Turkey Weekly 24 -30 March 2025
Turkey Today – 30.03.2025
Despite the ceasefire declared by the Kurdistan Workers Party on 1 March, Turkey’s attacks against the Kurdistan Region of Iraq continue.
Sharing his Eid message, President Erdoğan said, “Our global, regional and domestic dynamics offer us a more favourable ground for the successful conclusion of such a process than ever before.”
Presidential Advisor Mehmet Uçum targeted the street protests that have been going on since 19 March: “Nihilist acts of civil disobedience are aimed at chaos.”
Former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu visited Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is under arrest in Silivri Prison.
Turkey Today – 29.03.2025
The Turkish parliament has received requests to lift the immunity of 11 members of parliament, mainly in connection with allegations of terrorism.
Mehmet Pehlivan, Ekrem İmamoğlu’s lawyer, was arrested yesterday. Pehlivan was released today on judicial control measures.
Swedish journalist Joakim Medin from the Dagens ETC newspaper was arrested in Turkey for “terror organization membership” and “insulting the president.” He was sent to Maltepe Prison in Istanbul.
In Istanbul, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to demand the release of imprisoned and dismissed mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu and early elections.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1044 and demanded the fate of Ali Karagöz, who disappeared under custody in 1993.
Turkey Today – 28.03.2025
During house raids in Ankara and Istanbul several people were detained including journalists Elif Bayburt and Nisa Sude Demirel.
BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was deported from Turkey after following the protests against the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Seven individuals, including a journalist, have been released under judicial supervision after being detained during a protest in Balıkesir.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), has issued a 10-day broadcast suspension for pro-opposition Sözcü TV over its coverage of protests.
A woman detained during protests in İstanbul following the arrest of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has stated that she was subjected to physical abuse and sexual harassment by police officers.
Turkey Today – 26.03.2025
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç stated that Abdullah Öcalan’s family had applied to go to İmralı and said, “It will be evaluated within the scope of the rights of convicts.”
Members of the Central Executive Board of the Education and Science Workers’ Union were placed under house arrest for a week as part of the investigations launched after the union decided to stop work for a day to support the academic boycott of university students following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
The Association for Freedom of Expression announced that 12 women’s organisations and platforms were banned from accessing X accounts on the grounds of their virtual media posts following the investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
The hearing of the case against 10 people including Kerboran Co-Mayor Asya Gezer was adjourned.
İstanbul’s city council has elected CHP deputy mayor Nuri Aslan as new acting mayor following the arrest and suspension of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Turkey Today – 25.03.2025
Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya announced that 1,418 people were detained in 6 days.
Seven journalists who reported on the recent mass protests against the government have been remanded in custody. The judiciary accuses them of taking part in the officially banned demonstrations.
In Bolu high security prison, 33 political prisoners continue to serve time despite having served their sentence because they have been arbitrarily refused release – in some cases for years.
Cansu Karyemez, Women’s Secretary of Eğitim-Sen Branch No. 3, was suspended for giving a lecture on gender equality.
Atatürk Boulevard, which has the highest traffic density in Kızılay neighbourhood in Çankaya district of Ankara, was closed to traffic as protests were expected to be held at night. Turkey Today – 24.03.2025
Turkey bombed the village Shakiro near Ain Issa in Northern Syria.
9 lawyers, including Özkan Yücel, former Chair of Izmir Bar Association, are detained in house raids and at the police headquarters where they went to meet their detained clients.
Several journalists covering the protests were detained in house raids in Istanbul and Izmir in the morning hours.
It was announced that some metro and bus stops in Kızılay and METU areas in Ankara will be closed.
Istanbul Governorate announced that it has filed a criminal complaint against the members of the Newroz Organising Committee.
Classes were boycotted in many universities against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. A racist group attacked students at Ankara University Cebeci Campus.
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Turkey Weekly 17 -23 March 2025
Turkey Today – 23.03.2025
The Ministry of Interior announced that Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık were suspended from office and a trustee was appointed to Şişli Municipality.
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s replacement will be elected by city council on 26 March.
48 of 89 people detained through the investigation against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality were arrested.
A Turkish airstrike not far from the Tişrîn Dam has killed a Syrian Democratic Forces fighter and injured another.
Hundreds of thousands of people attended the Newroz celebrations in İstanbul.
The Association of Contemporary Lawyers (ÇHD) announced that its X accounts were blocked.
Turkey Today – 22.03.2025
It was revealed that most of the accusations against Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and his advisor Murat Ongun were based on secret witness statements.
Istanbul Governorate announced that the roads around the Istanbul Courthouse where Ekrem İmamoğlu will testify are closed to traffic.
The procedures of 12 students who were detained for protesting the operation against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality have ended. They will be referred to the courthouse tomorrow.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1043 and asked for the perpetrators of Hasan Ocak, who was murdered under custody 30 years ago.
Turkey Today – 21.03.2025
In the lawsuit filed against the Istanbul Bar Association, the court ruled for the dismissal of bar association president İbrahim Kaboğlu and board members over statement on killed Kurdish journalists.
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been in custody as part of two ongoing investigations involving corruption and terrorism-related charges, is now the subject of a new probe concerning daycare centers run by the metropolitan municipality.
CHP chair Özgür Özel has announced that the party will hold an extraordinary congress on 6 April. The move comes amid concerns that the party leadership could be removed through legal action.
Unrestricted access to major social media and messaging platforms in Turkey was restored early today, 42 hours after restrictions were imposed following İmamoğlu’s detention.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 326 individuals, including 72 abroad, were identified on suspicion of “inciting the public to hatred and enmity” and “incitement to commit crimes” due to their posts about İmamoğlu’s detention.
Hundreds of thousands celebrated Newroz in Diyarbakır.
Turkey Today – 20.03.2025
Within the scope of the operation against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), the assets of Murat Ongun, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IBB Medya A.Ş., were seized.
DEM Party Co-Chairperson Tülay Hatimoğulları and the accompanying delegation visited Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality regarding the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu.
CHP Chair Özgür Özel stated that they will be in Saraçhane again today to support Ekrem İmamoğlu and called on all people in Istanbul to participate.
Despite the ceasefire, Turkey’s attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq continue.
Newroz celebrations were held in many cities today with the participation of tens of thousands of people.
Turkey Today – 19.03.2025
“The judiciary does not take orders or instructions from anyone. Judicial rulings are binding for all, and there are no privileges before the law,” Tunç asserted, criticizing public calls for protests and references to a “coup” targeting the oppositon.
As İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and more than 100 others were detained, Turkey has imposed widespread restrictions on social media and messaging platforms.
As the raids were going on across the city, the İstanbul Governor’s Office banned all public gatherings and demonstrations between Mar 19 and 23. It cited “protecting public order” and “preventing potentially provocative actions” as the reason for the ban.
Addressing hundreds of thousands of people in Saraçhane, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel called on them to stand up on Sunday and said, “I invite 86 million people to object, to raise their voices, to convince those next to them, to struggle, to stand up.”
Turkey Today – 18.03.2025
İstanbul University has revoked the diploma of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a move that could prevent him from running in Turkey’s next presidential election scheduled for 2028. Under Turkish law, candidates for the presidency must hold at least a university degree.
DEM Party Co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan said that they had applied to the Ministry of Justice to meet Abdullah Öcalan before Newroz.
Lawyers reported that the wardens raided the wards in Van High Security Prison and beat the prisoners on the ground.
Ece Üner, a news anchor for Halk TV, was taken to the courthouse today for questioning after being summoned by prosecutors.
Turkey Today – 17.03.2025
DEM co-chairs Tuncer Bakırhan and Tülay Hatimoğulları held talks in the Turkish parliament with representatives of the ruling AKP party and its coalition partner MHP.
The Kurdish local politician Nezir Budak from the Democratic Regions Party was arrested in Ağrı on Monday on terror charges.
Chris Den Hond, a Belgian journalist living in France, was deported from Istanbul where he travelled to follow Newroz.Stating that the attacks and pressures against them increased after Abdullah Öcalan’s call, prisoners in Silivri Type L Prison No 5 interpreted the attacks as provocations against the process.
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Turkey Weekly 10 – 16 March 2025
Turkey Today – 16.03.2025
Turkey continues to attack the Tishreen Dam area in Northern Syria. A wheat storage in Sirin was also destroyed.
In a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, President Erdoğan asked for the finalisation of the F-16 procurement process.
Cemil Bayık, Co-President of the KCK Executive Council stated that “Abdullah Öcalan’s call for an end to the armed struggle offers the entire region the chance of lasting change. However, the transformation of this call into a peace process depends on steps taken by Turkey.”
Lawyer Esra Bilen stated that Bilge Aksu, one of the imprisoned journalists, has a recurrence of gout and Mehmet Uçar has been subjected to various violations.
Turkey Today – 15.03.2025
Pervin Buldan, a member of the İmralı Delegation, stated in a TV programme that Erdoğan suggested to Sırrı Süreyya Önder to hold the meeting with him after the Eid and said “We have some preparations”.
IHD demanded the release of prisoners Mehmet Emin Vural and Abdulmenaf Aytaç whose health conditions deteriorated.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1042 and demanded justice for Yusuf Erişti, who was arrested 34 years ago and never reappeared.
Those who lost their lives in the massacres in Gazi and Ümraniye on 12-15 March 1995, in which 22 people were murdered and hundreds of people were wounded, were commemorated.
Turkey Today – 14.03.2025
A court has acquitted 46 people who were detained during the Saturday Mothers/People’s 700th-week gathering in İstanbul’s Galatasaray Square in 2018. The defendants were charged with “participating in unlawful meetings and marches and refusing to disperse despite warnings.”
Turkey will closely track how the recently signed agreement between the Syrian interim government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) plays out on the ground, a National Defense Ministry official has said.
“If a process is to begin, ill prisoners must first be released,” said Mehmet Şerif Demir, member of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association.
Businessperson Mehmet Cengiz, the owner of Cengiz Holding, has filed a criminal complaint against 26 journalists from the pro-opposition Sözcü newspaper, accusing them of various offenses related to their reporting on him and his company.
Turkey Today – 13.03.2025
Speaking about Abdullah Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”, Hüseyin Küçükbalaan, Co-chair of IHD, stated that the government must be respond to the call with a radical democracy package in order for the process to end in peace.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler and Head of National Intelligence Service Ibrahim Kalın went to Damascus.
Turkey once again shelled the area around the Tishrin Dam and villages in Sirrin city.
An analysis of website traffic shows that conglomerate and pro-government media benefit significantly more from Google searches and its News app than independent outlets.
Turkey Today – 12.03.2025
Halise Aksoy, to whom the body of her son Agit Ipek was delivered in a postal package, was sentenced to prison solely on the basis of witness statements, although the Supreme Court prohibits such practices.
DEM Party İmralı Delegation requested an appointment with President Erdoğan.
Turkish warplanes bombed the village of Xeseq in Sirîn in Northern Syria.
It was stated that Istanbul Mayor Erem İmamoğlu was not given a hall in Erzincan after Kastamonu and Trabzon.
bianet’s Diyarbakır correspondent Evrim Deniz has filed a criminal complaint after facing online harassment over a photograph she shared on Women’s Day. The photo featured a protest sign condemning discrimination, violence, and harassment against LGBTI+s.
Turkey Today – 11.03.2025
Proceedings for lifting the immunity of 9 MPs, including DEM Party and CHP MPs, were sent to the Parliament.
Yesterday, President Erdoğan said that Turkey was advising Syrian authorities to help ease tensions and welcomed interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s commitment to punishing those who acted outside the law.
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel said about the agreement between the QSD and the Syrian interim government, “We find it right to support the interim government in a way to protect the territorial integrity of Syria. We follow it with cautious optimism.”
Berkin Elvan, who was shot in the head with a gas canister fired by the police during the Gezi resistance, was commemorated at his grave on the 11th anniversary of his death.
Turkey Today – 10.03.2025
Yesterday MHP chair Devlet Bahçeli issued a statement on the PKK’s ceasefire announcement, calling it “neither correct, nor balanced, nor appropriate.” He insisted that the group must “lay down arms immediately and unconditionally” and “hand over its bloody weapons to the Republic of Turkey.”
An Istanbul court has accepted the indictment seeking up to five years and three months in prison for top business group TÜSİAD’s President Orhan Turan and executive Ömer Aras on the charge of “publicly spreading misleading information.”
Evrim Deniz, bianet correspondent in Diyarbakır, has been faced online threats and harassment after sharing a photo from a Women’s Day rally in the city.Human rights defencers say the first step in the new process must be the release of ill prisoners.
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Turkey Weekly 3 -8 March 2025
Turkey Today – 08.03.2025
Authorities in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district banned all events, citing public order concerns ahead of the Feminist Night March planned in Taksim.
Thousands gathered in Istanbul for feminist night march. As demonstrators began to leave the march at the end through a police corridor, several women were surrounded by security forces. Many were handcuffed and taken into custody.
Prosecutors have sought up to 15 years in prison for ten municipal officials, accusing them of PKK ties.
Saturday Mothers gathered for 1041st time at Istanbul’s Galatasaray Square and sought justice for Ali Işık who was forcibly disappeared under custody.
Turkey Today – 07.03.2025
The indictment against CHP Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who was replaced by a trustee, was accepted.
Turkey backed SNA forces continue its attacks around the Tishreen Dam in northern Syria.
IHD Van Branch Co-chair Mehmet Salih Coskun said for the ongoing process on the Kurdish issue to proceed in a healthy way, the Anti-Terror Law must be amended and the ECtHR’s “right to hope” ruling for Abdullah Öcalan must be implemented.
In a recent parliamentary committee meeting, deputy chair of Turkey’s media watchdog, RTÜK, announced, “We have declared 2025 as the year of combating LGBT.”
Turkey Today – 06.03.2025
Dumlu High Security Prison No. 2 found many books “objectionable” even though there was no recall order against them.
Turkey continue its military operations targeting the Kurdistan Region of Iraq despite the call of Abdullah Öcalan.
Iran and Turkey summoned each other’s envoys after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Tehran against destabilizing Syria, calling its reliance on militias “dangerous.”
The parliament has approved the first 13 articles of a cybersecurity bill that allows home searches with post-search approval.
A source from Turkey’s Defense Ministry told Reuters that Turkey could take part in a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
Turkey Today – 05.03.2025
In Turkey, 30 left-wing trade union members have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism. The umbrella organisation KESK has criticised the arrests as intimidation aimed at suppressing industrial action.
Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer has said that Turkey began constructing an 8.5-kilometer wall on the Greek border as part of the first “physical security measures” on the western border.
Kurdish writers Mevlüt Aykoç, Sami Tan and Ronayi Önen were detained on the grounds of Hinker, a banned Kurdish education book written in 2010.
DEM Party Co-Chairs Tuncer Bakırhan and Tulay Hatimoğulları will visit CHP on 10 March.
Turkey Today – 04.03.2025
İstanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu and several board members appeared in court today over a statement they issued regarding the killing of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin in northern Syria.
The Ministry of Interior announced that arrested Beykoz District Municipality in Istanbul Mayor Alaatting Köseler has been dismissed from office.
Former Evrensel newspaper Managing Editor Gorkem Kinaci and newspaper owner Kursat Yilmaz were sentenced to 10 months in prison each for “slander”.
A Turkish court on March 4 acquitted five broadcasters from the opposition Halk TV channel, regarding their coverage of a phone call with expert witness S.B. after Istanbul’s mayor raised allegations.
Turkey Today – 03.03.2025The Turkish army and its allies continue to bombard populated areas South of Kobane intensively.
DEM Party spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan, after three days of internal discussions, shared the party’s commitment to peace and democratic dialogue, emphasising their readiness to take action in response to the recent call by Abdullah Öcalan.
MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli called Tuncer Bakırhan, Pervin Buldan, Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Ahmet Türk, who were part of the İmralı Delegation, separately after the meeting with Abdullah Öcalan.
An operation was organised by the Financial Crimes Police against Istanbul Medya AŞ, a subsidiary of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, on the grounds of tenders.
The arrest requests for Oğuzhan Yücesoy, the defendant in the rape case of a 15-year-old child in Şirnak, who was the governor’s bodyguard, were rejected.
DEM Party submitted a bill to the Parliament to declare 8 March International Women’s Day as an official holiday.