Editor of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, Philippe Val has been acquitted in a case where he was tried for publishing the controversial Mohammed cartoons. International debate surfaced following the cartoons published in Danish Jyllands-Post.

Şişli 2nd Court of First Instance dropped the cases against the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink who had been murdered by a nationalist gunman on January 19. Three other writers and administrators of his newspaper still face trial.

Two responsibles of the daily Vakit have been fined heavily in a court decision on grounds that they deliberately rendered target the State Council members who ruled against the wearing of headscarfs by schoolm teachers. Council was raided 3 months later

At least 40 people have been taken under custody in Istanbul during Kurds traditional Newroz festivities, which marks the beginning of spring. While people on the streets demand an end to violence, clashes between the police and demonstrators continued.

Turkey is reluctant to ratify and adopt international legislation against racial discrimination says Human Rights Association chair Yusuf Alatas. Together with legislative changes, government needs to work to eliminate various forms of discrimination

More than 170 journalists, academics, artists and rights activists declared a petition, expressing their fear of the rising wave of violence in the country and urging all parties to act responsibly before the traditional Kurdish Newroz spring festivities

The investigation and the trial on the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink will have decisive consequences regarding the integrity and the trustfulness of the judiciary system in the eyes of people in Turkey, says joint attorney Fikret İlkiz.

Press freedom organizations RSF and IFJ-Europe renewed their call for the release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston who has been abducted in Gaza on March 12. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. RSF initiated a campaign for his release

Four years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the toll of media deaths continues to mount. Iraq has become the worlds most dangerous country for the press said press freedom organization Reporters Sans Frontiers, protesting the US invasion of Iraq.

Hasip Kaplan of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party condemned the recent chain od prosecutions aimed at party administrators. With a letter to government and jurisprudence officials, Such practices jeopardize our freedom of expression Kaplan said.

Five thousand people gathered in Istanbul on the Global Day of Action, to protest the US invasion of Iraq on its 4th anniversary. Protests were organized all around Europe in the US and in Australia. Drop Bush, Not Bombs said protesters in New York.

Transmission cables of four radio stations have been attacked in Adıyaman, which interrupted stations broadcast for two days as well as causing damage to materials. Security forces are investigating the incident.