Journalist Irmak Saadet was handed down prison sentences of a total of 20 months and monetary fines adding up to TL 18,140. The convictions were based on several articles and news items published in the Yeni Yorum magazine and the Ülkede Yorum newspaper.

The "new constitution" issue has been dropped off from the ruling AK Party's agenda until the post-election period. Voters in Turkey do not have a clue as to why though. It seems that Turkey needs proper democracy in the first place, before looking for the advanced one.

Massive criticism on the internet filter system to be enforced on 22 August was voiced in a meeting on the matter at Bilgi University on 25 May. The participants demanded to withdraw the decision.

The statement of police officer Ayhan Çarkın is supposed to bring light into the case against former Chief of Police Mehmet Ağar who is being sued in the context of the "Susurluk trial". The case was postponed to 15 September.

In the context of the trial on the murder of journalist Hayırsevener, the Istanbul 10th Special Authority High Criminal Court decided to summon 24 witnesses to the coming hearing in October. A secret witness might be heard as well.

Istanbul Chief of Police Çapkın announced that the explosion in Istanbul this morning was caused by a bomb of medium intensity fastened on a bicycle that was placed at the bus stop. Two of the seven wounded persons are reported to be in a severe condition.

The prosecutor is going to prepare his final plea in the case against murder suspect Ogün Samast for the coming hearing on 17 June. Samast stands accused of murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink; he described himself as a victim of circumstances.

An explosion on a main road in Istanbul during the rush hour this morning left seven people injured. The reason for the explosion as not been announced yet.

The compensation claim filed by PM Erdoğan against poet Beyramoğlu was dismissed by the Ankara 15th Civil Court of First Instance. The court decided that Beyramoğlu's criticism of the Prime Minister remained within the scope of freedom of thought.

23 people were taken into custody in the course of police operations on 25 May in Adana because they allegedly attended commemoration events for executed Turkish leftist revolutionaries.

After the list of "banned words" recently issued by the Telecommunication Communication Presidency, now a list of banned letter combinations for motorized vehicles came to the agenda.

On 25 May, the Internet Committee organizes a meeting with non-governmental organizations, public representatives and experts to discuss the much disputed internet filter system. The application is going to be enforced on 22 August.

"Freedom for Ferhat Tüzer and Berna Yılmaz" was the message of the supporters of the two university students who have been detained for 14 months because they posted a banner calling for free education. The students remained in detention. The trial was postponed to 6 October.

The website of the Yüksekova News daily became the latest target for the time being in a series of cyber attacks on news wesites such as Birgün, bianet and Sol Haber.

The 20-day isolation punishment for conscientious objector İnan Süver on the grounds of "desertion" was executed as of 23 May. Süver resumed his hunger strike on 16 May as a sign of protest against his imprisonment.

Two election offices of the Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block were demolished in Mersin; the police did not take any action. One office in Istanbul was damaged. Istanbul Candidate Önder was personally attacked.

The Istanbul 12th High Criminal Court decided to release Atılım newspaper executive Çiçek and three other defendants pending trial. Özgür Radio employee Erdoğan remains in prison. The defendants are charged with membership in the underground MLKP organization.

The publication of bianet.org was interrupted yesterday between 3.30 and 11.30 pm as a result of a cyber attack. We would like to thank our readers and colleagues who evinced their solidarity with us.

Lawyer Moroğlu is against a replacement of the Ministry for Women and Family Affairs by a Ministry for Family Affairs and Social Policies. "This attempt has to be stopped urgently in the name of democracy, the state of law and women rights", Moroğlu criticized.

Access to the birgün.net website of the left-wing Birgün daily was rendered almost impossible after the website was flooded with hits on 16 May. The cyber attack was carried out via a minimum of 200 IP addresses, it was announced.