'False memories' of Gezi, rage of women

Photos: AA/File

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This week marked the ninth anniversary of the Gezi Park protests, where millions of people took to the streets against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government in what was the largest wave of protests in the history of the republic.

Just over a month ago, eight people who were held responsible for "organizing and financing" the protests were given heavy prison sentences for attempted overthrow of the government.

There was impunity on the other side of the coin as those responsible for the killing of 10 people during the events either received low sentences or were not punished at all. Last month, bianet interviewed the families of those who lost their lives in the protests, who gave their account of the Gezi trial and their own legal struggles.

On May 31, police surrounded Taksim Square and Gezi Park to prevent any demonstration. People were allowed to hold a vigil in an alley leading to İstiklal Avenue but faced tear gas when they wanted to march towards the avenue. Police also battered journalists during the events.

The anniversary of the protests was also on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's agenda. On Saturday, he added more to his false claims about the 2013 protests, saying that the protesters "burned down our mosques."

Read more:

• Timeline of Gezi Resistance

• Erdoğan repeats false allegations about Gezi protests

• Who are the eight convicts of the Gezi case?

These remarks came a few days after he called the protesters "sluts."

"We are on the ninth anniversary of the events called the Gezi events, which went down in our history as a document of betrayal, shame and vandalism," he said on Wednesday. "They are corrupt, they are sluts, they know nothing about a holy mosque."

Faced with multiple criminal complaints by women's groups and opposition parties, he defended his remarks on Saturday, saying, "I spoke the language of our nation." Yet, he refrained from uttering the word sürtük this time.

In addition to criminal complaints, women held demonstrations to protest Erdoğan in various cities.

"We are not sluts. I've been living with my husband for 50 years," said a woman who attended a demonstration in Burdur. "My husband has been paralyzed for 14 years. I'm not looking at anyone. I don't know anyone but God. I got married at 14. I'm not a slut. You can't call us sluts."

Meanwhile, Erdoğan's "nation" also seems to be shrinking. According to the latest poll of Konda, a prominent pollster, the support of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) dropped below 30 percent, with the opposition alliance having a significant advantage over the AKP and the Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) People's Alliance.

Dozens of women gather in Eskişehir park to protest "yoga ban" Women complained about "growing reactionism" in the city, where a music festival was recently banned after calls by religious groups. "If we don't give an answer to the mentality that prevents us from doing yoga, they will poke their noses into our shorts or women and men hanging out together," said one woman.

Women&LGBTI+

bianet Male Violence Monitoring Report Men killed at least 32 women, inflicted violence on at least 64 women, abused at least 22 girls and boys, harassed at least 11 women, and forced 65 women to do sex work in May, according to the report based on data compiled from local and national newspapers, news websites and news agencies.

Eskişehir's LGBTI+s speak out In the Central Anatolian city that receives LGBTI+ migration, the authorities have become less tolerant with religious groups gaining influence, activists say. "LGBTI+ activists are being followed and leaflets are left in front of their homes. They are directly being threatened. In 2018, we experienced a similar situation. A similar religious community targeted us," an activist told bianet.

Politics and foreign policy

Sweden's "superficial" feminist foreign policy and NATO membership bid "I would say that it is very superficial. It is mainly about that we have had one female foreign minister with feminist ideology, Margot Wallström. When Wallström made sharp statements on weapons and Saudi Arabia, it was later smoothed by the prime minister," feminist journalist Anna-Klara Bratt told bianet.

Sweden signals it may resume arms sales to Turkey The war in Ukraine and Sweden's NATO membership bid may affect Stockholm's assessment on arms sales, according to a senior official of an agency responsible for Sweden's arms exports.

Turkey insists it will launch new incursion into Syria despite objections by US, Russia Both Washington and Moscow voiced opposition to a possible new military offensive by Turkey. "We will not ask for permission," says Turkey.

Erdoğan appoints judge of controversial cases as deputy justice minister Akın Gürlek was the presiding judge of the court that defied a Constitutional Court ruling and sentenced politicians and rights defenders. He also filed lawsuits against journalists who reported about him.

Sentenced to prison over social media posts, CHP's Kaftancıoğlu released under supervision Kaftancıoğlu's sentence is "adjusted" to ban her from politics but not to send her behind bars

Erdoğan's friend gets contract for Hagia Sophia restoration The monument that was converted into a mosque in 2020 is under scrutiny due to the damage inflicted by visitors.

Five hoopoes spotted in Iğdır this year Each year, Upupa epops (Eurasian hoopoe) migrating from Africa are seen in Iğdır, an eastern province that is home to 70 percent of Turkey's bird species. One of the smallest provinces of Turkey, Iğdır accounts for 5 per thousand of Turkey's total surface area. But when the number of bird species is concerned, it is seen that 340 species have been detected in Iğdır province and 306 species in the Aras Bird Sanctuary. (Photo: AA)

Freedom of expression

Veteran journalist given prison sentence over joke about former PM Uğur Dündar, a renowned TV anchor and journalist, has been sentenced because of a wordplay about the corruption allegations against former PM Binali Yıldırım. The court converted the sentence to a monetary fine.

Journalist asked whether she received instructions to report on an attack on a Kurdish family Berivan Altan is under investigation for "provoking the people into hatred and animosity" because of a report titled "Racist attack on Kurdish family in Ankara."

Journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu detained after police raid on her Diyarbakır home The journalist was not at home when the raid took place. She was later detained at the police department, where she went to give a statement.

Journalist detained while reporting on damage to Hagia Sophia Police officers did not provide a sensible explanation of his detention, said the reporter.

RTÜK fines TV outlets for simply broadcasting opposition leader's video about Erdoğan The CHP leader last week claimed to reveal the Erdoğan family's money smuggling to the US through educational foundations.

"Erdoğan aide will become the sole authority for news media if the new bill passes" The Journalists' Federation of Turkey (TGF) expressed concerns over a bill amending the Press Law and other laws.

Law and human rights

Human rights group received highest number of complaints in 2021 The ages of those who were subjected to torture and maltreatment varied between 5 and 76, according to a recent report by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey.

Bar associations speak up against concert bans Fifty-seven bar associations released a joint statement entitled "Do not be afraid of arts, arts emancipate" in the face of the recent bans on concerts and other cultural events

Sky turns orange in southern Turkey as sandstorms in Syria bring dust (Photo: AA)

Economy

Inflation rate hits 24-year high The inflation rate is over 73 percent according to official statistics and over 160 percent according to a group of independent economists. The finance minister remained optimistic though, saying that the increase rate of the inflation slowed down.

Government hikes natural gas, electricity prices Over the past year, gas prices have increased 630 percent for power plants, 601 percent for the industrial sector and 146 percent for households.

Turkey's growth rate at lowest level in last four quarters The country's GDP increased by 7.3 percent to 179.8 billion US dollars in the first quarter of 2022.

Migration

Interior Ministry: Over 500,000 Syrians have voluntarily returned to their country Turkey's "briquette house" projects continue at 259 different locations in northern Syria, the interior minister said.

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