NEWS - Bianet

NEWS

Page 316

DTPs Baptism of Fire

The entry of DTP-supported candidates into parliament may contribute to the legitimisation of a Kurdish political identity and the democratisation of the country. However, should the violence continue, their effectiveness will be decreased.

22 July 2007 Güneş Murat Tezcür

Governing AKP Victorious in General Elections

As of 9pm tonight (22 July), around 85 percent of the poll stations around Turkey have counted their votes. The AKP has won very decidedly, two other parties have entered parliament and up to 20 independent candidates are predicted to get seats.

Compensation for Candidate Oran

Independent candidate Baskin Oran has been awarded compensation by an Ankara court for being shown as a target by a magazine. The Türksolu magazine has been subject of complaints before.

Pre-Election Torture Allegations in the East

A sixty-year old man has alleged that he was threatened with death and tortured at a gendarmerie station in Hakkari province for supporting a pro-Kurdish candidate. Several villagers in Sirnak province have been beaten for the same reason.

Prosecutor Demands Acquittal for Protestants

The prosecution in a case against two members of the Protestant Church has demanded their acquittal, arguing that the Turkish constitution guaranteed freedom of religion. Kerincsiz and other lawyers have joined the case as third-party plaintiffs.

Media Surveys Influence Election Results

According to Dr. Tanriöver, pre-election surveys published in the media push undecided voters towards the winning party and disadvantage small parties and independent candidates. Görsel from Verso says, the media is manipulating politics.

Agos Lawyers Demand Judges Withdrawal

Lawyers for the journalists from the Agos newspaper are calling for the prosecutor and judges to resign from the case if they cannot maintain an objective stance. Lawyer Cetin says: The prosecution is acting as if it has personally suffered a crime.

Lay-Offs Not Due to Finances

Although journalists of the Dogan Journalismmedia group were dismissed with the justification thatthe newspapers were in economic difficulty, the samemedia group is now preparing to purchase anothernewpaper.

Güncel Newspaper Also Closed

After the Gündem newspaper has been closed for 15 days for spreading terrorist propaganda, a heavy penal court in Istanbul has decided to close the Güncel newspaper, which it sees as Gündems continuation, for 12 days.

Continuing Abuse in F-type Prisons

According to the Contemporary Lawyers Association, human rights violations and maltreatment continue in F-type prisons. Prisoners who file complaints are punished with isolation and the withdrawal of rights.

Activists Acquitted on Condemning Military

A court in Sanliurfa has decreed that eight rights activists and members of professional associations were in their right to criticise the publication of an Internet memorandum by the General Staff on 27 April.

Human Rights Association Anniversary

It was the 21st anniversary of the Human Rights Association but predictably, there was no cause for celebration. President Yalcindag reminded the press of the many losses the IHD has sustained in its campaigns for peace, democracy and human rights.

Military Pursues Conscientious Objector

Despite an ECHR decree condemning the treatment of conscientious objector Ülke, Turkey insists on prosecuting him. Promises to the European Council to change legislation have not been kept.

RSF Concerned About Dink Trial

Reporters Without Borders have been monitoring the Hrant Dink murder trial, the first hearing of which was on 2 July. After a letter of suspect Uzundal to the prosecution has become public, the NGO still calls for an urgent investigation

Murder in the Name of Honour

So-called honour killings still appear in the news with alarming regularity. The very fact that they are called honour killings in some way apologises the crime. According to the UNFPA, 5,000 women are killed every year.

17 July 2007 Zehra Ayman

The Dream of a Civil Constitution

When one looks at pre-election promises, mainstream political parties are suddenly keen to promise a new, more democratic constitution. The track record of the current government and other parties suggests that many of these promises will not be kept.

17 July 2007 Tolga Korkut

Military Warning Was a Press Release

An administrative court has decided that the Internet warning published on the General Staff website during the night of 27 April was a press release. The complaint has been referred to the Ministry of Defence.

Rapprochement of CHP and MHP

Academic Baskaya and politician Sarisozen agree that the nominally social democratic CHP and the nationalist MHP are increasingly similar in their political discourses. The CHP creates fear in order to ensure its hold on power.

Election Predictions Around Turkey

Local journalists in Diyarbakir and Bursa have evaluated the election campaigns there. Independent candidates stand a good chance in Kurdish Diyarbakir, while nationalism is on the rise in Bursa.

Gündem Newspaper Closed for Fifteen Days

After an article on pre-election opinions in Batman, a south-eastern province, was published in the Gündem newspaper on 12 July, an Istanbul heavy penal court has closed the newspaper for 15 days.

Election Campaign in Eastern Turkey - 3

Although it is likely that several independent candidates in Van will get enough votes to enter parliament, many people are still betting on candidates with tribal connections. Van is a poor underdeveloped province with high unemployment.

16 July 2007 Anna Grabolle Çeliker

Agos Writers Trial on the 18th

Three journalists of Agos newspaper, previously run by murdered journalist Hrant Dink, have a court hearing again this week. Hrant Dinks son Arat Dink, Serkis Seropyan and Aydin Engin will appear in court on 18 July.

Cyanide Using Gold Mine in to Be Closed

A gold mine using cyanide in its extraction process has been poisoning thousands of people in the province of Usak since last year. A court has decreed that the mine be closed.

Professional Army Would Serve the Capital

According to writer Sen, the concept of a professional army serves less the fight against PKK terror, but more Turkeys bid for regional dominance by protecting the flow of global capital in the Middle East, the Caucasus and in the Balkans

16 July 2007 Tolga Korkut

BIA Media Report-Full Text

The second quarterly BIA media report has been published, making for sobering reading. Journalists, newspapers, radio stations and television channels are still often obstructed when trying to make use of the right of freedom of expression.

12 July 2007 Erol Önderoğlu

Violence Would Not Solve Kurdish Issue

Independent candidates of the left Uras and Oran are criticizing the decision of the General Staff of founding professional military units to operate in the south-east of the country by 2009: This is result of defining Kurdish issue as a security problem.

No Votes for Those Ignoring Alevites

Alevites, traditionally courted in pre-election campaigns and often ignored thereafter, have published a statement in which they express their disillusionment with political parties and their support of left parties and independent candidates.

Left and Right Both Nationalist

The election campaigns and the accompanying rhetoric show that many parties are exploiting an increase in nationalism. CHP, traditionally referred to as centre-left and the nationalist MHP are displaying an unprecedented degree of rapprochement.

Politicians Clamouring for Death Penalty

Recent mud slinging between the ruling AKP and the nationalist MHP has widened into a national discourse on the possibility of reintroducing the death penalty. Öcalan has become part of the election campaign and people in favour of the death penalty.

11 July 2007 Tolga Korkut

Dink, Zarakolu and Cayligil Awarded

The Turkey Journalists Society is awarding its Press Freedom Prize for the 19th time this year. Representive for all victims of Article 301, the prize will be awarded to journalist Hrant Dink, publisher Ragip Zarakolu and lawyer Gülcin Cayligil.

Election Campaign in Eastern Turkey - 2

In the light of the consistent failure to enter parliament as a party, Kurdish-interest party DTP -successor of HADEP and DEHAP- has decided to enter these elections with independent candidates. In Van there are 3 independent candidates supported by DTP.

11 July 2007 Anna Grabolle Çeliker

Appeal Against Evictions in Dink Case

Joint attorneys in the Dink murder case have demanded that four defendants who were released last week be rearrested. They argue that the case can only be investigated properly with these suspects.