Lawyers for the Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper have demanded that the case against Seropyan and Nalci be heared by a different court, arguing that the current one “cannot be independent and neutral.”

Hundreds of protesters joined the DTP press statement at Galatasaray Square in central Istanbul, but the police intervened in the ensuing march with tear gas, water cannons and shots fired in the air.

As we reported in December, bianet adopted a rotation model last year in order to put into practice our ideal of democratic collaboration. Now our third period of rotation has begun, with Gökçe Gündüç as our new editor-in-chief.

The General Staff has announced that ground operations in Northern Iraq have ended. 240 PKK militants are said to have been killed, as well as 24 soldiers and 3 village guards.

The General Staff has sued lawyer and human rights activist Keskin for “denigrating the army”; Keskin said, “I will continue to criticise militarist pressure.”

In the last six days, so the General Staff, 24 soldiers and 230 PKK militants have been killed. Iraqis are fleeing their villages. Turkish human rights activists are starting a peace vigil.

At the fourth hearing on Monday, the court finally reacted to the untolerable behaviour of defendants and defense lawyer Fuat Turgut.

Singer Bülent Ersoy’s courageous anti-war utterances on live TV have provoked a nationalist backlash and an investigation.

The fourth hearing has brought no further clarity in the case, as many of the requests of the joint plaintiffs were refused.

DTP politicians have called for an end to operations and violence in general. Journalist Akad criticises the mainstream media for misleading the public.

Yesterday there were hearings in the Hrant Dink and the Malatya murder cases. Whether or not all the shady connections in the murders will emerge will decide on the future of Turkey’s democracy.

The Iraqi government has demanded that Turkish soldiers be withdrawn from Northern Iraq. US Secretary of Defense Gates has called on a “dialogue with the Kurds which would strengthen effect of military operations.”

The General Staff has announced that ground operations in Northern Iraq are continuing and that 15 soldiers and 112 PKK militants have been killed in the first three days.

The General Staff has confirmed that the Turkish Armed Forces carried out air operations and sent soldiers into Northern Iraq on 21 February. Iraq is calling for respect for its borders and a non-military solution.

According to Laz expert Sapan, the language is at a critical point where it may be lost. The government is also to blaim for assimilation policies.

Kurdish speaker Canan wants his children to grow up speaking Kurdish. Teachers are disillusioned with Turkish education system in Kurdish-majority Hakkari.

The Greek population is dwindling, and the Armenian and Ladino languages have also suffered from assimilation policies over the last decades. New generations may not speak the languages of their grandparents anymore.

More than half of the 6,700 languages of the world are under threat in the long term. UNESCO says, “Language is very important as a carrier of identity for groups and individuals.”

Singer Ferhat Tunc was taken into custody from his home in the early hours of the morning in order to give a statement. Human rights activists have condemned the detention.

It has emerged that murdered priest Andrea Santoro’s phones had been tapped for three months at the time of his murder. Dink murder suspect Yasin Hayal had also been monitored for suspected al Qaida leanings.