Journalist İpek Çalışlar receives the first Duygu Asena Award by International PEN centre in Turkey for her intriguing biography of Latife Hanim, the partner of Ataturk, founder of modern teh Turkish Republic. The award will be given annually.

Human rights organizations IHD, Mazlumder and KHRP protested the court decision in the landmark case where four police officers have been acquitted of killing a boy and his father in Mardin in 2004. They criticized the lack of a fair trial.

In the landmark case where four police officers were tried with intentionally killing a father and his son in Mardin, in 2004, the court acquits the suspects on grounds of self-defense. Saying the court failed to comply to evidence, family lawyers appeal.

Three people working in a Christian publishing house have been brutally murdered in south eastern city of Malatya. 10 suspects are under custody. Its believed to be religiously motivated. NGOs protested the incident, international reaction arises.

An Istanbul court blocks access to the popular online comment sharing site Eksisozluk on grounds it contained defamatory remarks about an individual. The ban has been lifted following sites lawyers appeal but this court action seems to get common.

Flying Broom International Womens Film Festival reveals this years program which brigns together films by women from around the world. Between May 10-20, the festival will once again provide a mix of activism and cinema for moviegoers in Ankara.

Police raid at weekly Nokta ceases after four days. They searched all computers following articles critical of the army based on information leaked from headquarters. Editor-in-chief Görmüş reacted to the pressure, said they will continue as before.

European Federation of Journalists protests the recent closure of Greek newspaper Ora gia Spor, without any notice to its staff. The press freedom organization urged for legal action to protect the rights of the media workers.

First time in history, two most important bodies of the Turkish high judiciary host numerous women members. Eight out of 23 members to the Supreme Court of Appeals and five out of nine members to the State Council are women.

Aiming at giving a voice to the voiceless and help create a better balance and flow of international news, Inter Press Service has begun a Turkish edition with the translation of selected articles covering issues around the world.

Thousands of poeople marched in the Turkish capital last Saturday to discourage conservative PM Erdoğan from running for presidency at the end of this month. PMs Islamist background fears most protesters that the country would lead to that direction.

Around 50 police officers raided the offices of weekly Nokta following consecutive publications which revealed anti-democratic predispositions in the army, namely allegations of coup plans by ex-generals. Journalists associations protest the action.

Turkish army chief Gen. Büyükanıt holds a press conference saying the armed forces are targeted with efforts to undermine its reputation and demanding political and legislative cover to better fight terrorism. Rights activist Önen evaluates...

On two different accounts, two local journalists are complaining that ruling AKPs local administrators are pressuring and threatning them following their critical approach to the government.

Turkeys Confederation of Progressive Workers Trade Unions invited all European counterparts to join them in this years May Day celebrations in Istanbul to express international solidarity in defending union rights and freedoms in the country.

TİHV İzmir branch released a report covering March: Excessive use of force by security forces before and after the Newroz celebrations in the city. More than 80 people have been taken under custody and 12 complained from torture and maltreatment.

Asst. Prof. Kentel says the recent perception of rising nationalism in Tukey is in fact the projection of a fear, resulting from the dissolution of the nation state and all promises related to it by the process of globalization.

An Istanbul court condemns Cumhuriyet daily for quoting a main opposition party members criticism about PM Erdogan while another court acquitted Radikal daily on the same allegations. Erdogan urged damages for being insulted by those remarks.

Bakirköy Public Prosecutors Office launches an investigation into retired Gen. Örneks diaries which state a coup was planned by army high command in 2004 but not into the allegations, rather to weekly Nokta magazine which disclosed the diaries.

A parliamentary commission approved a draft proposal which would regulate the crimes in cyberspace. The proposal foresees bans on websites which promote the division of the state or insult Ataturk, founder of the modern Turkish Republic.