NEWS

Date published: 15 December 2021 14:50

~ Modified On: 15 December 2021 15:05

2 min Read

HDP’S OYA ERSOY

‘Economic crisis, poverty push people to religious cults’ courses, dorms in Turkey’

HDP İstanbul MP Ersoy has submitted a Parliamentary question to Vice President Fuat Oktay and asked him about the sexual abuse of seven children at a boarding Quran course in Turkey’s eastern province of Erzurum.

İstanbul

‘Economic crisis, poverty push people to religious cults’ courses, dorms in Turkey’

Click to read the article in Turkish

Addressing a Parliamentary question to Vice President Fuat Oktay, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP Oya Ersoy has raised concerns about the sexual abuse of seven children in Erzurum province.

"We will not leave children in the hands of religionist cults and sects", Ersoy has said and recalled that seven children aged 10-11 were sexually abused by an inspector on duty at the Hacı Bahattin Evgi boys' boarding Quran course in central Palandöken district in Erzurum. The related Quran course is reportedly affiliated with the Presidency of Religious Affairs.

Underlining that the lack of inspections in such dorms and courses leads to an increase in the number of abuse cases, Ersoy has said that these institutions must be closed. Noting that "economic crisis and poverty push citizens to the courses and dorms of religious cults," Ersoy has stressed that a budget must be allocated to public, secular and scientific education.

Ersoy has asked Oktay the following questions:

Several children were abused by men in boarding Quran courses. As the Vice President, have you given any instructions to close these courses for this reason?
Do you think that leaving such institutions that offer religious education especially to small children to the responsibility of the Presidency of Religious Affairs and the ensuing lack of inspections cause such incidents of abuse?
How many children have so far been abused at the courses that give religious education?

(AÖ/SD)

Origin

BIA News Desk

sexual abuse sexual abuse of children oya ersoy hdp presidency of religious affairs Fûat Oktay child abuse quran course erzurum abuse parliamentary question Fuat oktay

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NEWS

Date published: 29 March 2025 13:58

~ Modified On: 29 March 2025 14:16

3 min Read

Where is Pikachu?

Whilst the images have caused much humour in the west, here there is more to it than that.

David R. Mellor

Where is Pikachu? — This AI-generated version of the "Turkish Pikachu" went viral on social media.

Pikachu has been deported, or is under house arrest. Since video images are not shown on mainstream media, we are left in limbo. It is hoped other cartoon or Marvel characters will come to the rescue. Most wishing for Spiderman, Ironman or Superman; someone who could be quite useful for the demonstrators at the moment.

At present it would appear that the government have only Daffy Duck or Mister Magoo leading their charge, it would be no match.

Whilst the images have caused much humour in the west, here there is more to it than that. You couldn’t think of a more likable Pokémon than Pikachu, loved by all children.

🇹🇷 #BREAKING | Pikachu was spotted fleeing from the police during anti-Erdoğan protests in Turkey. pic.twitter.com/NhTgV7FqHe
— Universal News (@universalnewsx) March 27, 2025

This coupled with kindergarten games of jumping together at demos now, with thousands doing this saying if you don’t you are then a name they disapprove of, phone lights in the air with beaming smiles of unity, are just the equivalent of name calling at school.

It is the lighter side to free expression away from the dogma they perceive in the country. Other incidents are a demonstrator as a whirling dervish in front of the police, water cannoned, or someone doing a Christiano Ronaldo celebration or groups doing press-ups. All this points to different more light headed fun-loving and different Turkey to the one they experience day to day. They (peaceful demonstrators) are of course demonised by certain sections as, in not so many words, unturkish.

And yet these are the very same people who would:

Help your elderly relative to cross the road.

Stand next to you singing their heart to the national anthem at a football ground.

Some will pray in the mosque, celebrate Ramadan and bayram with all their family like you.

Whether you believe it or not, because they are you, they are a part of what makes Turkey great. They may be the other side of the fence, but not the other end of the world.

To end on a lighter note, alleged images of Pikachu drinking in ExpressoLab, is an attempt to undermine the moral of students. To me he is now old hat, I would much rather see people dressed as Bambi. I mean who would ever dream of water cannoning Bambi, or would they?

Disclaimer: Pikachu, Bambi, Ironman Superman, Mr Magoo or Daffy Duck have not, or ever been a part of any political party.

That’s all folks

For now…

Origin

Istanbul

Crackdown on İmamoğlu protests

David R. Mellor

all articles of the author

David R. Mellor is from Liverpool, England. He spent his late teens homeless on Merseyside. He is currently writing and performing in Turkey. His work...

David R. Mellor is from Liverpool, England. He spent his late teens homeless on Merseyside. He is currently writing and performing in Turkey. His work has been featured by the BBC and the Tate, and his published collections of poetry are What a Catch (2013), Some Body (2013), Express Nothing (2019) and So This Is It (2020). His collection of stories An Englishman in Turkey – Türkiye’de Bir İngiliz is recently published in Turkish.

Journalist among seven detained during protest in Balıkesir

All the detainees have been released under judicial supervision.

BIA News Desk

Journalist among seven detained during protest in Balıkesir — Çiğdem Öztürk (DİSK Basın-İş/X)

Seven people, including a journalist, were detained yesterday during a protest in Ayvalık, a district in the northwestern province of Balıkesir.

Those detained were accused of violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations and of “insulting the president.” The political magazine 1+1 Express confirmed that one of its team members, journalist and translator Çiğdem Öztürk, was among those taken into custody.

Despite the prosecutor’s request for their arrest, all seven individuals were released under judicial supervision the today.

The magazine issued a statement calling for the release of everyone who has been detained during the protests: “Freedom for all those who have been detained or arrested since Mar 19 for exercising their constitutional and democratic rights."

The protests

Protests have spread across Turkey since the Mar 19 detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent opposition figure from the Republican People’s Party (CHP). Demonstrations have been particularly active in İstanbul, where the CHP held nightly rallies in front of the municipal building for seven consecutive days. Student-led protests have also taken place in cities across the country.

According to the Interior Ministry, more than 1,800 people were detained nationwide between Mar 19 and Mar 27 in connection with the demonstrations, with 260 formally arrested.

At least 14 journalists have been among those detained.

Dozens of individuals have also been taken into custody over their social media posts related to the protests. In addition, court rulings have blocked access to numerous X (formerly Twitter) accounts.

İmamoğlu was formally arrested on Mar 23 on corruption-related charges and suspended from his duties as mayor. On the same day, the CHP held a previously scheduled primary in which İmamoğlu was declared the party’s presidential candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Following his suspension, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council, where the CHP holds a majority, appointed a CHP member as acting mayor. (VK)

Origin

Istanbul

journalists journalists detained Crackdown on İmamoğlu protests