Academic Chris Stephenson getting prepared to return to Turkey following the announcement that he is not barred from entering the country, has replied to our questions as to arrest of the academics and “spy” rumors over him.

Curfew declared in Bağlar district of Diyarbakır province in southeastern Turkey six days ago has been lifted as of this morning. Newroz celebrations will be held in the province today.

İstiklal street is İstanbul’s one of the most crowded centers that is populous every hour. It is quite empty after the suicide attack launched in front of sub-Governorship building at around 11 a.m. on March 19.

The entrance in the celebration areas in İstanbul have been prohibited, many who wanted to get on the field for the celebrations in various provinces have been exposed to police intervention.

The roads have been closed ahead of the Newroz celebrations planned on Bakırköy Public Bazaar; police and anti-riot vehicles have been deployed on the area. HDP Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ has declared that they would go to Bakırköy.

The perpetrator of the bomb attack on İstiklal Street of İstanbul has been identified through DNA test as Mehmet Öztürk. His father and brother have been taken into custody in Antep.

An explosion took place on Balo street of İstiklal street in Beyoğlu district of İstanbul at around 11:10 a.m. Suicide bomber and four other people killed, 36 others of whom seven have been heavily wounded.

Lawyers who are Libertarian Jurists Association members today (March 18) were asked in prosecution questioning of private conversations they held with journalists. The prosecutor wanted to take their testimony at Security Station in police escort, the lawyers refused.

Peace Journalism Handbook will be published on March 25 by IPS Communication Foundation Publishing. We have interviewed Prof. Alankuş on the necessity of peace journalism and the post Ankara attack media in Turkey.

Of arrested academics Assist. Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Kaya and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kıvanç Ersoy have written a letter from Metris Prison.

One of the three police officers wounded in the explosion resulting by the improvised explosive device planted on the road be detonated in Nusaybin district, lost his life in the hospital.

Boğaziçi University academic members have expressed that their colleagues Esra Mungan, Kıvanç Ersoy, Muzaffer Kaya, Meral Camcı and Chris Stephenson have practiced their right to freedom of expression. They demanded release of the academics.