Turkey Weekly 7 – 12 April 2025
Turkey Today – 12.04.2025
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said that 14 detainees who were arrested within the scope of the investigation against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality on 19 March and who were in Marmara Penal Execution Institutions were transferred to different prisons.
In Konak district of Izmir, a citizen was beaten by traffic police officers for allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop.
The Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim Sen) organised a workshop in Diyarbakır entitled “Towards a solution in mother tongue education: Possibilities, obstacles, suggestions”.
Writer Mehmet Serhat Polatsoy, who was imprisoned for a period of time on the grounds of a “bomb sack”, was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison on the grounds of a digital “report” found on a person outside during his imprisonment.
Turkey Today – 11.04.2025
Serhat Çakmak, Co-Chair of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom, stated that they will notify the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe if the “right to hope” is not implemented. Çakmak stated that they are also preparing a collective application to the Parliament.
HPG announced that Turkey’s attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq continued despite the ceasefire and that 2 of their members lost their lives in a drone attack.
The General Directorate of Security (EGM) accused those who shared the allegation of “torture and strip search in detention” on its official website of “slander” and announced that they filed a criminal complaint against them under the “disinformation law”.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1046. The police allowed only 10 people to attend the meeting.
Turkey Today – 11.04.2025
Şırnak Governorate once again banned access to 11 regions for 15 days.
The trustee of Van Metropolitan Municipality asked Edremit Municipality to evacuate Şamiran Women’s Life Centre.
Seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Çam, who was found to have a brain tumour, had heart and cataract surgery, two kidney suregeries and is paralysedon his left side, was hospitalised after his condition deteriorated.
A lawsuit filed against 14 people, including 10 journalists, for protesting in Şişhane for journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were killed while following news reports in Syria, appeared before the judge for the first time today.
Journalists Timur Soykan and Murat Agirel were released with judicial control and a ban on leaving the country.
MHP chair Devlet Bahçeli welcomed the meeting between President Erdoğan and members of the İmralı delegation.
Turkey Today – 10.04.2025
President Erdoğan met with DEM Party Imrali delegation members Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder. MIT chief İbrahim Kalın and AKP deputy chairman Efkan Ala also attended the meeting.
Journalists Timur Soykan and Murat Ağırel were detained in house raids following a complaint filed by suspects in a money laundering investigation, who allege that the journalists threatened and blackmailed them.
An İstanbul court has ordered the release of 102 young detainees who had been arrested during protests following the detention of İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
The fifth hearing of the trial of director Kazım Öz who is facing charges of “making illegal organisation propaganda” was held in Istanbul. Öz was acquitted.
The second hearing of the trial of Xwebun newspaper columnist Mehmet Şahin was held in Diyarbakır. Trial adjourned until June.
Turkey Today – 09.04.2025
The parents of Berkin Elvan, who was shot dead by the police during the Gezi resistance in 2013, were sentenced in the lawsuit filed against them due to “insulting the President” to prison.
Mahir Polat, Deputy Secretary General of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, was ordered to be under house arrest in order to continue his treatment outside the prison due to his health problems.
A lawsuit was filed against 7 journalists who followed the protests in Istanbul. The indictment stated that “no determination was made that they were carrying out journalistic activities at the scene”.
An indicment has been prepared against arrested Istanbul Bar Association Executive Board Member Fırat Epözdemir, demanding a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
Ill prisoners Suat Oguz and Mehmet Tiryaki, who objected to the imposition of mouth searches, have been banned to visits for 3 months.
Turkey Today – 08.04.2025
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has filed an indictment against 139 individuals arrested following a protest against İmamoğlu’s detention seeking up to 3 years in prison.
The Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) has been denied permission to visit journalist Elif Akgül, who was detained on 18 February in connection with an investigation into the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK).
President Erdoğan has filed a civil lawsuit seeking 500,000 Turkish liras (~131,000 US dollars) in damages against CHP Chair Özgür Özel, citing his use of the term “junta leader” during a recent political speech.
Van Metropolitan Municipality under the trustee administration has expelled a large number of children from Perperok Kindergarten on the grounds of “non-payment of wages”.
Turkey Today – 07.04.2025
Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç has spoken about the strip search imposed on university students arrested for protesting against the operation against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, “It is absolutely out of the question in our country” he claimed.
Lawyers from ÖHD, İHD, ÇHD and Asın Law Office made a statement on the health condition of ill prisoner Soydan Akay: “Soydan Akay is officially being dragged to death by not being released in his current condition.” Akay suffers from cancer.
Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan (CHP) has come under criticism for making derogatory remarks targeting Armenians. In a social media post he referred to Abdullah Öcalan as “Armenian”.
Labour Party General Executive Board member Eren Öner was detained at the courthouse where he went to testify.
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Turkey Today – 06.04.2025
Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association (DFG) made a statement on the occasion of 6 April Murdered Journalists Day and reminded that 15 journalists were murdered in the las 5 years.
Özgür Özel was re-elected as the chair at the CHP’s 21st Extraordinary Congress.
“Tayyip Erdoğan has turned into a junta president who targets those who receive the support of the people, he no longer has legitimacy,” CHP Chair Özgür Özel said.
Hundreds of skulls and bones belonging to human beings were unearthed in a shelter accessed through a secret passage of a church in the Assyrian village of Arbo in Mardin’s Nusaybin district.
Turkey Today – 05.04.2025
In an interview with Reuters news agency in Brussels, where he travelled for the NATO foreign ministers’ summit, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel’s actions in Syria paved the way for future instability. Fidan also said that they did not want the US to launch an attack on Iran.
Turkey is planning to introduce new regulations that would significantly expand the internet authority’s powers to restrict access to social media platforms without a court order.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1045 and asked for the fate of Talat Türkoğlu, who has not been heard from since 1 April 1996.
Turkey Today – 04.04.2025
Mahir Polat, an İstanbul municipal executive detained as part of recent investigations targeting Mayor İmamoğlu, has been hospitalized for the third time since 23 March. His lawyer says he is at risk of a brain hemorrhage.
Şırnak Chief Public Prosecutor, who deemed the song “Şervano” “dangerous”, demanded that the artist Umut Botan, who sang the song, be punished for “terrorist organization propaganda”.
Antalya Muratpaşa Mayor Ümit Uysal announced that he is a candidate for CHP Chairperson.
MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli appeared in public for the first time in 66 days, putting to rest unfounded rumors of his death.
Turkey Today – 03.04.2025
The Turkish Medical Association announced that the deprivation of health rights of many sick prisoners among those arrested in the İmamoğlu protests is a criminal offence.
In Trabzon, a knife attack was organised against the ‘Freedom for İmamoğlu’ stand, which was set up to demand the release of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, and early elections. One person was injured in the attack.
The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners strongly condemn the arrest of Swedish journalist Joakim Medin on terrorism charges in Turkey and call for his immediate release.
Gendarmerie stopped the mass marching to Halfeti district of Urfa for the 76th birthday of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan at the entrance of the district.
Prisoners in Kırşehir High Security Prison were banned from family visits for 4 months due to the “food” protest and 20 months due to the “pressure and attack” protests.
16 people were detained in Istanbul for calling for “April 2 consumption boycott” on social media.
Turkey Today – 02.04.2025
The European Commission cancelled its participation in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, while European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said she has cancelled a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya, in his “boycott” statement, evaluated the calls as a coup attempt against the economy.
Facebook’s main company Meta has been fined for failing to fulfil a Turkish request to block accounts posting about the Ekrem İmamoğlu protests.
It was stated that the student, whose foot was run over by a TOMA during the protests in Ankara, will not be able to walk for 2 months.
Journalist Bahadır Özgür wrote that the Israel-based company Appsflyer, which is associated with the accusation of ‘selling personal data abroad’ in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality operation, is supported by the Ministry of Trade.
Media watchdog RTÜK President Ebubekir Şahin targeted TV channels that broadcast “boycott” news and programmes, threatening them with the words “necessary action will be taken”.
State broadcaster TRT has dismissed actress Aybüke Pusat and pulled a completed series from its streaming platform after she publicly supported a nationwide boycott campaign led by the opposition.
Turkey Today – 01.04.2025
Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç claimed that detainees in prisons were not subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
MHP chair Devlet Bahçeli reminded the 15 July coup attempt and said, “Be ready to pay the price!” regarding the Imamoğlu protests.
University students announced that they will launch an economic boycott campaign on 2 April, saying “We are using our economic power and taking a one-day break from consumption after the feast”.
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