NEWS - Bianet

NEWS

Page 325

Erdogan Assumes New Roles in US Schemes

Experts commented on Prime Minister Erdogans visit to the U.S.. Professor Dedeoglu from Galatasaray University said: The U.S. will ask Turkey to be more active about Syria. Political analyst Kalyon: U.S. is restructuring its relations with Turkey.

9 June 2005 Kemal Özmen

Wrongful Provocation for Honor Crimes

The law, which offers a reduced punishment for honor , was replaced by an article on wrongful provocation. Women are expecting prosecutors and judges to take international agreements into account.

9 June 2005 Ayşe Durukan

Courts Punish Media, ECHR Punishes Turkey

According to the BIA2s quarterly report on freedom of expression, ECHR handed Turkey a fine of 241,000 Euro, reporter Horuz has been serving in prison for four years, 9 reporters are still standing trial. RTUK suspends Radyo Dunya for 30 days.

18 May 2005 Erol Önderoğlu

Nationalist Hysteria Covers-up US Cooperation

In spite of discrepancies regarding US occupation of Iraq, Ankara inks military agreement of USD 1.1 billion value with Washington for upgrading 117 war planes. Ankara covers up collaboration with the aggressor with manipulated nationalism critics say.

Women of Turkey-Greece Join World March

The European leg of the Worlds Women March, that began on March 8 in Brazil for campaigning against gender based violence and poverty, starts in Turkey on May 9. Women of Turkey and Greece cooperate in the event to further peace between two countries.

26 April 2005 Alev Karakartal

1915s Memory Confuses Turks

Turkish public gives vexed reactions regarding the heated debate on Armenian Question. While some propose: Lets recognize what had happened in the past, this would only credit us, others retort:Europe and the US are attempting at dismembering us.

AI Calls for Retrial of Torturers

Acquittal of police officers charged with subjecting in 1999 Nazime Ceren Salmanoglu, then 16 years old, and Fatma Deniz Polattas, then 19 years old, to horrific torture including rape, arouses AIs concerns.

New Criminal Law Threatens Human Rights

The Head of the Turkey Journalists Association Orhan Erinç says that the New Criminal Code retains articles violating the freedom of information: We do not want Turkey topping the list of the countries with most imprisoned journalists.

HRW Raises Concerns for Threats

The HRW urges that a high-level and public statement be made, affirming the legitimacy and value of the work of human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Association, and condemning the death-threats made against its staff.

Chief of Staff Signals Crisis With Greece

Chief of Staff Gen. Özkök in his annual evaluation signals soaring relations with Greece. Özkök also indirectly rebuffs the U.S. depictions of Turkey as a model Islamic country. Turkey is a secular republic Özkök says.

Military Must Vacate the Classrooms

Scenes of violence and hate speech against the Kurds screeened as part of National Security course in a girls high school in Izmir, sparks controversy. This course provokes xenophobia and should be removed off the the curricula, experts agree.

Environmental Rights Violated, Rules ECHR

The ECHR rules out that Rights to a just trial and healthy environment are violated and court decisions concerning the closure of the gold mine of Ovacik enforced. According to the decision, the gold mine will close, believes local lawyer Terzi.

Local Kurdish Broadcast Requests Ignored

While national media disregards broadcasting in other languages than Turkish, Local Diyarbakir Gün TV is yet to receive a reply to begin Kurdish Arts and Culture programs since 15 months now.

Degrading Treatment Deserves ECHR Attention

Lawyers: The Case Merits the ECHRs Attention According legal experts, demanding pornographic images, consent to medical inspection, and the demeaning process of reporting for exemptions of the gays from military service are against human rights princ

What Will The ECHR Decide About?

The ECHRs decision regarding the Öcalan case will not be about re-trial, but on the right to a fair trial. Mostly these two are confused.

14 April 2005 Tolga Korkut

Physcians Refuse Instrumentalization

Şebnem Fincancı Korur: The process is totally against deonological guidelines. Physicians must not be instrumentalized in cases like this. Mahmut Şefik Nil: Asking for photos and images is a direct violation of personal integrity.

Ocalans Retrial On Turkeys Agenda

According to legal experts, Turkey is not legally obliged to retry Ocalan. Yet, there exist flaws in terms of fair trial in Ocalan case. Law specialist Sözüer: Ocalan should be retried even before ECHR decison.

14 April 2005 Tolga Korkut

Conditional Re-trial Leads to Injustice

Turkey has adopted in 2003 the right to re-trial right in cases of violation of rights. The main problem regarding the issue is that the law conditions the right with an eye to exempt Ocalan of this right.

14 April 2005 Tolga Korkut

Nationalist Violence Spreads

Aggression erupts in Sakarya yesterday, in the wake of nationalist violence targeted at supporters of prisoners rights group TAYAD in Trabzon last week. Members of the Sakarya Youth Association protesting against the incident faces attempted lynching.

Local Reporters Discuss Flag Crisis

BIA2 Project held its sixth local media training seminar in Mersin. Attendants listened to presentations and participated in workshops on rights reporting and discussed the flag crisis and the new TCK.

EHCR Rules for Slain Cypriot Journalist

Authorities failed to investigate the possibility that the murder had any link to his work as a journalist the EHCR decided over the murder of Turkish Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adali in 1997. Turkey is to pay his widow 20 thousand euros.

Those Who Cant Bully USA, Bully Kurds

The real danger is not separation of the country, not secession of the Kurds from Turkey. It is rather secession of those who rule the country, its military force, its social-political and economic control mechanisms from realism and objectiveness.

29 March 2005 Ertuğrul Kürkçü

Confederation Isnt the Solution

Ocalans proposal to form a confederation without a sovereign state, wasnt found feasible. Kurdish intellectuals, who are distant to PKK: Fantasy. Lawyers: It cant be done. DEHAP: It should be debated.

25 March 2005 Alev Karakartal

Palestine Is The Other for Israelis

Pessimistic of the outcome of the truce between Sharon and Abbas, Palestine is the other for the cosmopolite Israeli society says Palestinian human rights activist Sahar Francis. Had they not war with Palestine they would not have peace at home.

24 February 2005 Tolga Korkut,C. Onur Ant

Bombastic Discourse, Little Progress

PM Erdogan praises US-Turkey friendship during talks with Condolleza Rice: Our strategic alliance perpetuates in a mature and positive manner. These words come a week after bombastic warnings of marching over Kirkuk in the wake of Iraqi elections.

7 February 2005

Textbooks Should be Cleansed of Nationalism

History Foundation, Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV) announce their proposal to cleanse textbooks of xenophobia, machismo and ultra-nationalism, after three years of intense research and study.

7 February 2005

Alevite Demands Turned Down

HUman Rights Association sharply criticizes Ankaras Çankaya district administration with denying land allocation for construction of an Alevite temple, Cemevi, in the district. Local officials violate the Constitution and ECHR they say.

4 February 2005

Anything But Tunceli on News in Zaza Language

Tunceli, homeland of Zazas of Turkey, is yet to be heard in programs in Zaza language broadcasted by TRT while various parts of Turkey along with Kirkuk, East Asia and Western Thrace are watched frequently.

4 February 2005

Trials Against Writers Raises Concerns

International PEN, expresses concerns for the prosecutions of writer Fikret Baskaya and publisher Ragip Zarakolu. The two are faced with prison sentences if found guilty. PEN notes that they will send observers to the trials on 2 March.

27 January 2005

USA Urges Hands Freed in Incirlik Airbase

US demands for further independence in using Turkish airbases raises public concerns. Dr. Gerger points out that even the formalities of obtaining permission from the Turkish authorities seems too much a burden for the US military ambitions.

19 January 2005

Zarakolu Gets Freedom of Expression Award

Zarakolu received the Freedom of Expression Award by the Norwegian Writers Association He asked that the arrest warrant issued against Ozguden be lifted, that imprisoned journalists are released, and that the Gunluk Evrensel and Birgun are supported.

18 January 2005 Kemal Özmen

2004 was Good for Women, 2005 will Be Better

Representatives of womens groups want the right of equal participation for women through necessary amendments to the Law on Political Parties and Elections in 2005. They have the implementation of laws and the setting up of shelters on their agenda...

5 January 2005 Burçin Belge