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Prosecution Postpones Search for Remains of "Lost Persons" In Silopi

Prosecutor's office in Silopi arbitrarily postpones an excavation at BOTAŞ land, which is a suspected burial place of the extra-judicial killings committed in the 1990s.

5 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

265 Intellectuals Demand Justice For Children

Actress Yıldırımlar calls for the immediate release of children tried with terror charges for participating in protests and demands amendments to law, in a conference which a petition is revealed to public.

5 March 2009 Erhan Üstündağ

Kurds "Not Fooled" by TRT6

Despite daily Sabah's headliner article, Kurds in southeastern Turkey seems to see state TV's Kurdish channel as a part of the government's electoral campaign, rather than a move towards increasing freedoms.

5 March 2009 Zeynep Erdim

"Three Monkeys" Lead "Yeşilçam Awards"

The Yeşilçam Awards were handed out this week, honouring Turkish film productions and performances. The film "Three Monkeys" received four awards in different categories.

5 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

Judges Withdraw from Torture Case

Lawyers for the Çeber family have accused the judges of leniency towards the accused police officers. The judges have withdrawn, and it is yet to be decided which court will take on the case.

5 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

Two Women MP's Apply to ECHR to Condemn Berlusconi's Sexism

Two Women MP's Apply to ECHR to Condemn Berlusconi's Sexism

Two women politicians apply to the ECHR regarding Italy's PM Berlusconi's insulting remarks about women. bianet talks to Anna Paola Concia about their stance, their expectations from the case and situation of civil rights in the country.

5 March 2009 Alberto Tetta

Plane Might Have Crashed Due to Altimeter Error, Say Dutch Officials

The head of the Dutch Safety Authority has announced that last week’s Turkish Airlines plane crash in Amsterdam may have been caused by a faulty altimeter.

Coup Leader Evren’s Name to Be Erased from Izmir Schools

Coup Leader Evren’s Name to Be Erased from Izmir Schools

Izmir Provincial Council endorses the plea by "The Aegean Association of 78’ers" to erase the name of former general Kenan Evren, the military coup of 1980, whose name was given to scores of schools across Turkey.

5 March 2009 Bawer Çakır

Military Investigation on The Death of Private Leads to Confusion

Local Military prosecutor concludes that private Yuksel, whose death was formerly announced a fatality during a clash with the guerrrilla PKK, had committed suicide in September 2008.

Kurdish Politician Sentenced to Plant Trees for Criticizing PM

Mahmut Alınak is condemned by court for his statement against PM Erdogan's visit to his hometown Kars. The court rules that his remarks are "insulting".

4 March 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Erdogan and Merkel Will be Indicted in "The Water Tribunal" in Istanbul

Politicians and financiers of dam projects, which violate people's right to water will be tried by activists on 10 and 11 March. The tribunal aims at formulating rights-based solutions to existing problems.

4 March 2009 Bawer Çakır

Four Convictions for “Lightbulb Tayyip” Slogans

A court in Bursa has handed out deferred prison sentences to four people for shouting slogans about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

4 March 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Sex Workers Protest for More Rights

Sex Workers Protest for More Rights

Sex workers in Istanbul and Ankara have protested on occasion of International Sex Workers' Rights Day (3 March). They demand acceptance of their work as an occupation and the right to organise.

4 March 2009 Emine Özcan

Students Demand Grants, Cheap Transport and Housing from Municipalities

University students around the country are demanding that local authorities find solutions to the problems they face.

4 March 2009 Emine Özcan

Denim Workers Continue to Die for Sake of "Faded Look"

Denim Workers Continue to Die for Sake of "Faded Look"

Silicosis patient Ruhat Yıldırak (24) is the 39th denim sand blasting worker to have died. He had been given oxygen for the last year.

4 March 2009 Bawer Çakır

ECHR Condemns Action Against Petitions for Kurdish Courses

The Strasbourg court rules for damages regarding the application of 18 university students, who were suspended from university for demanding selective courses in Kurdish.

Journalist's Murder Case Barred by Statue of Limitations

Two suspects of daily Milliyet's editor-in-chief İpekçi's murder are acquitted as 30 years pass over the incident. Colleagues had protested that İpekçi's death still partly remains in dark.

3 March 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Hearing-Impaired Demand Suitable Cities

Local governments should contribute to reforming cities and policies, enabling disabled persons' involvement in social life –from employment to cultural activities, say Kavuncu.

3 March 2009 Bawer Çakır

Apology Campaign to Be Investigated

A Heavy Penal Court has overruled the decision of the Ankara prosecution to dismiss proceedings in the case of the campaign of apologising to Armenians.

3 March 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

“USA Should Not Make Turkey Partner in War Crimes”

“USA Should Not Make Turkey Partner in War Crimes”

Pacifists have accused the USA of withdrawing from Iraq not out of respect for human rights but in order to intensify the occupation. They have also protested at the USA’s planned use of Turkey in the withdrawal process.

3 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

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Agos Newspaper Interview with Kürkçü on Armenian Question

Robert Koptaş from the Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos interviews bianet’s Ertuğrul Kürkçü, following the latter’s article entitled “An apology owed”, published in Turkish on bianet’s website on 19 January 2009.

2 March 2009 Robert Koptaş

“Turkey Not Abiding by ECHR Decrees”

A conference organised by the Centre for Global Studies at Yıldız Technical University has shown that Turkey has not changed its policies in the aftermath of certain ECHR decrees.

2 March 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Letter from Prison Proves Torture Killed Rights Activist

Letter from Prison Proves Torture Killed Rights Activist

The court considering the death of activist Çeber has been given a letter written by the deceased and smuggled out of prison by a cell mate. A lawyer for his family believes that this will prove the defendants in the case are lying.

2 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

General Staff Reacts to Kurdish MP Speaking in Kurdish

Supposing it's illegal to talk in Kurdish during a party assembly in the parliament, Spokesperson Gen. Gürak said that "the judiciary would intervene", responding to DTP MP Ahmet Türk's speech in his mother tongue.

"We Demand Kurdish at Local Level, not in Central Administration"

"We Demand Kurdish at Local Level, not in Central Administration"

DTP MP Demirbaş evaluates recent discussions regarding the Kurdish issue. Government's reforms regarding the use of Kurdish aren't for Kurds, rather for the state, says Demirbaş. "We're open to discuss any proposal leading to a peaceful solution."

1 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

Plane Crash: Dutch Officials Suspect Engine Problems

The leader of an investigative team on the accident site in Amsterdam has expressed suspicions that engine trouble is to blame for the accident. Of the nine dead, five are said to be of Turkish and four of US nationality.

28 February 2009

“Parents Should Protest against Religious Education Classes on Philosophical Grounds”

“Parents Should Protest against Religious Education Classes on Philosophical Grounds”

Lawyer Gürgöz has told parents who want their children to be exempted from obligatory RE classes that they do not have to state their religious affiliation. It is enough to say that the class violates their philosophical views.

28 February 2009

US Human Rights Report Criticises Restrictions on Freedom of Expression

A report on human rights in Turkey published on the Internet by the U.S. Department of State highlights ongoing human rights violations in the country.

26 February 2009

Retired Diplomats and Generals Urge Solution to Kurdish Issue

Retired Diplomats and Generals Urge Solution to Kurdish Issue

A report on “Turkey today and tomorrow” also considers the Kurdish issue. Retired diplomats and generals are quoted as calling for a domestic solution.

26 February 2009 Tolga Korkut

"Zirve Massacre Related to Deep State"

Attending lawyer Ozkan says that the arrest of two more suspects isn't enough to reveal the full picture behind the murders of three people in Malatya, on allegations of "missionary activities".

26 February 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

What Kurdish MP Said in Mother Tongue – Whole Text

Below follows the English translation of the Turkish version of what DTP politician Ahmet Türk said at his party group meeting in parliament in Kurdish.

26 February 2009

AKP Politician Unconcerned with Constitutional Equality for Gays

In the following article, a member of the publishing team of KAOS LG takes issue with an AKP MP's discriminatory attitude towards homosexuals and transsexuals as expressed on television.

26 February 2009 Umut Güner