Bianet wins Internet journalism prize by the Journalists Association of Turkey. Along with ntvmsnbc.com and hurriyetim.com.tr bianet was aawraded the prize for its performance in 2004. Our womens desk editor Belge recieved the award in Monday ceremony.

Supreme Court of Appeal in a historic hearing decides that secular state can not be secured through punishing thought. Freedom of thought is viable only with providing freedom for irritating or even shocking ideas, 14 judges decide against 13.

PM Erdogan praises US-Turkey friendship during talks with Condolleza Rice: Our strategic alliance perpetuates in a mature and positive manner. These words come a week after bombastic warnings of marching over Kirkuk in the wake of Iraqi elections.

Bones unearthed after confessions of former paramilitary JITEM member Aygan belongs to Murat Aslan, lost during custody 10 years ago. The IHD and the Diyarbakir Bar Association called on the prosecutors to take immediate action.

History Foundation, Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV) announce their proposal to cleanse textbooks of xenophobia, machismo and ultra-nationalism, after three years of intense research and study.

Tunceli, homeland of Zazas of Turkey, is yet to be heard in programs in Zaza language broadcasted by TRT while various parts of Turkey along with Kirkuk, East Asia and Western Thrace are watched frequently.

HUman Rights Association sharply criticizes Ankaras Çankaya district administration with denying land allocation for construction of an Alevite temple, Cemevi, in the district. Local officials violate the Constitution and ECHR they say.

Ministry of Justice remains silent for Human Rights Associations request to examine the prison conditions of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. A group of IHD officials were denied access to the Imrali island. by the land officers in Gemlik.

In 1999 Donoughue, British Minister of Agriculture, when asked which EU committee authorized multiply the legally authorized level of gliphosate in soybeans by 200 times and who represented England in the committee, answered: I cannot reveal.

More than 50 newspaper, television and radio reporters from eight provinces attended the media training seminar by BIA. The seminar was made up of workshops and presentations on responsible reporting and reporting on rights.

The Turkish Association of the Handicapped is launching the Turkey Without Handicaps project. The project aims at raising awareness about the lives of the handicapped people among the public and among the young in particular.

Arrested during a demonstration in early January organized by the Socialist Platform of the Oppressed, BEKSAV cameraman Kervanci and six employees of socialist press face up to 15 years in prison. They will stand trial on March 11.

The Human Rights Directorate of the Prime Ministry launches investigation to look into charges that a Gokhan Belguzar was tortured to death during police custody. Police claims that the victim committed suicide by hanging himself in the detention cell.

International PEN, expresses concerns for the prosecutions of writer Fikret Baskaya and publisher Ragip Zarakolu. The two are faced with prison sentences if found guilty. PEN notes that they will send observers to the trials on 2 March.

Who fail to take the necessary legal and administrative measures, are responsible for the deaths of women in honor killings, protest the IHD. Four women were killed by male relatives in Bursa, Adana, Gaziantep and Sanliurfa in the same day, for honor.

US demands for further independence in using Turkish airbases raises public concerns. Dr. Gerger points out that even the formalities of obtaining permission from the Turkish authorities seems too much a burden for the US military ambitions.

Journalists Union has begun a campaign to ensure Press Freedom and to Say No to Censorship and also published a Declaration on Press Freedom. Ipekci explained that within the framework of the campaign, letters would be mailed to the officials.

Zarakolu received the Freedom of Expression Award by the Norwegian Writers Association He asked that the arrest warrant issued against Ozguden be lifted, that imprisoned journalists are released, and that the Gunluk Evrensel and Birgun are supported.

During the 2nd Turkish Journalists Conference, Turkish media embraced the idea of contributing to dialogue between the Western and Arab media. In the final statement, journalists demanded that the Media Labor Law is fully implemented.

According to the BIA2 Report, RTUK ordered 12 local media off the air for a total of 360 days. Two reporters are still in prison. The report tackles 115 cases and conditions of 222 journalists. 13 cases were opened based on article 159 and 8 based on 312.