CALLS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO OVERTURN INTERNET BLOCKS
Scores of journalists, activists, and politicians gathered outside the Constitutional Court Oct. 7 to protest censorship of social media accounts.
Analysis
In-Depth Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
AKP GAINS UPPER HAND AS IZMIR MAYOR SWITCHES SIDES
“Flowers bloom on the mountains of Izmir / The golden sun scatters gold thread there / The routed enemies all flee like the wind / Long live Mustafa Kemal Pasha, long live! Your name will be inscribed on a jeweled stone.”
CEMİL TUGAY’S SWITCH TO THE AKP AND THE SPOUSAL FACTOR
Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay’s decision to join the AKP caused a major stir, bitter disappointment, and protests. After all, Izmir has long been regarded as a stronghold of left-wing politics. In fact, the city can be analyzed as “a city with center-right leanings that consistently votes for left-wing social democrats because of its opposition to the AKP.”
ISTANBUL MUNICIPALITY TRIAL: INFORMANT TESTIMONY RUNS ON HEARSAY, ONLY FOUR RELEASED
The court released four defendants, while informants who testified under effective remorse provisions refused to answer most questions from defense lawyers during cross-examination, claiming their previous testimonies were based on hearsay.
COURT KEEPS İMAMOĞLU BEHIND BARS IN POLITICAL ESPIONAGE TRIAL
An Istanbul court ordered the continued detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, campaign director Necati Özkan, journalist Merdan Yanardağ, and businessperson Hüseyin Gün during the latest hearing in their political espionage trial.
RETIRED POLICE OFFICER DIES BY SUICIDE AT PENSIONERS' PROTEST IN ANKARA
Ali Şekeroğlu, 60, took his own life outside the Constitutional Court while demanding a pay raise for retirees on Sept. 25. Şekeroğlu died by suicide with his own weapon.
PACE: 'REPRESSION IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAMILY PROTECTION'
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on Oct. 1 condemning what it called a coordinated campaign against LGBTQ+ people and rights defenders in Turkey.
A HARDER RACE THIS TIME FOR ANKARA'S PERENNIAL DIPLOMAT
OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu is testing the waters with the Security Council's permanent members for the post of UN secretary-general, although the regional rotation favors a candidate from the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC).
SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL SUSPENDS CHP, ADMITS YENI PARTY
The global umbrella of social democratic parties, Socialist International, suspended the CHP under its court-appointed leadership and admitted Özgür Özel's Yeni Party as a full member.
EUROPE, RUSSIA AND CHINA: TURKEY’S NARROWING ROOM FOR MANEUVER
“The European Union will open its vast economy to countries waiting to join its ranks, provided they agree to stand with the bloc against hostile states and industrial rivals, according to a draft European Commission proposal obtained by POLITICO.”
FUND CRISIS HITS MARKETS
The Borsa Istanbul’s benchmark BIST 100 index entered a technical bear market at the end of September, marking its worst monthly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis.
GOVERNMENT PREPARES REGULATORY OVERHAUL
The government is preparing comprehensive reforms across its financial regulatory bodies following the massive investment fund crisis that shook domestic markets.