Burçin Belge

Burçin Belge

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Male Violence in May 2011

Male Violence in May 2011

According to data compiled by bianet, men in Turkey killed 20 women, seven men and five children in May 2011. Twelve women, one man, three transvestites and transsexuals and one child were injured. Five women and seven children were harassed, five children were raped.

Gender Imbalance in New Parliament

Gender Imbalance in New Parliament

According to initial figures, the number of female members of parliament increased from 48 to 78. 472 MPs are male. KADER President Aydın: "A constitution that anticipates de facto equality of women is a must for us".

"Women Policies Erased from Political Agenda"

GENDER EQUALITY

"Women Policies Erased from Political Agenda"

The replacement of the Ministry of Women and Family Affairs by the newly established Ministry of Family and Social Policies is seen as a breach of international agreements signed by Turkey. Experts see women policies severely jeopardized.

"What We Need is a Women Ministry"

"What We Need is a Women Ministry"

Lawyer Moroğlu is against a replacement of the Ministry for Women and Family Affairs by a Ministry for Family Affairs and Social Policies. "This attempt has to be stopped urgently in the name of democracy, the state of law and women rights", Moroğlu criticized.

Life Sentence for Murderer of Ayşe Paşalı

Life Sentence for Murderer of Ayşe Paşalı

İstikbal Yetkin received a life sentence for the premeditated and deliberate killing his divorced wife Ayşe Paşalı. The lawyers of the Paşalı family appreciated the court's decision not to apply any mitigation of punishment and assessed the verdict as a precedent.

Facebook Apologized to Journalist Çakır - Group Re-Opened

INTERNET CENSORSHIP

Facebook Apologized to Journalist Çakır - Group Re-Opened

The Facebook Turkey team apologized to journalist Çakır for closing down his account and the "Homology" group he administers "by mistake". Access to another group that called on Minister Kavaf to resign is still blocked.

Party's Women Branches Lobbying for Women Candidates

2011 GENERAL ELECTIONS

Party's Women Branches Lobbying for Women Candidates

The AKP aims at doubling the number of female members of parliament in the general elections on 12 June 2011. The party received more than 900 applications from women candidates. The CHP and MHP will announce according figures in the coming week.

Turkey Gains "0" Points on Gender Equality - Again

Turkey Gains "0" Points on Gender Equality - Again

According to the women's association KA.DER, Turkey failed once more in the report on "Inequality in the Representation of Women and Men in Turkey". Women are not included in decision making mechanisms, KA.DER criticized.

Transgender Individuals Sued after Groundless Custody

Transgender Individuals Sued after Groundless Custody

Three activists of the Pink Life LGBT Association are sued for alleged resistance against the police. They had refused to be taken to the police station without a concrete reason. The complaining police officers failed to appear at any of the hearings.

25 February 2011

Sexual Harassment - No Matter of Honour!

Sexual Harassment - No Matter of Honour!

Two defendants tried in two separate cases for alleged sexual harassment of women on New Year's Eve were released at the first hearing. One of the defendants said, "A woman in a mini skirt and sleeveless top accused me. I know what honour means".

4 February 2011

217 Women Killed by Men in Turkey in 2010

217 Women Killed by Men in Turkey in 2010

Data compiled by bianet suggest that males of all age groups, professions and status from almost all over Turkey exposed women of all age groups, professions and status to various kinds of violence in 2010. As a result, 217 women and girls lost their lives.

25 January 2011

Mumcu's Relatives Urge for Punishment of Offical Neglect

18 YEARS OF IMPUNITY

Mumcu's Relatives Urge for Punishment of Offical Neglect

18 years after the murder of journalist Uğur Mumcu, his family applied to the prosecution to identify and punish the ones responsible for the murder. They demand to punish "the officials who neglected the investigation and the prosecution of the real perpetrators".

25 January 2011

MP Ersin: "State Responsible for Killing of Ayşe Paşalı"

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

MP Ersin: "State Responsible for Killing of Ayşe Paşalı"

The case against İstikbal Yetkin who allegedly killed his divorced wife Ayşe Paşalı, in spite of the victim's complaints to the police, started in Ankara. The hearing was observed by 40 women lawyers, representatives of women organizations and Ahmet Ersin from the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission.

21 January 2011

Facebook Censored PurpleHand LGBT Group

Facebook Censored PurpleHand LGBT Group

The facebook administration closed down the PurpleHand Eskişehir LGBT facebook group. Members of the PurpleHand initiative criticised, "This is an intervention against freedom of expression and communication of LGBTT individuals".

10 January 2011

Sledgehammer Coup Plan Trial Starting from Scratch

Sledgehammer Coup Plan Trial Starting from Scratch

The prosecution of 196 defendants tried for their alleged involvement in the "Sledgehammer Coup Plan" started on 6 January with the third hearing of the trial. The defendants' second demand for the recusal of three judges was dismissed again.

Draft on Amendment of Family Protection Law Deemed Insufficient

Draft on Amendment of Family Protection Law Deemed Insufficient

Lawyers Arın and Temel appreciated the draft bill on the amendment of the Law on the Protection of the Family but emphasized that it is not sufficient. The draft lacks protection measures for women who were exposed to violence, the lawyers criticized.

Disappeared Children Report

PARLIAMENTARY RESEARCH COMMISSION

Disappeared Children Report

The parliamentary report on the disappearance of children revealed family pressure, unemployment, poverty, violence or lack of education as some of the main reasons for children to leave home. Most of these children are female and aged 15 or older.

23 December 2010

Pınar Sağ: Double Standards in Judiciary?

Pınar Sağ: Double Standards in Judiciary?

Folk singer Pınar Sağ rejected the accusations put up against her in the trial regarding her utterances about revolutionist İbrahim Kaypakkaya. Sağ is facing imprisonment of up to five years.

23 December 2010

"RTÜK's Input for Discrimination of LGBT Individuals"

LAMBDA ISTANBUL

"RTÜK's Input for Discrimination of LGBT Individuals"

The LGBT organization LambdaIstanbul criticized RTÜK for fining the Habertürk TV channel for a discussion on homosexuality and protested the RTÜK President for saying that "showing homosexuality as normal violates the Turkish family structure".

22 December 2010

Awareness for Bullying at Work just Awakening

Awareness for Bullying at Work just Awakening

Harassment at work was finally brought to the Parliamentary Commission on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men. Lawyer Altınparmak who won the first case on bullying at work in Turkey and expert Çabukçu said that this sort of pressure will enter the Turkish legislation.

21 December 2010

Kurdish Politician Tuğluk Facing 75 Years in Jail

Kurdish Politician Tuğluk Facing 75 Years in Jail

The Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk is facing 75 years in jail on charges of "spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization" in twelve different speeches made between 2005 and 2010.

17 December 2010

Two-Year Prison Threat for Egg Throwing

Two-Year Prison Threat for Egg Throwing

State Minister Bağış sued a student for throwing an egg at him. The 21-year-old student is facing imprisonment of up to 2 years. The first hearing is scheduled fo 10 February.

16 December 2010

Kurdish in Parliament Potential Reason for Shutting down BDP

PEACE AND DEMOCRACY PARTY

Kurdish in Parliament Potential Reason for Shutting down BDP

When President Gül was asked about BDP members speaking Kurdish in parliament, he replied that according to the current legislation this was a potential reason to shut down the Peace and Democracy Party.

16 December 2010

ÇYDD and ÇEV Accused of Indexing Thousands of People

SUPPORT FOR MODERN LIFE ASSOCIATION

ÇYDD and ÇEV Accused of Indexing Thousands of People

The indictment on the Support for Modern Life Association and the Contemporary Education Foundation revealed the organizations' connections to terrorist organizations. Both associations were searched in the scope of the "Ergenekon" investigation.

15 December 2010

Writer Nevin Berktaş Convicted - Deduction Dismissed

Writer Nevin Berktaş Convicted - Deduction Dismissed

Writer Nevin Berktaş received a ten-month prison sentence because of her book on her time in prison. Due to a mistake, she had previously been imprisoned for more than 5 years too long. Her request to take this time into account accordingly was dismissed. She filed an appeal.

14 December 2010

Murderers of Women from all Ages and Social Groups

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Murderers of Women from all Ages and Social Groups

At least 199 women were killed by men in 2010. Men from all age groups, professions and regions imposed violence to women, children and other men. The perpetrators are usually family members or friends. Sexual harassment and rape of children has increased.

13 December 2010

Turkish Ambassador Blew Whistle on Nuclear Co-operation

WIKILEAKS

Turkish Ambassador Blew Whistle on Nuclear Co-operation

According to a cable transmitted by US American diplomat Miles published by WikiLeaks, the former Turkish Ambassador to Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) filled Miles in on information on a nuclear co-operation between Russia, Turkmenistan and Iran.

2 December 2010

USA Wants to Keep Nuclear Weapons in Turkey

WIKILEAKS

USA Wants to Keep Nuclear Weapons in Turkey

A cable published on WikiLeaks confirmed that the USA has nuclear weapons in Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Gordon from the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, ""If the nuclear weapons will be withdrawn from the 3 countries, it might become politically very difficult to retain Turkey's stock of nuclear weapons".

2 December 2010

Sexual Harassment at Trade Union Confederation

Sexual Harassment at Trade Union Confederation

Akgökçe from the Petrol-Work Women Magazine assessed the recent allegations of sexual harassment in the KESK union of public employees. She emphasized the need for solidarity between all women to improve their situation.

1 December 2010

Call for End of Violence against Women

Call for End of Violence against Women

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Psychiatric Association of Turkey drew attention to measures to prevent violence against women and improve their situation. Women in Istanbul and Ankara were in the streets to call for their rights.

26 November 2010

Alevi Demonstration against Compulsory Religious Education

Alevi Demonstration against Compulsory Religious Education

"Abolish Compulsory Religious Education" was one of the main demands in the demonstration of Alevi organizations in Istanbul. A sit-down strike was continued all night long and had previously been carried out in Ankara. It will be repeated in Izmir next year.

9 November 2010

Lack of Jurisdiction for Prosecution of Putchists

Lack of Jurisdiction for Prosecution of Putchists

The Special Authority Public Chief Prosecution decided for a "lack of jurisdiction" regarding the prosecution of the people responsible for the military coup in 1980. Chief Prosecutor Kuriş is expected to appoint a prosecutor without special authority to the investigation.

9 November 2010

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