The Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), the body that decides the appointments and promotions of those in judicial positions, has reassigned Judge Murat Aydın, who applied to Constitutional Court to annul a Turkish Penal Code (TCK) article on “insulting the president.”
Erdoğan accuses US of being ‘superior mind’ behind ‘parallel state’
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused the US government of being the “superior mind” behind the so-called “parallel state”, which is a term coined by Erdoğan in December 2013 to refer to people believed to be inspired by the ideas of Gülen, especially those within the state bureaucracy.
Politicians react against move to frame Gülen movement as “terrorist organization”
A number of politicians have spoken out against politically motivated move to frame Gülen movement — a grassroots initiative comprising people inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen – as a “terrorist organization.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Friday that he is expecting a Cabinet decision that will officially declare sympathizers of the Gülen movement as a “terrorist organization” in order to put them on trial, in what is widely considered a move by the president of acting like the judiciary.
High judiciary members join Erdoğan in celebrations for Ahilik week
High judiciary members joined President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in celebrations for Ahilik week in Kırşehir province on Friday, raising another question on the independency of the judiciary.
The heads of Supreme Court of Appeals, Council of State and Court of Accounts had also harvested tea along with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his visit to Rize province last Saturday.
High judiciary members harvest tea with Erdoğan
High judiciary members, including the heads of Supreme Court of Appeals, Council of State and Court of Accounts, harvested tea along with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his visit to Rize province last Saturday.
A video showing Erdoğan and the judiciary members harvesting tea in President’s hometown, Rize caused some critics to question the independency of the judiciary in Turkey.
Whistleblower reveals Erdogan’s widespread illegal arms trade
A Turkish whistleblower has revealed that the Turkish government is involved in a massive arms trade and huge sums of cash transfers disguised as humanitarian aid, feeding radical groups in Syria and benefitting from the trade financially.
Fuat Avni, a Twitter user with nearly 3 million followers, took on Twitter on Thursday to report how Turkish senior officials have been shipping huge cache of arms and big sums of money through air and sea from Libya to war-stricken countries such as Ukraine and Syria.Avni has a credible record of uncovering corruption and irregularities rampant among the government officials. He claims to be in the inner circle of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Turkish consulate in Rotterdam asks to be informed about Erdoğan insults April 22, 2016
The Turkish Consulate General in Dutch city of Rotterdam has sent e-mail to Turkish expats as well as some civil society organizations in the country, requesting them to notify the consulate general about individuals who insult Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey in general and the Turkish people.
Pro-gov’t daily ordered to pay compensation over ‘fabricated’ story on Erdoğan’s daughter April 20, 2016[history repeats itself]
Staunchly pro-government Akşam daily has been ordered to pay compensation to an opposition deputy for printing “fabricated” Twitter conversations of him with a journalist which it claimed indicated a plan to “assassinate” the daughter of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
US human rights report slams Turkey over restrictions on freedoms, politicized judiciary
The US State Department’s annual human rights report on Wednesday strongly criticized Turkish government’s growing pressure on the media and its interference with freedom of expression as well as politically-motivated cases launched against critics.
The US State Department released its Human Rights Report for 2015 on April 13 in which it listed human rights problems across the world. In its report on Turkey, the State Department multiple provisions in the law created the opportunity for the government to restrict freedom of expression, the press, and the internet during 2015.
80-year-old philanthropist put behind bars in gov’t-backed witch-hunt operation
An 80-year-old man who is known to have contributed to charity works pioneered by members of the Gülen movement was arrested on Saturday as part of the Turkish government’s witch-hunt operation targeting members of the movement.
