Bawer Çakır

Bawer Çakır

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Bağca: "A Trial Like a Caricature!"

Bağca: "A Trial Like a Caricature!"

Artist Bağca was sentenced to imprisonment of ten months for commemorating artists and a child who were killed in alleged conflicts with the Armed Forces. The "expert commission" at court was composed of special operation police officers.

Rojda: Imprisonment for Performing Kurdish Song

Rojda: Imprisonment for Performing Kurdish Song

Kurdish artist Rojda received a one year and eight month prison sentence under charges of "propaganda for an illegal organization". The verdict is based on the song "Heval Kamurano" Rojda performed on a festival in Diyarbakır last year.

AKP Announced Constitutional Reform Package

AKP Announced Constitutional Reform Package

Government spokesman Çiçek presented the draft of 23 articles of the constitution to be amended and called the proposal a "compromise". Rights defenders criticized that the draft is lacking important issues regarding the rights of children, women and LGBT people.

Turkish NGOs: "PM Erdoğan Incites Hatred"

Turkish NGOs: "PM Erdoğan Incites Hatred"

Prime Minister Erdoğan was harshly criticized in his own country for saying to expel 100,000 illegal Armenian immigrants from the country. More than 30 NGOs condemned the PM's reaction to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 by the Swedish parliament.

LGBT Association Sues State Minister

LGBT Association Sues State Minister

"Resign, Aliye Kavaf" was written on the banner in the protest of the Pink Life LGBTT Association. The organization filed a criminal complaint against Minister Kavaf who said "Homosexuality is a disease and should be treated".

Flare-Up of New Left-Wing Party

Flare-Up of New Left-Wing Party

Former Minister of Labour and Social Security Ziya Halis is the chairman of Turkey's new left-wing party EDP. The Party for Equality and Democracy will be merged with the Social Democratic People's Party in a convention on 13 March.

Communication Students from Izmir Visit bianet

Communication Students from Izmir Visit bianet

A group of students from the Izmir Economics University's Department for Media and Communication visited the bianet offices on 8 March. The news site editors informed the students about the work of bianet, its publication policies and independent journalism.

Kurdish Politician Tuğluk Acquitted - Öcalan's Lawyers Sentenced

Kurdish Politician Tuğluk Acquitted - Öcalan's Lawyers Sentenced

Former DTP MP Tuğluk was acquitted of charges of "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization". At the same time, PKK leader Öcalan's lawyers Dündar and Aydınkaya received a 10 months prison sentence, which was suspended on probation.

22 February 2010

Only Effective Judiciary Can End Threats against Agos Newspaper

Only Effective Judiciary Can End Threats against Agos Newspaper

Armenian Agos newspaper was threatened frequently before and after the murder of editor-in-chief Hrant Dink. Now the newspaper's website has been hacked. Lawyer Çetin criticized that the judiciary lacks efficiency for crimes committed via the internet.

12 February 2010

Armenian Agos Newspaper's Website Hacked

Armenian Agos Newspaper's Website Hacked

A hacker forced access to the website of Armenian Agos newspaper and posted a photograph of Hrant Dink murderer suspect Ogün Samast on the main page. The hacker published threats and insults towards people who supported assassinated journalist Dink.

12 February 2010

Kurdish Artist Rojda on Trial

Kurdish Artist Rojda on Trial

Kurdish artists Rojda was taken into custody by reason of having spread "propaganda for an illegal organization" by performing a Kurdish song at a festival in Diyarbakır. Rojda is one of 160 artists invited by the Prime Minister to discuss the "Kurdish initiative".

12 February 2010

Disciplinary Fine for Detained Conscientious Objector Aydemir

Disciplinary Fine for Detained Conscientious Objector Aydemir

The Eskişehir Military Court imposed a one-month disciplinary fine on conscientious objector Enver Aydemir because of his refusal to wear prison clothes and disobedience of orders. Aydemir is not allowed for one month to see anybody else but his lawyer.

11 February 2010

Transgender Derya Y. Killed in Antalya

Transgender Derya Y. Killed in Antalya

35-year-old transsexual women Derya T. was stabbed to death at her home in Antalya on 8 February. The police are investigating the matter. Another transsexual woman was injured with a knife two days earlier in Ankara.

10 February 2010

Families of Murdered Intellectuals Follow up Dink Murder Case

CLAIM FOR JUSTICE

Families of Murdered Intellectuals Follow up Dink Murder Case

Families and friends of murdered journalists, writers, intellectuals and artists gathered before the 12th hearing of the Hrant Dink case to demand justice in respect to the Dink murder and other political murders. They stated, "We are interveners of the Dink case as well".

8 February 2010

Turkey on the Streets for Tekel Workers

GENERAL STRIKE FOR TEKEL WORKERS

Turkey on the Streets for Tekel Workers

Tens of thousands of people used their right not to work for one day and supported the struggle of the Tekel workers in a general strike. For Türk-İş President Kumlu it was a successful protest action withstanding the pressure of officials and employers.

5 February 2010

Millions of People Stop Work for Tekel Workers

GENERAL STRIKE ON 4 FEBRUARY

Millions of People Stop Work for Tekel Workers

Millions of members of six union confederations join the general strike to support Tekel workers in their struggle for job security and take action against the pressure imposed to the workers. Türk-İş President Kumlu repeated the request to protect the workers' employee personal rights.

4 February 2010

Doctors Protest against "Full Day" Bill

Doctors Protest against "Full Day" Bill

Physicians claim that the "Full Day" Draft Law currently discussed in Parliament deprives them of their employee personal rights and demand the withdrawal of the bill.

25 January 2010

Life Sentence for Murderer of Transsexual Çağla

Life Sentence for Murderer of Transsexual Çağla

The Ankara 5th High Criminal Court handed a life sentence to defendant Murat Olgun G. for deliberate murder aiming to conceal a crime. The defendant received another twelve years imprisonment for aggravated looting. The court rejected the defence's request of mitigation for "unjust provocation".

25 January 2010

Kurdish Initiative from Facebook

Kurdish Initiative from Facebook

Facebook, as one of the most popular international social networking sites, is now available in Kurdish as well. The Kurdish language was included upon a campaign ran by the users of the site and can be expanded to further applications on demand.

19 January 2010

Explosive Killed 14-Year-Old Boy - Enquiry to Interior Minister

Explosive Killed 14-Year-Old Boy - Enquiry to Interior Minister

Fırat Okşak was killed by an explosive close to the place where Ceylan Önkol lost her life last September. BDP MP Kışanak asks Interior Minister Atalay in a motion whether an investigation has been launched and if the explosive belonged to the nearby gendarmerie station.

13 January 2010

HIV Positive: No Reason for Lay-Off

HIV Positive: No Reason for Lay-Off

HIV positive person A.S. was layed-off because of his carrying the HI virus. He did not accept this discrimination and went to court. Both the Labour Court and the Court of Appeals decreed for his return to work.

11 January 2010

Ballot for TEKEL Workers - End of Resistance?

Ballot for TEKEL Workers - End of Resistance?

12,000 TEKEL workers are going to vote for the continuation or the end of their resistance taken up 23 days ago in Ankara. Amaç from the Tek Gıda-İş union claims, "Erdoğan said 'They are on the streets because of provocations'. We want to highlight the workers' right to self-determination".

"Why Did the Police not Step in against Lynch Attacks?"

ÇHD FILES CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT POLITICAL LEADERS

"Why Did the Police not Step in against Lynch Attacks?"

The Contemporary Lawyers Association filed complaints about Prime Minister Erdoğan, Interior Minister Atalay, two governors and provincial chiefs of police. The Association criticizes a lack of police action against recent lynch attempts in three Turkish cities.

Confederation of Labour Unions: No Reason to Celebrate in 2009

TÜRK-İŞ: 2009 REVIEW

Confederation of Labour Unions: No Reason to Celebrate in 2009

According to the Turkish Confederation of Labour Unions, 2009 was once more characterized by labour rights violations, extortion of rights and police interventions against workers seeking their rights. The confederation announced continuous and extended protest actions for 2010.

31 December 2009

Torture Allegations by Conscientious Objector Aydemir

FREEDOM FOR CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR AYDEMİR

Torture Allegations by Conscientious Objector Aydemir

Conscientious objector Enver Aydemir claims that he was exposed to torture and maltreatment in prison for refusing to wear military clothes. Aydemir started a hunger strike to express his protest. His wife, his father and lawyer Yılmaz filed a criminal complaint.

30 December 2009

Lynch Attack on Leftist Students

Lynch Attack on Leftist Students

A crowd of about 750 people attacked a group of 15 people who were making a press release concerning the demand for the release of 3 friends of theirs in Edirne. 6 people were injured. The lynch attempt could be stopped upon the request of the Chief of Police.

29 December 2009

Resistance of TEKEL Workers Supported by Union Confederations

TEKEL WORKERS RESISTANCE - 11TH DAY

Resistance of TEKEL Workers Supported by Union Confederations

In order to support the resistance of TEKEL workers, unions affiliated with Türk-İş, DİSK and KESK interrupted work for 1 hour on Friday, 25 December. The 3 union confederations pronounced to repeat their action every Friday as a warning to the government.

28 December 2009

Call for Permanent Boycott of Israel for Palestine

Call for Permanent Boycott of Israel for Palestine

Activists in Istanbul demonstrated for a boycott against Israel because of the country's attacks on Gaza one year ago. The demonstrators criticized that Turkey is acting on double standards regarding the issue of Palestine.

28 December 2009

Father of the Victim Is Fugitive Murder Suspect

AHMET YILDIZ MURDER

Father of the Victim Is Fugitive Murder Suspect

2 eye-witnesses testified in the murder case of Ahmet Yılıdız. The victim's father, on trial as a defendant, is still fugitive. The judge did not accept representatives of 2 NGOs to the public hearing. Lawyer Söyle said, "The court's attitude regarding the arrest of the defendant does not give any hope".

24 December 2009

Journalists Fined Under Charges of Insulting PM

FREEDOM OF PRESS AND EXPRESSION

Journalists Fined Under Charges of Insulting PM

Journalists Perihan Mağden form Radikal newspaper and Cemal Subaşı from Tempo Magazine each have to pay 5,000 TL in compensation to the Prime Minister's family. The Court of Appeals approved the local court's decision regarding the compensation claims as licit.

23 December 2009

16 Railway Workers Returned to Work by TCDD

16 Railway Workers Returned to Work by TCDD

16 of the 46 workers that were suspended by the Railway Authorities in the course of recent protest actions have been returned to work. The workers demanded their right to strike and to collective agreements. KESK president Evren signalized a "general strike" if not all workers will be returned to work.

22 December 2009

Ergenekon Prosecutors Investigate Killing of 33 Soldiers

KILLING OF 33 SOLDIERS IN 1993

Ergenekon Prosecutors Investigate Killing of 33 Soldiers

Private Özdemir stated to the prosecutor that in his opinion the killing of 33 soldiers in Bingöl in 1993 was related to the Ergenekon organization. Özdemir had been injured in the attack.

17 December 2009

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