Hayatın Sesi TV case postponed to September, 19

The case of Hayatın Sesi TV, which was shut down based on a Decree of Law issued under the State of Emergency has been postponed to 19 September.   The fourth hearing of the Hayatın Sesi TV, accused of propagating for ISIS, PKK and TAK, took place on Tuesday. Birol Sarıkaş, President of Cam Keramik- […]

Raid election might turn into a nightmare for the ‘two party coalition

It is very clear that the AKP-MHP partnership has been preparing itself for an election since last year with a ‘raid election plan’. Just hours after the “raid election” election was declared by the Erdoğan – Bahçeli coalition, the state of emergency was prolonged for another 3 months by the Turkish Parliamentwith the support of […]

Another ‘election crisis’ with Europe?

Tensions with Europe are rising again in the build-up to the election. Germany, Austria and Netherlands will not permit election campaigns. The election campaign and voting in the Turkish elections, to be held on 24 June, is again planned to start with Germany and other European countries. Approximately three million voters originating from Turkey have […]

Cumhuriyet’s 14 journalists and executives sentenced to jail

The court sentenced 14 journalists and executives from Cumhuriyet newspaper to various prison terms over terrorism-related charges. The 27th High Criminal Court of İstanbul on Wednesday sentenced 14 journalists from Cumhuriyet daily to various prison terms over terrorism-related charges. Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu, CEO Akin Atalay, and Orhan Erinc, plus journalists Ahmet Sik, Aydin Engin, […]

Selahattin Demirtaş’s defence and Turkey’s trial with peace

Demirtaş’s trial and his defence is very important and should not be lost within the wide range of other ongoing issues. At a time when Turkeys, ‘security’ policies are aimed at decimating the limited freedom that is left in the country, the century-old Kurdish Question is going through a critical period in terms of its […]

EMEP: The government is once again trying to deceive the people

EMEP Chairwoman Selma Gürkan: We call on the working class and all other oppressed and exploited classes to teach a lesson to the Government. The statement released, regarding the decision to go to a snap election on 24 July, from Selma Gürkan, chairwoman of EMEP, read: “Turkey entered a hurried election period with a decision […]

Turkey to hold early elections on 24 June, says President Erdoğan

President Tayyip Erdoğan announced early elections in Turkey on June 24, 2018. President Tayyip Erdoğan announced early elections in Turkey on June 24, 2018. Erdoğan says the legal process for early elections, including preparations by Supreme Electoral Council, to begin immediately. Erdoğan made this announcement after he met with his ally, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) […]

EMEP: Troubled government seeks a solution in early election

EMEP Chairwoman Selma Gürkan criticised MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s call for early elections: Troubled government seeks a solution in early election. Labour Party (EMEP) Chairwoman Selma Gürkan criticised Erdoğan’s ally, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli’s call for early elections. Selma Gürkan’s statement is here: “Call for an early election made by government partner […]

Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahçeli called for early elections

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli called for early elections on Aug. 26, 2018. Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli called for early elections on Aug. 26, 2018. “It should be known that the MHP wants early elections after the adjustment laws are enacted,” said Bahçeli, speaking at the party’s parliamentary group on […]

EMEP: We condemn the attacks on Syria initiated by the US, Britain and France

Labour Party: These attacks aim to materialise their imperialist interests in Syria and in the Middle East, and they target the peoples of the region. The Labour Party (EMEP) condemned the attacks on Syria initiated by the US, Britain and France. EMEP’s statement is here: “In the early hours of Saturday, 14th April, the US, […]

Can Turkey really be allied with both Russia and USA?

Turkey, which is allied to Russia in Afrin, is working with the USA in Ghouta. Can Turkey really ally itself with Russia and USA? The power struggle within the “fields” of Syria between USA and Russia is spreading with aggression. The aggression does not stop with the exchange of words, it is spreading throughout the […]

Where in the War is Turkey?

One of the questions that arise at this juncture is the kind of position Turkey will take on the face of a possible conflict between US and Russia.   Tensions escalated following the claim that the regime forces conducting an operation against jihadist groups have used chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta in Syria have brought […]

Turkey detained 11 people over social media posts

At least 11 people were detained across Turkey over social media posts on the charge of ‘propagandising for an illegal organisation’. Social media users including the Labour Party (EMEP) executives and the Federation of Opinion Clubs (FKF) members were detained on charge of “propagandizing for an illegal organisation” in a raid launched this morning in […]

Creating your own Afghanistan

Who can argue that the jihadi group placed (by Turkey) on the borders does not or will not pose a risk in the future? A few days ago, some agencies reported on an agreement that the most important radical Islamist group Jaysh al-Islam in East Ghouta (Army of Islam) would relocate to Jarabulus which is […]

English PEN: Freedom of expression in Turkey is in jeopardy

English PEN presents a report on the situation of freedom of expression in Turkey and engages in a critical evaluation of the violation of the rights. English PEN launched a report, ‘Turkey: freedom of expression in jeopardy. Violations of the rights of authors, publishers and academics under the State of Emergency’. Researched and written by […]

What does the sale of Doğan Media Group mean?

Evrensel Editor-in-chief, Fatih Polat, assesses the sale of Doğan Media Group to the Demirören Group, known with its ties to the government. The sale of Doğan Media Group to the Demirören Group is of critical import in many respects within the field of media. The tension in between President Erdoğan and this group, reflecting media […]

Turkey’s largest media group changes ownership in one day

The whole of the Doğan Media Group owned by Aydın Doğan (including CNN Turk, Posta Daily and Channel D) has been sold to Erdoğan Demirören. The flagship of the Turkish press, Hurriyet Daily, has been sold to a group close to the AKP government. But the sale is not just limited to Hurriyet, the whole […]

Turkish Parliament approved new law to regulate online broadcasting

The Turkish Parliament approved a new law giving the Turkish Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) the authority to regulate all kinds of internet broadcasting. According to the new legislation, all broadcasters that want to provide radio, television, and other types of broadcasting services on the internet will have to obtain a licence from RTÜK, […]

Hundreds of thousands celebrate Newroz in Turkey

Hundreds of thousands of people celebrated Newroz in towns and cities across Turkey, including Diyarbakır, İstanbul, Van and İzmir. People gathered in Van, Urfa, Cizre, Nusaybin, Mardin, Siirt, İstanbul, İzmir and the Turkish capital of Ankara, among other cities, marking the holiday. Celebrations in some towns and cities, including Kars, Ağrı, Iğdır, Muş, Doğubayezit, Derik, […]

EMEP Chairwoman Selma Gürkan: Discussion on unity should be focused on demands

We talked the 2019 elections and the discussions on alliances with the Labour Party (EMEP) Chairwoman Selma Gürkan. AKP [The Justice and Development Party] and MHP [Nationalist Movement Party] declared that they will enter the elections in 2019 as a ‘Presidential Alliance’; this led to an escalation in the attempts to introduce legal changes to […]