Halil Savda, currently in military prison in Çorlu for his refusal to do military service, is punished with nine days solitary confinement for disobeying orders. Punishment coincides with the May 15, International Conscientious Objection Day.

The Supreme Court of Appeals overturns the verdict against two army officers for bombings in the Şemdinli courtcase. Questioning was incomplete high court decided. Tanrikulu of Diyarbakir Bar Association relates the decision with army pressure.

Publisher Sırrı Öztürk and writer Tiftikçi are on trial for a critical study on the Turkish army. Public Prosecutor Turhan faces charges for saying, I do not trust the judiciary. Alınak of the DTP party has been sentenced to ten months imprisonment.

The 14-page BIA Media Monitoring Report tackles the ongoing law suits against 45 journalists and five print and media companies. Attacks against news sources have become a new form of violation.

Monitoring media freedoms and rights in Turkey, BIA² discloses its 2006 Report. Cases against journalists, publishers and activists rose to 293 last year where the infamous article 301 of the new Penal Code reached international scene as intransigent tool

Joint Platform on Human Rights gathers international and local institutions as well as academics and activists for a three-day conference titled Freedom of Expression: Principles and Turkey. All participants note that a mentality change is needed.

59 years imprisonment demanded for 7 reporters covering conscientious objection and the Kurdish issue during the last three months. Number of 301 victims has reached 65. 5 people are on trailed under charges of violating the Law to Protect Ataturk.

Press Council Chair Eksi says concept of Turkishness in controversial penal code article 301 should be replaced with The Turkish Nation proposing for maximum jail term to be reduced to 1 year, investigations to be authorized by Justice Ministry.

Search for solution to article 301 presses PM Erdogan to conduct talks with business and unions while human rights circles are in contact with Foreign Minister Gul. Minister Babacan wants strong civil society support.

Human Rights Foundation chair Onen condemns the attack on 30 lawyers who went to Justice Hall to file for damages against Justice Minister Cicek. Says arbitrary action by police not in line with a state of law, asks for investigation.

Local journalists who covered the killing of an 11-year-old Kurdish girl by security forces in September are being investigated under article 301 for publicly denigrating the military and police establishment.

Members of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention visit Turkish lawyer Behic Asci on the 194th consecutive day of his hunger strike to protest isolation conditions in maximum security prisons.

Turkeys Human Rights Association has said a 25 month prison sentence passed by a military court against conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan is wrongful and unacceptable, calling for an end to repression of those objecting to war.

Writer and journalist Abdurrahman Dilipak has been sentenced to 1.5 year in prison for insulting the president in article titled Is Sezer Sick? published in the Anadoluda Vakit newspaper. Court converts sentence to 5,700 euro.

AI Turkey branch demands international procedures and court case be launched against Greek authorities for deportation of 40 refugees forced to abandon boat into Turkish territorial waters last Monday. 6 bodies recovered but 3 still missing.

Leading Turkish intellectuals declare themselves as accomplices to Armenian-Turkish Hrant Dink who, says AI, is being harassed through repeated prosecution and at verge of jail which would lead to recognition as an international Prisoner of Conscience.

EP calls for more reforms on freedom of opinion, religious and minority, women and cultural rights, civilian-military relations, unions and impartiality of justice. Evaluation report adopted by General Assembly asks Ankara to open ports to Greek Cyprus.

Lawyer Asci lived through the 175th consecutive day of his one-man hunger strike on Tuesday in protest of isolation treatment in maximum-security F-type prisons. Justice Ministry has so far failed to take any steps on issue.

Following his arbitrary arrest, 3 days in prison and around a week of being held at a police station, artist Dickinson was finally released. He was hosted in a dirty isolation cell, left hungry and sleepless while made to listen to the police beating.

More than 110 people including journalists have been rounded up in a major operation aiming to crush a leftwing organization.Unions, associations, newspaper bureaus and a radio station have been searched by police. 82 still under custody, 30 detained.