist organisation.”
Parents of Berkin Elvan have appeared in court over remarks criticizing President Erdoğan after their son’s 2013 death during the Gezi protests.
President Erdoğan, speaking at his party’s youth wing congress, once again targeted the LGBTI+ community, referring to them as a “plague.” He announced that the government would take measures to “protect the youth” in response.
Human rights advocate Şebnem Korur Fincancı has faced trial for allegedly “insulting the Turkish state” via her comments on torture during an interview. The trial was adjourned to Feb. 20 for final arguments.
Journalist Barış Pehlivan was detained by the police as he was about to go on air on Halk TV.
Turkey Today – 27.01.2025
A six-month-old baby died after an artillery attack on a residential building in Ain Issa.
Two people have been killed in a Turkish airstrike in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The couple were reportedly travelling on foot to a field when they were hit by a fighter jet.
Four people were killed in a Turkish drone attack and another person was injured.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for a “joint effort” to combat IS and the PKK after talks in Baghdad. He pressed Iraq to label the PKK a terrorist group and discussed intelligence cooperation. Iraq warned against Turkish attacks on Syrian Kurds.Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu says same expert assigned to all investigations into CHP-run municipalities, filing reports against them.
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Turkey Weekly 20 – 26 January 2025
Turkey Today – 26.01.2025
Three members of the same family, a 1-year-old baby and a 12-year-old boy, were wounded in the Turkish bombardment of al-Jamas village east of Eyn Îsa.
The people on watch at the Tişrîn Dam were targeted again. Turkey’s Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) attacked the people. It was stated that there were wounded.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed “border security” and “commercial relations” in their meeting in Baghdad.
Turkey bombed a house in Zaxo in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In Duhok, a car belonging to the Pesmerga forces was attacked.
Mehmet Kırdağ, a prisoner in Kırşehir S Type Closed Prison, stated in his weekly phone call with his family that prisoners have been on hunger strike for 3 weeks against ill-treatment in prison.
Turkey Today – 25.01.2025
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Iraq for talks with officials on the fight against Kurdish fighters, security issues and bilateral ties, a Turkish diplomatic source said.
There was also a drone attack on the Tishreen Dam area today. Several civilians were injured.
The Council of State, which previously annulled the General Directorate of Security’s circular banning the recording of police images and voices, has now rejected the appeal.
A prosecutor’s office pressed new charges against Mısra Öz Sel, the mother of the Çorlu train accident’s youngest victim, for “insulting public officials.” The indictment cited her courtroom remarks and criticism.
In the 1035th week of their protests, Saturday Mothers asked for the fate of HADEP district chair Serdar Tanış and district executive Ebubekir Deniz, who never returned from Silopi Gendarmerie Command where they went on 25 January 2001.
Turkey Today – 24.01.2025
Turkish police have detained Istanbul Bar board member Fırat Epözdemir at Istanbul Airport over alleged “terrorist group membership,” citing his involvement in a 2015 WhatsApp group. The move followed a lawsuit seeking the dismissal of the bar leadership.
Turkey and its affiliated groups continue to attack northern Syria. Villages in the small Christian town of Til Temir were particularly affected.
Within the scope of the investigation in which manager Ayşe Barım was detained due to the “Gezi Resistance”, actors Halit Ergenç, Dolunay Soysert, Mehmet Günsür and Rıza Kocaoğlu were also called to testify.
The ECHR ruled that the freedom of expression of TRT cameraman Binali Erdoğan, who was sentenced to prison for “insulting the President”, was violated.
Turkey Today – 23.01.2025
Another drone attack by Turkey and its jihadist proxy force SNA against the vigil at the Tişrîn Dam has killed a civilian and injured at least 22 other people.
During the trustee protests in Akdeniz district of Mersin, two days ago the police hit 20-year-old Furkan Özen with an armoured vehicle. He was then beaten and detained.
The number of people detained as part of the investigation on Turkey’s ski resort fire increased to 11, including a deputy mayor and the head of the municipality’s fire department. The death toll increased to 79.
The screening of the documentary Bellekvari, focused on the history of Turkey’s first and only LGBTI+ film festival, KuirFest, has been banned by the Ankara Governor’s Office.
Turkey Today – 22.01.2025
DEM Party delegation held a 4-hour meeting with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Prison. The delegation will make a statement tomorrow.
Journalist Eylem Babayiğit was arrested at her home in the late hours of yesterday evening and taken to Istanbul Police Headquarters.
The letter of Ferhat Önkol, held in Konya Prison, in which he wrote about the violations he experienced in prison was interpreted as “disrupt the unity and territorial integrity of the state”.
A court has arrested far-right Victory Party leader Ümit Özdağ over the charges of “public incitement to hatred and enmity.”
Turkey Today – 21.01.2025
Turkey has once again attacked the area around the Tişrin Dam. 4 journalists were injured. Turkey also targeted an olive factory during an airstrike in Sirîn town of Kobanê.
At least 25 people from the Socialist Party of the Oppressed have been arrested in Istanbul. Trade unionists and a journalist are also in custody.
The police detained Mertcan Üreten, CHP’s Yunusemre Municipal Council Member in Manisa province, for sharing Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s under-investigation remarks.
Seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Çam was taken back to prison without being treated because he refused to be handcuffed.
Turkey Today – 20.01.2025
Turkey bombed a water reservoir in Tirbespiye city in Northern Syria.
12 bar associations reacted to the Turkish attacks on the Tishreen Dam stating “Civilians must be protected under all circumstances”.
Despite the lack of a detention order, Turkish main opposition CHP’s youth branch head Cem Aydın was taken to a courthouse with eight police officers to testify within the investigation launched against him for criticizing Istanbul prosecutor Akın Gürlek.
Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu is facing an investigation for saying “We will dismantle (this mindset) so that no one can take your children from your house in the morning,” while addressing prosecutor Gürlek and criticizing CHP youth branch head’s detention.
Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was commemorated on the 18th anniversary of his murder. A large crowd attended a ceremony held outside his former office in Istanbul, where the journalist was gunned down.
6 journalists detained through an Istanbul based investigation on the grounds of their professional activities were sent to prison.
The Turkish account of Mezopotamya Agency with 263,500 followers was blocked in Turkey and the new account they opened was also suspended by X.
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Turkey Today 13 – 19 January 2025
Turkey Today – 19.01.2025
Following Saturday’s drone attack on the vigil at Tişrîn Dam, two wounded people have died of their injuries. This brings the death toll to six.
The Turkish army targeted an ambulance in near the Tişrîn dam. The ambulance was transporting an injured person when it became the target of an attack.
DEM Party Imrali Delegation will apply to the Ministry of Justice tomorrow for a second meeting with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
President Erdoğan has stated that the ongoing peace process neared its final stage, and its completion would be a victory for “all of Turkey.”
Turkey Today – 18.01.2025
Four participants in the civilian peace vigil at Tişrîn Dam were killed in renewed Turkish drone attacks and 15 other people were injured.
A water pumping station has been damaged in an artillery attack on a village near Ain Issa in Northern Syria. The water supply in several dozen villages has been interrupted.
Cengiz Holding continues tree-cutting in western Turkey’s Kaz Mountains despite court order.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1034 and sought justice for Abdullah Canan, who was tortured to death under custody 29 years ago.
Turkey Today – 17.01.2025
Qamişlo in northeast Syria has been rocked by two explosions. The cause was a Turkish drone attack in a busy neighbourhood.
Journalists Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Ahmet Güneş, Necla Demir and Rahime Karvar were detained during police raids in Istanbul, Van and Mersin.
The Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) launched the campaign “1 million signatures for peace”.
Thousands gathered in front of Beşiktaş Municipality to protest the government for the detention of Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat.
Turkey Today – 16.01.2025
At least one person, the driver of a Kurdish Red Crescent ambulance, was killed and 10 injured, when the sit-in at the Tishreen Dam in northern Syria was bombed at least twice by Turkish warplanes today.
22 people were sentenced for attending the funeral of Mîr Perwer, a singer who was murdered in Paris in 2023. 21 of them were sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison.
MHP has withdrawn its complaint against former CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu who said, “The YPG are children protecting their homeland.” Kılıçdaroğlu was facing a lawsuit on the charge of “praising crime and criminal”.
The second hearing of the trial, in which 10 individuals are charged with “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911” for protesting alleged irregularities during the 2023 Presidential Election voting process, was held in Ankara. Trial postponed to February.
The 7th hearing of the trial, in which journalists Zeynep Kuray is charged for “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”, was held in Istanbul. The court ruled for her acquittal.
Turkey Today – 15.01.2025
President Erdoğan vowed to crush the YPG militia and Islamic State in Syria, urging countries to stop supporting them. He reiterated Turkey’s readiness for a cross-border operation if demands for disbanding the YPG are unmet.
Turkish warplanes bombed Tishreen Dam and its surroundings. 3 people were killed, 17 injured.
DEM Party’s İmralı delegation will make a written statement on 17 January regarding their visits.
The ECHR has ruled that Turkey violated freedom of expression in a case for Saide İnanç, sentenced for “insulting the president.” The local court refused the ECHR’s retrial request, citing a lack of action by the Justice Ministry.
A Turkish court sentenced musician Kasım Taşdoğan to a 30-months in prison for “spreading terrorism propaganda” by performing three Kurdish songs. A local court had overturned Taşdoğan’s 2024 acquittal.
Turkey Today – 14.01.2025
The defendant Mehmet Beyazıt, who attacked the HDP Istanbul Provincial Organisation building twice, was only fined 17,820 Turkish Liras.
As part of an investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office into a crime syndicate, Rıza Akpolat, the CHP mayor of Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district, was taken into custody.
Prisoner Kenan Kaya, who had a heart attack twice in prison, said that he was not given his medication and was “left to die”.
AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik stated that “paving the way for Erdoğan to run for a fourth term in office is on our agenda,” despite the constitutional limit of two terms for the presidency.
Turkey Today – 13.01.2025The Ministry of Interior announced that a trustee was appointed to the Akdeniz municipality.
Turkish warplanes have bombed several locations in the south of Kobane, including a cement factory.
The police attacked the people protesting the appointment of a trustee in Mersin’s Akdeniz district.
In a joint statement, 30 bar associations emphasised that the trustee practice was a violation of law and democracy and called for the reinstatement of co-mayors and council members.
Cengiz Dündar, co-mayor of Diyarbakır’s Kayapınar district, who was arrested on 30 November 2024 through an Ankara based investigation and was kept in Sincan Prison, was released.
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Turkey Weekly 6 – 12 January 2025
Turkey Today – 12.01.2025
President Erdoğan has stated that a “great consensus” between political parties had emerged regarding the new Kurdish opening. Erdoğan said new developments in the Middle East opened “a new and important window of opportunity before our country to end the scourge of terrorism.”
Imprisoned HDP former Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş has expressed support for Abdullah Öcalan’s peace efforts, urging transparency, societal peace, and quick, confidence-building actions during a visit from a DEM Party delegation at Edirne Prison.
Today, DEM Party İmralı Delegation visited former HDP Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ in prison.
During a rally, CHP chair Özel showed a “red card” to President Erdoğan, criticizing the hike in the pensions and minimum wage, which were lower than the annual inflation rate.
Turkey Today – 11.01.2025
Turkish warplanes targeted a family in Mesreb village of Sirrin city in the evening hours . In the attack, 3 people, including 2 children, were killed and 5 children were wounded.
Turkish warplanes continue to bomb many places around the Tishreen dam.
Citizens gathered in front of Akdeniz Municipality against the attempt to appoint a trustee. Yesterday the DEM Co-Mayors were detained.
A large convoy of armoured vehicles belonging to Turkey was sent to Amediye district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
In the 1033rd week of their protests, Saturday Mothers demanded justice for 11 people who were murdered 29 years ago in Güçlükonak district of Şırnak.
Turkey Today – 10.01.2025
A court dismissed charges against seven defendants, including Ogün Samast, convicted of murdering Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, citing the statute of limitations for the charge of “committing crimes on behalf of an armed criminal organization.”
A march in Van honoured Rojin Kabaiş, who was found dead after disappearing. Her father and activists criticized the investigation’s lack of transparency and demanded accountability regarding her death.
Following President Erdoğan’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family” in opposition to LGBTI+ communities, the Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) included statements targeting LGBTI+ individuals in Friday sermons delivered in mosques across the country.
Residents who attended the meeting at Başakşehir Municipal Council regarding the urban transformation decision taken due to the Kanal Istanbul project were physically assaulted by the AKP members.
Turkey Today – 09.01.2025
After a drone attack on a substation the entire power grid has collapsed in a municipality in the canton of Tabqa in Syria. Grain silos were bombed in Ain Issa.
Three opposition parties in the Turkish Parliament—Future Party, Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), and Felicity Party—have reached an agreement to merge under a single umbrella party.
Access to the news websites of Gazete Patika, ETHA, Mücadele Birliği, Kızıl Bayrak, Özgür Gelecek, Umut Newspaper and Yeni Demokrasi Newspaper were blocked. The decision taken by Ankara 10th Criminal Judicature of Peace on 8 January 2025 was based on the grounds of “protection of national security and public order”.
Two workers have died in a collapse during a sewer project in Polatlı, Ankara. Police detained a construction supervisor, and Ankara officials stated judicial and administrative investigations were ongoing.
Turkey Today – 08.01.2025
Turkish combat drones have attacked a civilian convoy near the Tişrîn Dam in Syria. Several people were killed and injured.
Foreign Minister Fidan stated that a military operation in Syria would be conducted if YPG leaders do not leave Syria and their cadres fail to disarm.
DEM Party Hakkari MP Öznur Bartın has brought the issue of women prisoners in Sincan Women’s Closed Prison being housed in sunless, damp and smelly wards to the Human Rights Monitoring Commission.
Eğitim Sen Union has filed a lawsuit to cancel the most recent agreement between the Education Ministry and the nationalist Grey Wolves, calling the move alarming and accusing the ministry of enabling nationalist and reactionary groups in education.
A court has released Lieutenant Y.A. from prison a few days after he shot without warning and killed 34-year-old Seyithan Durdu in eastern Van province for allegedly smuggling people across the border.
Turkey Today – 07.01.2025
DEM Party İmralı Delegation met with the delegation headed by CHP Chairman Özgür Özel about the İmralı visit.
DEM Party also met DEVA Party chair Ali Babacan.
The remains of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were killed in Syria, will be handed over at the Semelka Border Crossing between Syria and Iraq. However, the delegation from Turkey has not been allowed to pass into Iraq for 18 hours.
Lawyers for detained and ousted Mayor Ahmet Özer from the main opposition CHP petitioned the Constitutional Court, citing violations of basic rights and prolonged detention without an indictment.
Prisoners in Kırıklar Type F Closed Prison No 1 have been poisoned by food poisoning for the second time in a month.
Turkey Today – 06.01.2025
80 bar associations reacted against the acquittal of the police officers in the Tahir Elçi case and said “We will not give up the struggle for truth and justice”.
3 women prisoners who were previously beaten in Patnos Type L Closed Prison were transferred to different prisons. Families learnt that their relatives were transferred during open meetings.
The DEM Party İmralı Delegation met with the delegation headed by Abdullah Güler, AK Party Group Chairman, about the İmralı visit.
DEM Party İmralı Delegation also met with the delegation headed by Mahmut Arıkan, Chairman of Saadet Party, about the İmralı visit and Ahmet Davutoğlu, chair of Gelecek Party.
President Erdoğan asserted that Syria’s new leadership is resolute in eliminating separatists.
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Turkey Weekly 30 Dec – 04 January 2025
Turkey Today – 04.01.2025
Foreign Minister Fidan has stated that his country is the “protector” of all aggrieved groups in Syria, “Nusayris, Alawites, Yazidis, Christians, whoever they are.” He noted that Turkey would “stand by whoever is persecuted.”
Access to the X accounts of Mezopotamya Agency, JINNEWS and Yeni Yaşam newspaper has been blocked in Turkey.
Emine Şenyaşar, who participated in the vigil at the Kobanê border says, “I struggled for 7 years and could not stop sayin ‘justice’. I will continue to say ‘justice’ for Kobanê”
Xenophobic Turkish mayor faces investigation for admitting ‘unlawful’ anti-refugee regulations.
Social media influencer Murat Övüç has been detained on charges of “insulting religious values” due to a post in which he wore a headscarf.
Turkey Today – 03.01.2025
Yesterday, Turkish warplanes conducted five intensive airstrikes on the Tishreen Dam and its surrounding villages in Northern Syria.
The appeal against the acquittal verdict for the police officers involved in the murder of Diyarbakır Bar Association President Tahir Elçi was rejected.
Saturday Mothers/People gathered at Galatasaray Square for the 1032nd time today to demand the fate of Ayhan and Ali Efeoğlu, who were disappeared under custody in Istanbul 1992 and 1994.
Turkey Today – 02.01.2025
In Tabqa, an administrative building of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has been bombed by a Turkish drone.
Rohat Güvercin, a member of the DEM Party’s Youth Council, has been arrested on terror charges.
Electricity was cut at a container city in Turkey’s Hatay province housing quake-affected teachers and families due to unpaid bills, reportedly by the state-run disaster agency AFAD.
Van Bar Association stated that the arrest of only one of the suspects in the death of Seyithan Durdu, who lost his life due to the fire opened from a military vehicle, raises suspicion that the investigation was not carried out effectively.
Turkey Today – 01.01.2025
Five days after the visit to Abdullah Öcalan on Imrali, the delegation of the DEM party met with the speaker of parliament Numan Kurtulmuş (AKP) and the MHP chair Devlet Bahçeli.
In a village in Zakho in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two parked cars were shot at by a Turkish drone. There were no casualties.
Thousands of people marched to the border in Mardin’s Nusaybin district as part of the 21-day long vigil against the attacks of Turkey and the Syrian National Army (SNA) against North and East Syria.
Mazlum Aksaç, a prisoner in Erzurum Dumlu Prison No 2, was subjected to ill-treatment because he refused to be examined in handcuffs.
Turkey Today – 30.12.2024
“We are more hopeful compared to the previous processed. We will make a comprehensive statement in the new year” said DEM Party delegation, who went to İmralı on 28 December.
In the east of Ain Issa in northern Syria, the site of an Asayîş checkpoint was attacked by a suspected Turkish drone. No one was injured, but there was material damage.
The access denied on Mezopotamya Agency’s domain name was issued upon the request of Bitlis Provincial Gendarmerie Command.
Mezopotamya Women Journalists Association (MKG) and Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) sent books and New Year cards to 7 journalists who were arrested for participating in a press statement for journalists Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan who were killed by Turkish UCAV in North and East Syria.