Turkey Weekly 1 – 7 September 2025
Turkey Today – 07.09.2025
Istanbul Governorate banned demonstrations and events in Beşiktaş, Beyoğlu, Eyüpsultan, Kağıthane, Sarıyer and Şişli districts between 7-10 September.
After Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed as the trustee of CHP Istanbul Provincial Branch, announced that he would go to the building on Monday, the police closed all the streets leading to the building after the call for gathering on Sunday evening.
DEM Party Istanbul Provincial Organisation and democratic mass organisations organised a march from Yenikapı to Saraçhane Park for education in mother tongue and legal status of Kurdish language.
Former Manavgat Mayor Şükrü Sözen was detained at Sabiha Gökçen Airport while trying to leave the country within the scope of the ‘bribery’ and ‘corruption’ investigation.
Turkey Today – 06.09.2025
Speaking at the workshop on ‘Legal Requirements in the Process of Peace and Democratic Society’, İmralı Delegation member Mithat Sancar, said: ‘Methods should be developed and regulations should be made to solve the problem that led to the conflict.’
The Human Rights Association emphasised that the lives of Veysi Abdurrahmanoğlu, Emin Aladağ and Cihat Özdemir are in danger.
The objection for the release of Beykoz Mayor Alaattin Köseler was accepted by the court. It is stated that police officers went to Köseler’s house and detained him.
Respect for the Dead and Justice Initiative organised a meeting on ‘Respect for the dead and justice in peace building’ in Muş. Lawyer Burcu Çelik said, “Respect for the dead is a matter of law, democracy and peace. Peace and democracy cannot come without respect for the dead.”
Claiming that some groups increased their attacks to slow down the process, President Erdoğan said, “We are very, very well trained this time. We will not fall into the trap that is being set,” he said.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1067 and demanded the perpetrators of Ayten Öztürk, who was murdered in detention 33 years ago.
Turkey Today – 05.09.2025
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız said in a statement that the meeting of 3-4 people to be selected from the parliamentary commission with Abdullah Öcalan ‘would not constitute a weakness’.
Human Rights Association (IHD) Şırnak Branch stated that torture, violation of right to health and ill-treatment against prisoners in Şırnak T Type Closed Prison has become systematic.
Following Hasan Babacan, Müjdat Gürbüz, who was appointed as CHP Istanbul Provincial Board member, also withdrew from the trustee committee.
The Supreme Election Board (YSK) accepted the CHP’s objection to the decisions of district election boards in Istanbul.
Trees are once again being felled in the Karadağ urban forest near Adıyaman – this time with reference to planned road construction work. Part of the forest was already destroyed for housing projects after the 2023 earthquake. Now thousands of trees are at risk of being felled.
Turkey Today – 04.09.2025
Turkish Medical Association President Alpay Azap read out a statement on behalf of health, legal and human rights organisations demanding that the construction of ‘well-type’ prisons should be stopped and the existing ones should be closed, adding that these prisons lead to social isolation and diseases.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has ordered the left-wing daily BirGün’s YouTube channel to apply for a broadcast license within 72 hours of official notification. If the application is not filed, RTÜK said it would request an access ban on the channel.
President Erdoğan visited MHP President Devlet Bahçeli at his residence.
2 of 7 people who were detained in the operation organised against Beşiktaş and Avcılar municipalities were arrested, 5 people were released with a judicial control request.
Arrested Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu applied to the notary for the organisation of the CHP Istanbul Provincial Congress.
The İstanbul Governor’s Office has canceled a scheduled concert by French-Algerian singer Enrico Macias, citing his public support for Zionism and growing calls for protests against the event.
Turkey Today – 03.09.2025
CHP has expelled long-time member Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed yesterday by a court as interim head of the party’s İstanbul provincial branch.
DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan evaluated the dismissal of CHP Istanbul provincial executives as the government making decisions that will help to organise the political scene.
CHP Spokesperson Deniz Yücel described Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç’s statements on the CHP Istanbul Provincial Congress and congress cases as ‘an attempt to influence judicial processes’.
CHP filed an appeal to the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance, which issued the decision to suspend the Istanbul Provincial Administration.
Prisoner Mehmet Emin Vural, who was transferred from Adana F Type Prison to Istanbul Metris R Type Prison in April 2025 for treatment, told his family that he was constantly beaten by the wardens and bruised his foot and hip.
Turkey Today – 02.09.2025
Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç made a statement regarding the appointment of a trustee to replace the CHP Istanbul Provincial Administration: ‘It is a precautionary measure and does not constitute a final judgement.’
Following the dismissal of the CHP Istanbul Provincial Administration, the CHP Central Executive Committee convened at the Headquarters.
In the hearing of the case against 48 members of ÖHD and TUAD in Istanbul, it was decided to continue the trial tomorrow as the defences were not completed.
Access to 29 dating and video chat apps have been blocked upon orders of two courts in Ankara. Turkey Today – 01.09.2025
The area around Tishreen Dam in Northern was bombed last night.
A total of 11 proceedings against CHP Chair Özgür Özel, DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan and 4 MPs were sent to the Grand National Assembly.
The Women’s Rights Centre of the Diyarbakır Bar Association has filed a criminal complaint against Cumhuriyet newspaper. The background to this is an article in which the women’s movement TJA was criminalised and publicly targeted, according to the chamber.
Mehmet Emin Gökdemir of the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) stated that constitutional reform alone is not sufficient to recognize Kurdish; restrictive laws such as the Law on Unification of Education must also be amended.