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SYMBOL OF FEAR RETURNS
Inside Turkey Jul 25, 2025

SYMBOL OF FEAR RETURNS

One of the prosecutors overseeing the case against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has come under fire after CHP Chair Özgür Özel revealed that the prosecutor displays a model of a Beyaz Toros—a car widely associated with disappearances and state violence in the 1990s. İmamoğlu, who has been held at Silivri Prison since his March 19 arrest, recounted the incident during an interview with journalist Ruşen Çakır of Medyascope as he visited the Istanbul Mayor in prison. İmamoğlu said the prosecutor, who took his testimony following the sweeping police operation, placed a symbolic image of the white Renault Toros on his desk and ended the interrogation by saying: “Tomorrow you become president, then you judge us.”

Editorial Team
IF THE PKK IS CHANGING, WHY CAN’T THE DEM PARTY?
Capital Currents Jul 18, 2025

IF THE PKK IS CHANGING, WHY CAN’T THE DEM PARTY?

After 47 years, the PKK has decided to disband and lay down arms. According to the group’s founder, Abdullah Öcalan, this marks a paradigm shift: the struggle will now continue through strengthened political engagement. Following what both the government and opposition have called a “historic” decision, change is now expected within the DEM Party—the Kurdish political movement’s representative in Turkish Parliament. As one MP who recently visited Öcalan on İmralı Island put it: “Even the PKK is changing—why wouldn’t the DEM Party?”

Nergis Demirkaya
‘GOD’S MAN’ ARRESTED
Portrait of the Week Jul 11, 2025

‘GOD’S MAN’ ARRESTED

“We’re from Adana, we’re God’s men.” If you ever visit Adana, you’ll hear this phrase—it’s on the lips of nearly every local. It’s like a common slogan, spoken across party lines, and always in the distinct Adana dialect. Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, arrested in this week’s wave of detentions targeting CHP municipalities, often uses this saying himself. He even printed posters featuring the phrase and released a video claiming it originated among troops from Adana during the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli.

Anonymous
TURKEY’S TOURISM BOOM: A SUCCESS STORY AT A CROSSROADS
Guest Voices Jun 13, 2025

TURKEY’S TOURISM BOOM: A SUCCESS STORY AT A CROSSROADS

Turkey has risen to become one of the world’s top tourism destinations, welcoming over 56 million international visitors in 2023. Its appeal lies in a rare combination of sun-soaked beaches, rich cultural heritage, world-class cuisine, and warm hospitality—all easily accessible from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. But as prices surge and market dynamics shift, industry insiders warn the sector may be heading toward a critical inflection point.

Editorial Team
SYRIA’S NEW LEADER PAYS LOW-KEY VISIT TO TURKEY
Deciphering Turkish Diplomacy Feb 7, 2025

SYRIA’S NEW LEADER PAYS LOW-KEY VISIT TO TURKEY

When Syria’s new foreign minister chose to go to Saudi Arabia and Qatar for his first international visits before coming to Turkey, the main opposition party criticized the government, asking why Asaad al-Shaibani did not choose to reciprocate the visits of the Turkish foreign minister who went to Damascus two weeks after the fall of the Assad regime. For experts, this was only natural since Syria is first and foremost an Arab country and prioritizing relations with Turkey would have caused irritation among Arab capitals. In addition, while Turkey is struggling with its own economic hardships, Syria’s new rulers need Gulf money to get the country on its feet.

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CHANGE OR CONTINUITY IN TURKISH-GREEK RELATIONS?
Deciphering Turkish Diplomacy Oct 18, 2024

CHANGE OR CONTINUITY IN TURKISH-GREEK RELATIONS?

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s upcoming visit to Athens comes at a moment of some confusion about Turkey’s relations with Greece. The status of bilateral ties came under scrutiny after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece on the sidelines of annual UN summit in New York in September.

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