‘Turkish TV can’t cover the news’
ISTANBUL – Turkish journalists are getting more frustrated about the increasing censorship in their country. Whenever there is big news concerning the fight against the Kurdish PKK, immediately the phone calls from the government in Ankara start coming in with instructions. And so it was this morning, after the news that dozens of civilians were killed in an air strike …
Ankara wants monument Algerian war of independence
ISTANBUL – The mayor of the Turkish capital Ankara is determined to erect a monument in his city to remember the atrocities committed by France during the Algerian war of independence. The monument will be placed right in front of the French embassy.
The mayor, Melih Gökcek, told daily Hürriyet: ‘The monument will have a button, and if you press …
French bill doesn’t help genocide debate in Turkey
ISTANBUL – In Turkey it is feared that the bill passed today in France making it illegal to deny the Armenian genocide of 1915 will damage the level of debate on the topic in Turkey. The debate had been slowly making progress over the last couple of years. Calling the Armenian genocide ‘genocide’ no longer leads to a conviction by …
ISTANBUL – Early Tuesday morning in several Turkish cities a total of at least eighteen journalists were detained. The raids are part of an investigation of people who are active in Kurdish political and public organisations, which has been going on for years. One of the detained journalists is Mustafa Özer, photographer for the international press agency AFP.
A total of
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Sinterklaas for one day in Turkey
ISTANBUL – Dutch Turks who live in Turkey pass the tradition of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) on to their children. ‘I celebrated Sinterklaas in the Netherlands when I was little, so it’s nice to get my children acquainted with it too’, says one of them, Nermin Celik (38). If you want to see ‘Sint’ in Turkey, can go to the Dutch …
Turkey: from one dictatorship to the other
The AKP government of Prime Minister Erdoğan has effectively decreased the once unlimited power of the army. The power of the judiciary was strengthened. But now that power has too strong a grip on society.
Why did you visit wounded demonstrators in hospital? Why did you give interviews to so many TV and radio stations? Why did you attend that press …
Erdogan apologizes for Dersim massacres
ISTANBUL – The Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has apologized on behalf of the state for the massacres in the eastern province of Dersim, in 1937 and 1938. Around 13,000 men, women and children died in the massacres. Goal of the operation was to bring the rebellious province under the control of the republic.
The discussion about Dersim, which is called Tunceli …
Turkey supports Syrian opposition
ISTANBUL – Turkey supports both armed as peaceful Syrian opposition, and offers both groups the possibility to operate from Turkey. The peaceful Syrian National Council might open an office in Turkey soon. The armed Free Syrian Army operates with Turkish military protection from a refugee camp in the border province of Hatay.
The Free Syrian Army (FSA), composed of defected Syrian …
Autumn in Istanbul, that means you can still now and then enjoy a nice sunny day. But unfortunately: the sea of outdoor seatings in Beyoglu, the heart of modern Istanbul, is gone. Wipes clean by the municipality. There was hope this summer that there would be a new policy for outdoor seating, but no: they are gone forever.
For who has …
People leave Van after earthquakes
DIYARBAKIR – Thousands of people are leaving the city of Van in the southeast of Turkey, after it was hit by two earthquakes in less than three weeks. According to Turkish media, the migrants say that the city is no longer livable: there is not enough electricity, and life in tents is increasingly difficult now that it snows.
The first earthquake, …
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