{"id":1261,"date":"2023-02-14T09:58:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T08:58:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/?page_id=1261"},"modified":"2023-03-07T14:38:38","modified_gmt":"2023-03-07T13:38:38","slug":"february-2023","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/?page_id=1261","title":{"rendered":"February 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Turkey Weekly 20 – 28 February 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 28.02.2023<\/strong>
President Erdo\u011fan has handed out money to children in Ad\u0131yaman province.
The Turkish Red Crescent sold the second-hand goods that have been donated to the institution in 2019 and 2020, journalist Murat A\u011f\u0131rel has said in his column.\u00a0
13 legal organizations in Istanbul drew attention to the violations before and after the earthquake and filed a criminal complaint against all relevant authorities and individuals, especially President Erdo\u011fan.\u00a0
The Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) has also filed a criminal complaint against AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan and other officials for what happened after the earthquake.\u00a0
The 1st hearing of the trial in which 15 women who attended a demonstration to protest the murder of Azra G\u00fclendam Haytao\u011flu and Emine G\u00f6kk\u0131z by men, face multiple charges was held in Ankara. The judge decided to subpoena complainants and defendants so that their statements can be taken. Trial adjourned until June.
The 3rd hearing of the lawsuit in which the prosecutor requests the dismissal of the Turkish Medical Association President \u015eebnem Korur Fincanc\u0131 and Central Council members was held in Ankara. Trial adjourned until April. After the hearing, the doctors wanted to make a statement to the press but the police did not allow the press statement and intervened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 27.02.2023<\/strong>
AHBAP Association President Haluk Levent announced that they also purchased food from the Turkish Red Crescent.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activists from the Mor Dayan\u0131\u015fma (Purple Solidarity) group visited the G\u00fczelbur\u00e7 village in Hatay. After they started distributing aid materials they brought in a “purple truck,” the special operations police prevented them. 
After “the government should resign” were shouted at the Be\u015fikta\u015f match,  MHP chair Devlet Bah\u00e7eli targeted the stands over his Twitter account with the growing condemnation and demanded that the matches should be played without spectators. 
Police, who prevented the demonstration of Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) members who wanted to protest the tent sale of K\u0131z\u0131lay in Kad\u0131k\u00f6y, battered many people and detained them.
CHP Parliamentary Group has given its full authority to party leader Kemal K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7daro\u011flu on all issues, including his expected nomination for the presidency.
In the run-up to the talks on NATO enlargement, the Turkish Foreign Minister reiterated that his country cannot agree to Sweden’s application. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 26.02.2023<\/strong>
The Turkish Red Crescent (K\u0131z\u0131lay) sold tents to the social assistance organization AHBAP for 46 million liras on the 3rd day of major earthquakes that shook Turkey\u2019s southeast, Murat A\u011f\u0131rel from the daily Cumhuriyet reported.\u00a0
In Maras thousands of bodies are still under the rubble. While the collection of the rubble continues on many streets, especially in the centre, side streets have not been touched.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem \u0130mamo\u011flu has said that 90,000 buildings have a risk of entirely collapsing in the megacity and that the cost of making them earthquake-resistant can exceed 360 billion liras.\u00a0
The Disaster and Emergency Presidency announced that the death tolls in earthquakes rose to 44,374.\u00a0
An investigation on terror charges has been launched against Birca Belek Language and Culture Association co-chair Cahit Ak\u0131l after a press release on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 25.02.2023<\/strong>
Speaking from Ad\u0131yaman province, Turkish Medical Association chair \u015eebnem Korur Fincanc\u0131 has said that the authorities provided extra healthcare service in districts that previously voted for the AKP, whereas this was not the case for other quake-hit areas.
Stating that they filed a criminal complaint regarding unlawfulness in the earthquake region, Progressive Lawyers Association Headquarters Manager O\u011fuzhan Topalkara said that it is a crime to collect building debris without taking samples for evidence.
A court has arrested the ruling AKP’s Nurda\u011f\u0131 district mayor \u00d6kke\u015f Kavak over allegedly not carrying out the inspections that the municipality should do during the construction phase of some of the buildings that collapsed in major quake.
Police removed 14 tents established in the Akdeniz district of Mersin for the people who came to the city in tens of thousands after being forced to leave their homes in earthquake-stricken areas. 
Many prisoners staying in Adana K\u00fcrk\u00e7\u00fcler Closed jail were transferred to Bolu. Information on how many people were deported and for what reason and whether there was any damage in the prison after the earthquakes could not be obtained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 24.02.2023<\/strong>
Turkey’s top religious body Diyanet has taken nine earthquake-surviving children from their mothers and placed them at a boarding Quran course which is run by a foundation close to the Islamic \u0130smaila\u011fa sect, according to reporting by Deutsche Welle.
\u015eiyar Ko\u00e7, former district co-chair of HDP Nusaybin, who lives in Nusaybin district of Mardin and has just returned from the earthquake area where he went voluntarily, was detained in a raid on his house in the morning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister of Justice Bekir Bozda\u011f stated that an arrest warrant has been issued for 171 people in investigations into buildings destroyed by earthquakes. 
In response to a question whether he will resign in the face of massive destruction in Hatay, Metropolitan Mayor L\u00fctf\u00fc Sava\u015f has said that municipalities are just one dimension in the chain of accountability and that contractors, building inspection firms and the rulership also should take responsibility. 
The 5th hearing of the trial in which the President of the Ankara Branch of the Chamber of Architects and 6 former members of the Executive Committee face \u201cmaking propaganda for a terrorist organization\u201d charge was held in Ankara. The court ruled to sentence them to 1 year and 8 months in prison and suspended the prison sentences.
Sweden’s negotiations with Turkey about its NATO membership bid will resume in mid-March, said the country’s prime minister. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 23.02.2023<\/strong>
The Constitutional Court has ruled that the Beyo\u011flu District Governor’s Office’s violated the rights of Saturday Mothers by banning their meeting, who have been gathering in Galatasaray Square since 1995 against enforced disappearances of their relatives. 
The first hearing of the trial in which the Co- Chair of the Human Rights Association Eren Keskin faces \u201cidentifying officials on anti-terror duties as targets\u201d and \u201cinsulting a public official\u201d charges was held in \u0130zmir. The court decided to give additional time for Keskin and her lawyers to prepare their arguments against the final opinion. Trial adjourned until June. 
TELE1’s screen went black after RT\u00dcK’s decision on the grounds that TIP MP Sera Kad\u0131gil criticized Diyanet.
A judge in Ankara has ordered an access ban on three websites and a journalist’s Twitter account for “terrorist propaganda.”. The Kurdish news portal Rudaw is among the blocked sites. 
The fourth hearing of the trial of police officers who had violently taken journalist G\u00f6khan Bi\u00e7ici into custody while he was covering the Gezi Park protests is being held in the \u0130stanbul. The judge did not take into consideration the request of lawyer Metin \u0130riz for the file to be sent to a high criminal court. Trial adjourned until May. 
The first hearing of the trial in which documentary filmmaker Sibel Tekin faces \u201cmembership in a terrorist organization\u201d charge was held in Ankara. The prosecutor requested an expert’s report and Tekin’s computer to be examined. The court accepted the request. Trial adjourned until June. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 22.02.2023<\/strong>
A military operation was launched in Hakkari’s Y\u00fcksekova district. 
Osman Arslan, a 76-year-old heart patient in Y\u00fcksekova, was arrested on charges of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization”.
RT\u00dcK has fined Halk TV, Tele 1 and Fox TV over their broadcasts criticising the government’s rescue efforts in the aftermath of the earthquakes. RT\u00dcK also suspended Tele 1 and Halk TV programs in question for five episodes.
Turkey blocks access to dictionary-based social media platform Ek\u015fi S\u00f6zl\u00fck over its coverage of the earthquakes. 
AKP executives, there is no obstacle to holding elections on May 14 and it is not legally possible to postpone the elections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 21.02.2023<\/strong>
HDP filed a criminal complaint regarding police torture against 10 people, including party leaders, in Iskenderun.
Lawyer Mehtap Sert, Member of the Human Rights Association Central Prison Commission, visited the prisoners in \u0130skenderun Prison after the earthquake. Sharing the rights violations that the prisoners are exposed to, Sert stated that the prisoners have problems with eating, drinking and heating, as well as communicating with their families.
CHP deputy chair Ahmet Ak\u0131n stated that 500,000 users in the earthquake zone still cannot be supplied with electricity.
The Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has filed a criminal complaint against journalist Fatih Altayl\u0131, who had criticized the agency over a religious order about children who lost their parents in the February 6 earthquakes.
A man named Mehmet Beyaz\u0131t attacked the HDP Istanbul headquarters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 20.02.2023<\/strong>
Recalling the decisions of the Constitutional Court in the trial against imprisoned HDP MP Semra G\u00fczel, the lawyer drew attention to the violation of the constitution. The court decided to continue the arrest.
The hearing of the trial in which four lawyers of PKK leader faces terrorism charges was held in \u0130stanbul. The prosecutor has demanded jail terms of up to 15 years. 
The Disaster and Emergency Presidency announced that the death tolls in earthquakes rose to 41,156. 
CHP MP Sezgin Tanr\u0131kulu, who held a press conference on the earthquake, said: “The people of Diyarbak\u0131r started to show solidarity among themselves, this should set an example for all of Turkey.”
\u015e\u0131rnak Governor Osman Bilgin, who has been appointed as the disaster coordinator governor to Antep’s Nurda\u011f\u0131 district after the earthquake, has stated that the situation in the region is four or five times worse than official figures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The T\u00fcrkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) has so far sent 15,000 Qurans to the earthquake region and this number will increase in the upcoming days, according to a top executive of the foundation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Weekly 13 – 19 February 2023<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 19.02.2023<\/strong>
HDP Diyarbak\u0131r Crisis Coordination Center drew attention to the fact that the government is trying to displace people to provinces such as Antalya and Mu\u011fla in a way that will change the demographic structure, and called for increased solidarity against this.
The Disaster and Emergency Presidency announced that the death tolls in earthquakes rose to 40,642. 
Top religious body Diyanet has once again issued a controversial fatwa saying that there is no obstacle for foster families to marry the adopted earthquake-survivor children. The fatwa was deleted upon reactions.
Turkey’s Nation Alliance came together to discuss the earthquake. In a press release the alliance stated that the necessary preparations were not made before the disaster and adequate measures were not taken. 
As the second week of the devastating earthquakes comes to an end, olive and myrtle branches are left on the graves of those buried en masse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tu<\/strong>rkey Today – 18.02.2023<\/strong>
The Turkish army continues to attack the Kurdistan Region of Iraq despite the ceasefire declared by the Kurdish side due to the earthquake.
Muhammet G\u00fcnd\u00fcz has filed a complaint after being beaten by the police for allegedly being a looter. While beating him, one of the police officers reportedly told G\u00fcnd\u00fcz, \u201cI will relieve my stress with you.\u201d 
Kocaeli Chamber of Industry head Ayhan Zeytino\u011flu has told firms not to hire earthquake victims, claiming it can \u201cdisrupt the demographic structure.\u201d
Asbestos and Hazardous Wastes Association’s President Kenan Y\u0131ld\u0131z, who warned against asbestos used in buildings destroyed in the earthquake, stated that besides asbestos, silicon, lead, PCB, electronic wastes, destruction in sewer systems, mold and fungi in buildings will also cause serious health problems.
Stating that the government declared a state of emergency in 10 cities affected by the earthquake in order to prevent reactions against him, KESK Co-Chair Mehmet Bozgeyik said: “The state of emergency brought impunity and should be lifted.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 17.02.2023<\/strong>
According to Progressive Lawyers Union three members of the rescue team from Greece, who came to Defne, Hatay for the rescue works following the earthquakes, were detained in Hatay.
It has come to light that Turkish prosecutors had previously rejected a criminal complaint over the removal of columns at a housing estate in 2016 in Hatay province, where 104 people died due to last week’s major quakes.
22 university students who staged a sit-in protest demanding face-to-face education were battered and detained in Izmir province. 
Families of PKK Leader Abdullah \u00d6calan and \u00d6mer Hayri Konar, Hamili Y\u0131ld\u0131r\u0131m and Veysi Akta\u015f held in \u0130mral\u0131 Prison applied to the prosecutor’s office and the prison directorate for a visit. 
The prosecutor listed 149 news stories from the Mezopotamya Agency, which was shown as defendants in the indictment. 
It was stated that the needs of Serhat Arsu, who was transferred from Siverek to Sincan Prison and held in a solitary cell, are not met. His relatives said that the belongings they sent to him had not been delivered for a month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 16.02.2023<\/strong>
The Disaster and Emergency Presidency announced that the death tolls in earthquakes rose to 36,187. 
TELE1 reporter Hazal G\u00fcven and cameraman Umutcan Yit\u00fck, who followed the effects of the earthquake in Hatay, were subjected to an attack by armed people. 
HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan has called on President Erdo\u011fan to resign over the response to the earthquake and attempts to prevent volunteer groups\u2019 aid efforts.
The first hearing of the trial in which the Association of Lawyers for Freedom \u0130zmir Branch Executive Board Member Aryen Turan faces \u201cknowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization\u201d charge was held in \u0130zmir. The representatives of several bar associations in France, Belgium and Netherlands followed the hearing. The court decided to remove the judicial control measure imposed upon lawyer Turan and rejected the intervention request of the Ministry of National Defence. Trial adjourned until June. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third hearing of the trial in which the grant holder and the chief editor of Demokrat Haber Mehmet G\u00f6cekli faces \u201cmaking propaganda for a terrorist organization\u201d was held in \u0130stanbul. The court decided to issue a writ for G\u00f6cekli’s statements to be taken via rogatory letters. Trial adjourned until June. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 15.02.2023<\/strong>
The Ministry of Family and Social Services stated that there were 282 children whose identities could not be determined.
The Disaster and Emergency Presidency announced that 31,974 people died while 195,692 people were transferred to other regions. 
Eight people including HDP former \u015eemdinli district co-chairs Cabbar Ta\u015f, Habil Alio\u011flu and Ergin Avc\u0131, were detained in house raids in \u015eemdinli and Y\u00fcksekova. 
AKP spokesperson \u00d6mer \u00c7elik and deputy chairperson of the party in charge of election affairs \u0130hsan Yavuz have said it is not the time to discuss elections. These remarks came after B\u00fclent Ar\u0131n\u00e7’s call for the postponement.
President Erdo\u011fan ensured that “our citizens who lost their relatives in the earthquake will receive 100 thousand lira (4.95 thousand euro) in cash for urgent needs.”
Amid warnings that a major earthquake is expected to hit Istanbul in the near future, Mayor Ekrem \u0130mamo\u011flu has said there are 90,000 buildings that have a risk of entirely collapsing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 14.02.2023<\/strong>
Noting that the government and AFAD took late action after the Pazarc\u0131k district of Mara\u015f-epicentered earthquakes, the Union of Chambers of Engineers and Architects underlined that the first critical day and a half were lost in search and rescue efforts.
The death toll in the two major earthquakes in southeastern Turkey might exceed 72,000, the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (T\u00dcRKONFED) has announced. T\u00dcRKONFED estimated 84.1 billion dollars of financial damage due to quakes. 
Although there were still people detected alive in Besni, in Antep, search and rescue efforts were stopped by the District Governor’s Office.
MHP leader Devlet Bah\u00e7eli has targeted famous singer Haluk Levent\u2019s AHBAP association following the huge amount of donations made to the charity instead of the state-run Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), and said \u201cThese scammers shouldn’t be on TV.\u201d 
Former deputy prime minister B\u00fclent Ar\u0131n\u00e7 called for postponement of elections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 13.02.2023<\/strong>
It turned out the earthquake drill conducted in 2019 for the Plan for Disaster Intervention of Turkey was carried out with a scenario of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake centered in Mara\u015f.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Progressive Lawyers Association made a statement on the detention and torture in the earthquake region. It was stated that two people named Ahmet G\u00fcre\u015f\u00e7i and Sabri G\u00fcre\u015f\u00e7i were detained by the gendarmerie teams in the B\u00fcy\u00fckbur\u00e7 District of Hatay. It was reported that Ahmet G\u00fcre\u015f\u00e7i, who was tortured to death in custody, lost his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Education union called on the government and the Council of Higher Education to “start face-to-face education at the universities at the earliest possible date to be announced clearly in advance”. 
According to the Disaster and Emergency Presidency 31,643 people died and 158,165 people were transferred to other regions. 
A Turkish drone strike on a car yesterday, near the village of Manaz, western Kobane countryside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Weekly 6-12 February 2023<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 12.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vice President Oktay said “The death toll in Mara\u015f epicenter earthquakes rose to 24,617.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aid truck sent by HDP from Izmir to Osmaniye was seized, and fire was opened on the people who condemned the situation. HDP MP Kemal Pekg\u00f6z said: \u201cThe police beat the people and took the truck to an unknown place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum has said that citizens can check the damage status of their homes from e-Government portal. Citizens can enter and live in their homes if there is little or no damage, according to the minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatma \u015eahin, the AKP mayor Antep, has commented on the widespread destruction in the city by saying, \u201cEvery cloud has a silver lining. Whatever God says, it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 11.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far 21,848 people lost their lives in the earthquakes and 80,104 people were injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HDP MP Garo Paylan said that the bodies of those who lost their lives in Ad\u0131yaman were buried by their families without being recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thousands of earthquake victims started to be buried in Mara\u015f.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HDP filed a criminal complaint to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office about Science Technologies Authority (BTK), which narrowed the band on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Erdo\u011fan announced that universities will be closed until the summer due to the earthquake and that they will switch to distance education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earthquake victims in Diyarbak\u0131r protested Justice Minister Bekir Bozda\u011f while he was visiting sites of collapsed buildings. “The State is finished” victims said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Armenia border gate opened 30 years later for humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 10.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Union of Turkish Bar Associations listed the persons and organizations responsible for the destruction of thousands of buildings in Mara\u015f-centered earthquakes and filed a criminal complaint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Erdo\u011fan has referred to the thousands of victims of the two major earthquakes as \u201cmartyrs\u201d as the death toll is nearing 20,000. More than 77,000 people have been injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iskenderun Public Hospital had not been demolished despite a 2012-dated \u201cnot earthquake resistant\u201d report. The hospital collapsed in the earthquake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharing the photo of the TMMOB Provincial Representative, which was not destroyed in the earthquake, Chairperson Mahir Uluta\u015f said: “As long as science and technology are used for the benefit of the public, it will be enough to build structures that will survive such a major earthquake.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some pro-government figures have targeted the AHBAP association, which is helping rescue efforts in the quake-stricken provinces, and demanded that their donation be transferred to the state-run AFAD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 09.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The State of Emergency, which will be valid for 3 months in 10 cities affected by the earthquake, was accepted by the Parliament and entered into force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stating that they still have not received a response to their applications to the Provincial Health Directorate to provide health services in earthquake areas, \u0130stanbul Medical Chamber President Nergis Erdo\u011fan said: “Medical Chambers should not be blocked.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aid truck sent by the HDP Mardin Provincial Organization to the people who went hungry in Malatya due to the earthquake was confiscated by the police at the entrance of the Do\u011fan\u015fehir district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Official announcement made by the directorate of prisons states there were attempted jail escapes in both Hatay and Mara\u015f prisons which were stopped. Three prisoners died in Hatay prison while there was no loss of life in Mara\u015f.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking in the quake-stricken Hatay province DEVA Party leader Ali Babacan said \u201cThere is a rescue activity in maybe one of the 100 collapsed buildings.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third hearing of the trial in which 10 people, including journalist Zeynep Kuray face \u201cdefying the Law no. 2911 on Demonstrations and Assemblies\u201d charge was held in \u0130stanbul. The lawyers did not attend the hearing after submitting their excuses. The court postponed the hearing to a later date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 08.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 7,108 people died and 40,910 people are injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Erdo\u011fan has said that people should only pay attention to remarks coming from the authorities and ignore “provocateurs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The State of Emergency decision covering 10 cities affected by the earthquake was presented to the Parliament. It will be put to the vote tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Netblocks announced that after the earthquakes, the vitally important social media platform Twitter was restricted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MA reporter Mahmut Alt\u0131nta\u015f and Mehmet G\u00fcle\u015f, who was reporting news stories in earthquake areas, and JINNEWS reporter Sema \u00c7a\u011flak were detained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Citizens of Ad\u0131yaman, which was most affected by the earthquake, marched to the Ad\u0131yaman Governor’s Office to protest the authorities who did not carry out search and rescue efforts. Minister of Transport Adil Karaismailo\u011flu and Governor Mahmut \u00c7uhadar, who were condemned by citizens who are waiting desperately in the earthquake area in Ad\u0131yaman, left the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 07.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A state of emergency has been declared in 10 provinces of earthquake zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the latest data announced by the Disaster and Emergency Presidency (AFAD) a total of 3,549 people died and 22,168 people were injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey\u2019s General Directorate of Security (EGM) has announced that they detected 90 social media accounts that shared \u201cprovocative\u201d social media posts about the earthquake. Four of them have been detained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volkan Pekal Adana correspondent of Evrensel newspaper who was taking pictures in the earthquake-hit areas was taken into custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second hearing of the trial in which journalist and economist Mustafa S\u00f6nmez faces \u201cinsulting the president\u201d charge was held in \u0130stanbul. The journalist was acquitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 7th hearing of the retrial in which journalists Ahmet Memi\u015f, Ali Akku\u015f, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, G\u00f6k\u00e7e F\u0131rat \u00c7ulhao\u011flu, \u00dcnal Tan\u0131k, Yakup \u00c7etin and Yetkin Y\u0131ld\u0131z face \u201caiding a terrorist organization\u201d charge was held in \u0130stanbul. The prosecutor stated that the case file is not complete and requested the investigation to be expanded. Trial adjourned until June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 06.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new earthquake at a magnitude of 7.6 struck southern Turkey’s Kahrmanmara\u015f province at 1.24 pm local time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) announced that 1,121 people lost their lives and 7,634 people were injured in the earthquake. In addition, it was announced that 2 thousand 834 buildings were destroyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Solar System Geometry Survey, a research institute established to monitor the geometry between celestial bodies related to seismic activity, warned Turkey about an earthquake on February 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interior Minister S\u00fcleyman Soylu targets again the LGBTIQ+ community saying that main opposition CHP leader K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7daor\u011flu\u2019s pledge to reinstate the Istanbul Convention was an attempt to \u201cungender whole society.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JINNEWS reporter Nazl\u0131can Y\u0131ld\u0131z and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir Provincial Director Murat Tufan were detained in the house raids carried out in \u0130zmir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Weekly 30 January – 5 February 2023<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 05.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E\u011fitim Sen Urfa Branch Co-Chair \u00d6zlem Uluta\u015f \u015eeng\u00fcl stated that Kurdish courses were removed from the elective courses form in many schools in the city and that they would file a criminal complaint against the administrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AKP Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair B\u00fclent Turan has expressed the party\u2019s wish that the Islamist New Welfare Party be a part of the ruling People\u2019s Alliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Justice Watch carried out by the \u015eenya\u015far family has reached 698. The sit-in was launched in 2021 by Emine \u015eenya\u015far, who lost her husband and two sons as a result of the attack carried out by AKP MP \u0130brahim Halil Y\u0131ld\u0131z’s bodyguards and relatives in Urfa in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 04.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The criminal complaint made by the lawyers of Sonu\u00e7 G\u00fcrde\u011fir, who was tortured for 9 days during his detention in Bing\u00f6l, was dismissed after one and a half years, calling it “lack of evidence” and “abstract justification”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey’s media watchdog RT\u00dcK has not taken any step with regards to the unlicensed broadcast of a Denizli-based TV channel that has close connections with the ruling AKP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testimonies of ODT\u00dc students facing an investigation for attending last year\u2019s LGBTI+ pride march on the campus have revealed that they were subjected to torture and sexual abuse by the police and threatened with strip search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting his brother, who is imprisoned in Mara\u015f T\u00fcrko\u011flu Prison, the elder brother Fikret \u00c7ala\u011fan said: “The personal rights were attacked during the searches. We are not allowed to sit side by side with my prisoner brother and not hug.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018Democratic Republic Conference\u2019 organised by the HDP has started in Istanbul. At the two-day event the hundred-year history and the future of the Republic of Turkey will be discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 03.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0131z\u0131ltepe Co-Mayor Nil\u00fcfer Elik Y\u0131lmaz and Savur Co-Mayor G\u00fclistan \u00d6nc\u00fc were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months of imprisonment in the case where they stood trial for “being a member of a terrorist organization”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opposition \u0130Y\u0130 Party deputy chair \u00dcmit \u00d6zlale has criticized CHP deputy chair B\u00fclent Ku\u015fo\u011flu\u2019s remarks, as the latter said the main opposition bloc will be dissolved unless K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7daro\u011flu is nominated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three women (\u015eeng\u00fcl Karaa\u011far, Nurhan Ko\u00e7ak and Zilan Ko\u00e7ak) were detained in house raids in Van.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The eighth hearing of the trial in which 35 people, including journalist Buse S\u00f6\u011f\u00fctl\u00fc who had attended the March 8th Feminist Night March in 2020, face multiple charges was held in \u0130stanbul. Giving additional time for defendants and lawyers to prepare their arguments against the expert’s report, the court adjourned the trial until September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 7th hearing of the trial in which 14 Bo\u011fazi\u00e7i University students face multiple charges and in which the appointed rector Naci \u0130nci is listed as “the injured party” was held in \u0130stanbul. The judge sentenced each student to 6 months in prison for “defying the Law no. 2911 on Demonstrations and Assemblies” and to 6 months in prison for “prevention of public duty.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 02.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interior Minister S\u00fcleyman Soylu has claimed that Western consulates in Istanbul were closed to \u201cstart a new psychological war in Turkey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third hearing of the trial in which CHP’s Eren Erdem faces \u201cinsulting the president\u201d charge was held in \u0130stanbul. The court ruled to acquit the politician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 15th hearing of the retrial in which since-shuttered Dicle News Agency\u2019s former reporter Ramazan Ako\u011ful faces \u201cmembership in a terrorist organization\u201d charge was held in Diyarbak\u0131r. The court ruled to acquit Ako\u011ful on the grounds that the elements of the offense the journalist was charged with did not occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first hearing of the trial in which GazeteKad\u0131k\u00f6y weekly\u2019s editor-in-chief Semra \u00c7elebi faces \u201copenly degrading the symbols of state sovereignty\u201d charge was held in \u0130stanbul. The hearing is adjourned to a later date as the judge is on leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstr\u00f6m says it is obvious what Sweden has to do for NATO membership, which is to fulfill the obligations in the trilateral memorandum signed with T\u00fcrkiye and Finland and adds “religion is not part of this deal.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 01.02.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Consulate-General of Germany in \u0130stanbul made an announcement stating that the consulate “will be closed today on February 1 for security reasons.” The Consulate-Generals of Great Britain and the Netherlands have also been closed for security reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the prisoners, who have been on hunger strike for 55 days in Giresun Espiye Type L Closed Prison, turned the protest into an indefinite and non-rotating hunger strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeni Ya\u015fam newspaper employee Rojin Altay has been released after four days in detention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 6th hearing of the retrial in which \u015eebnem Korur-Fincanci, Erol \u00d6ndero\u011flu and Ahmet Nesin face multiple charges, including \u201cmaking propaganda for a terrorist organization\u201d charge, was held in \u0130stanbul. The court adjourned the trial until May so that the case file can be completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 3rd hearing of the trial in which the Demokratik Modernite Magazine\u2019s Managing Editor Ramazan Yurttapan, Agos Daily Armenian Pages Editor Pakrat Estukyan, lawyer Emran Emek\u00e7i and two authors face \u201cpropaganda\u201d charges was held in \u0130stanbul. The court decided to issue arrest warrants against Mehmet Nimet Sevim and Cihan Do\u011fan so that their statements can be taken. Trial adjourned until April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The appeals hearing of the prison sentence imposed upon journalist Alican Uluda\u011f for \u201cidentifying public officials on anti-terror duties as targets\u201d was held in Ankara. The appeals court overturned the prison sentence and acquitted the journalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 7th hearing of the trial in which journalists Hazal Ocak, Olcay B\u00fcy\u00fckta\u015f, \u0130pek \u00d6zbey and Vedat Ar\u0131k face \u201cidentifying officials on anti-terror duties as targets\u201d and \u201cviolation of the privacy of personal life\u201d charges was held in \u0130stanbul. Giving additional time for journalists and their lawyers to prepare their arguments against the final opinion, the court adjourned the trial until April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 31.01.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HDP Group Deputy Chairperson Meral Dan\u0131\u015f-Be\u015fta\u015f, tabled a motion in the parliament drawing attention to the suspicious aspects of the secret witness, coded “CV23TV4Y45UP78” who intervened in the HDP closure case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah \u00d6calan applied to Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to meet with their client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The demonstration in front of the Justice Ministry, initiated by HDP MPs to allow PKK Leader Abdullah \u00d6calan to meet with his lawyers, has entered its 29th day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2nd hearing of the trial in which journalists Ferhat \u00c7elik and \u0130dris Yayla face \u201cidentifying public officials on anti-terror duties as targets\u201d charge was held in Van. Trial adjourned until April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first hearing of the retrial in which journalist Zafer Arapkirli faces \u201cinsult\u201d charges upon complaint by Nureddin Y\u0131ld\u0131z was held in \u0130stanbul. The hearing is adjourned until 3 May 2023 so that it can be held in a bigger courtroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Documentary director and academician Sibel Tekin, who was arrested on charges of “being a member in a terrorist organization”, was released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey Today – 30.01.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first hearing of the child abuse case related to the forced “marriage” of the 6-year old daughter of Yusuf Ziya G. who is the founder of the Hiranur Foundation affiliated with the \u0130smaila\u011fa religious sect, to 29-year-old Kadir \u0130., was held in \u0130stanbul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sixth hearing of the trial in which 14 Bo\u011fazi\u00e7i University students face multiple charges and in which the appointed rector Naci \u0130nci is listed as “the injured party” was held in \u0130stanbul. Giving additional time for the lawyers to prepare their arguments against the final opinion, the court adjourned the trial until February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign Minister Mevl\u00fct \u00c7avu\u015fo\u011flu has said that Turkey could evaluate Finland’s NATO bid independently from that of Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey has warned its citizens against “possible Islamophobic, xenophobic and racist attacks” in the United States and Europe after its Western allies cautioned their citizens in Turkey about possible terror attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Turkey Weekly 20 – 28 February 2023 Turkey Today – 28.02.2023President Erdo\u011fan has handed out money to children in Ad\u0131yaman province.The Turkish Red Crescent sold the second-hand goods that have been donated to the institution in 2019 and 2020, journalist… Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1261","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1261"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1261\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/eutcc.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}