On the Case of Pınar Selek

Transnational Work Group on Academic Liberty and Freedom of Research in Turkey, North America Branch (GIT North America) was formed in response to the escalating and systematic assault on freedom of thought, freedom of research, and freedom of expression in Turkey. In keeping with its mission, GIT-North America has been following with grave concern the case of sociologist-writer Pinar Selek, who was accused of aiding and abetting in the Spice Market bombing of 1998, as well as being a member of the illegal PKK--claims apparently put forth by one person's testimony provided under duress, retracted at court and challenged by multiple expert accounts. On Thursday, November 22, the Istanbul 12th High Criminal Court has revoked the final ruling of Selek's acquittal. 

GIT-North America is mindful of the fact that the case involving Selek dates back to 1998, and that Selek has been acquitted three times, yet her acquittal has been repeatedly overturned. Continuing with the cycle of acquittals and re-trials, the process has made Selek the researcher an intimidating example to all those who may conduct research into “undesirable” topics, thereby demarcating stringently the boundaries of free expression and academic inquiry in Turkey. This cycle has also turned the trials themselves into a punitive experience for Selek the defendant, thereby violating her civil rights. (For more on Selek's detainment and the court process, please visit http://www.pinarselek.com/public/page_item.aspx?id=1463)

As students and professors working in diverse fields, including Ottoman and Turkish Studies in North America, we are profoundly distressed by Selek’s treatment and we stand in solidarity with her academic rights to peacefully conduct research and her individual right to a just closure to this case.

Noam Chomsky Interview

On July 12th 2012, a group of academicians from Turkey, including several Git North America members, organized a meeting with Noam Chomsky to discuss about what has been going on in Turkey, particularly regarding the threats to freedom of expression. The formal interview from the meeting is translated and published in Birgun newspaper. And here is the original video in English:

In Solidarity with Protest in Kadıköy on June 9

Message from GIT - North America against the detention and arrest of students and in support of the Movement to Free Imprisoned Students

Transnational Work Group on Academic Liberty and Freedom of Research in Turkey, North America Branch (GIT North America) was formed in response to the escalating and systematic assault on freedom of thought, freedom of research, and freedom of expression in Turkey. As students and professors working in diverse fields, including Ottoman and Turkish Studies, in North America, we stand in solidarity with Turkey's students, scholars, publishers and journalists. We condemn the arrest, detention and prosecution of citizens due to their ideas as violations of the most basic human rights. On June 9, we will be in Kadıköy in spirit.

Newsfeed - May 13

GIT - North America is an independent organization, supported solely by the volunteered time dedicated by its members who are faculty and graduate students working on Turkey.

To sign the inaugural declaration of GIT, please send an e-mail to diana.gonzalez2@wanadoo.fr -- to join GIT - North America, e-mail gitamerica@yahoo.com

11 years for wearing a "poshu"

Cihan Kırmızıgül, a college student at Galatasaray University, has been sentenced for 11 years for, basically, wearing a "poshu." Read the full report on Hurriyet Daily News.

Reminders about Cihan Kırmızıgül case

To read our previous reporting on the case of Cihan Kırmızıgül, please click here and here.

No judicial punishment to police officers in the Hrant Dink case

Delinquent police officers involved in the murder case of the Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink received almost no punishment. Read the full report on Bianet.

Turkey in great company

Turkey ranked in the top five list of "the countries with the most journalists in jail". The other countries are Iran, Eritrea, China and Syria. Read the full report on Bianet.

Newsfeed - May 6

GIT - North America is an independent organization, supported solely by the volunteered time dedicated by its members who are faculty and graduate students working on Turkey.

To sign the inaugural declaration of GIT, please send an e-mail to diana.gonzalez2@wanadoo.fr -- to join GIT - North America, e-mail gitamerica@yahoo.com


Supposedly most liberal university of Turkey bans May Day posters
Read about the ban on May Day Posters at Sabancı University via GIT - North America.

Excessive violence against students' peaceful protest in Samsun
Read about the violent crash of a peaceful protest by college students and the ensuing arrests in Samsun on GIT - North America.

100 Journalists still in Prison on World Press Freedom Day
Read BIA's quarterly media monitoring report and media unions' responses to press freedom related questions via GIT - North America.

Ragıp Zarakolu honored at PEN event in New York 

Read on Zarakolu's reception of the Association of American Publisher’s Jeri Laber International Freedom to Publish Award via GIT - North America.

Supposedly most liberal university of Turkey bans May Day posters

Sabancı University, which actually has a finely worded statement on academic freedom, banned May 1 posters on its campus.

After a few posters were hanged, they were removed within an hour. When students formally applied to hang them, their request was denied after two days. For the full story, including the university's excuse for denial, visit Bianet.

Excessive violence against students' peaceful protest in Samsun

A peaceful protest by the students of May 19 University in Samsun was crashed, first, by private security officers, and then the police on Friday, May 4. 

The students protested the visit of the Minister for Youth and Sports, Suat Kılıç, by holding signs that read "AKP get out! Universities are ours!" They also wanted to walk through the campus. Their walk was crashed by the private security personnel of the campus. As a result of the ensuing tension, special forces were called in. The police ended up arresting 20 students from among the protesters. The minister arrived 15 minutes after the incident.

You can read the full report in Turkish on Radikal.

100 Journalists still in Prison on World Press Freedom Day

BIA Media Monitoring Report for the first quarter of 2012 was released on Wednesday, May 2. 100 Journalists and 35 newspaper distributors were in jail during the first three months of 2012. 21 people, including 12 journalists, were facing imprisonment of 254 years in total under allegations of "propaganda for an illegal organization." You can read the full report on Bianet.

Thursday, May 3, was "World Press Freedom Day." Bianet asked various media unions the following four questions:
* What are your studies regarding the journalism problems in Turkey; editorial independence, censorship, self-censorship?
* Do you have any projects for the trial processes of the journalists and the journalists in jail?
* What are the major barriers against press freedom in Turkey?
* What do you think about the new judiciary package prepared for media?

Read their responses on Bianet.

Ragıp Zarakolu honored at PEN event in New York

Ragıp Zarakolu was among those honored by more than 500 PEN luminaries and supporters at an event in New York City. He received the Association of American Publisher’s Jeri Laber International Freedom to Publish Award, which he dedicated to “the many other publishers, editors, writers, and journalists” who remain in prison in Turkey. You can read the full report on Pambazuka.

Newsfeed - April 29

GIT - North America is an independent organization, supported solely by the volunteered time dedicated by its members who are faculty and graduate students working on Turkey.

To sign the inaugural declaration of GIT, please send an e-mail to diana.gonzalez2@wanadoo.fr -- to join GIT - North America, e-mail gitamerica@yahoo.com


Songül's letter from prison

Read the English translation of a letter by Songül Sıcakyüz, a student who is imprisoned at Bakırköy Women's Prison, on our Witness Accounts page.


Uğur's crime: being a socialist

Read the English translation of a letter by Uğur Ok on our Witness Accounts page to find out how a student might spend 32 months in prison in Turkey for simply being a socialist. 


Court story of two reporters

Read about the story of the two reporters one of whom was quickly released from prison while the other was not on GIT - North America.


More on Gülen in the US media

Read the New York Times piece on Gülen via GIT - North America.

Court story of two reporters, one is working for state intelligence service

Ruşen Çakır 
20^th of April, 2012
Ruşen Çakır wrote about an imprisoned reporter and the court’s blatant injustice:

I received a letter from our daily’s young reporter Çağdaş Ulaş who was arrested on invalid grounds for ongoing Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) case. He laments about his innocence. In one word it is gut-wrenching.

Cagdaş talks about a conversation with Mustafa Özer, Ajans France Press reporter who were detained for a while and immediately released. Both of them were convicted on the same grounds in the same inquisition.  I quote him:  

“I met with Mustafa Özer, where I was put in a cell at Court House to wait for the prosecutor. He told me that he went to Kandil[1] many times, he was taken many pictures with Murat Karayılan under the posters of Abdullah Öcalan and he said all these photos can be found in his computer’s hard disk. He was very anxious and saying that “I will definitely be arrested.” I told him that I felt upset to be arrested for nothing, just due to a talk I made with someone, I was not related with the organization and I reported many times critically about the PKK. Upon this, he said “don’t worry, you did nothing, you are the one to be released first.” However, it didn’t come true. He was released first, I am still in prison!”

We know why the court immediately released Özer, as he has been working for State Intelligence Department (MIT) for years. He was in relation with PKK and its entourage and he worked in MIT's command. But we haven’t understood the reason for Cağdaş’s arrest and his long detainment yet. We need to go beyond submissive requests for justice. As his colleagues we must mobilize against state’s arbitrary journalist arrests on the pretence of terrorist activity.   

Read Ruşen Çakır in Turkish here. 

For Mustafa Özer's confession visit here 

---

[1] Kandil is the name of a mountain range near the Turkey-Iraq-Iran tripoint, where the armed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is known to be based (Translator’s note).

More on Gulen in the US media: A NYT Piece by Dan Bilefsky

Following other pieces that have appeared over the last month in the US mainstream media on the charter schools established and run by the followers of the Turkish imam M. Fetullah Gulen, Dan Bilefsky published a piece in the New York Times, which focuses more on the growing influence of this "reclusive cleric" in Turkey. His comprehensive piece that ties the case of Ahmet Sik and his work on the Gulen community and their global agenda, to the perception and critique of the movement by other intellectual and academic communities, as well as journalists in Turkey. To read the piece visit here.

Newsfeed - April 22

GIT - North America is an independent organization, supported solely by the volunteered time dedicated by its members who are faculty and graduate students working on Turkey.

To sign the inaugural declaration of GIT, please send an e-mail to diana.gonzalez2@wanadoo.fr -- to join GIT - North America, e-mail gitamerica@yahoo.com

What is a Turkish Imam Doing in North Philadelphia?

The Inquirer reported last spring that federal agencies are investigating whether some Turkish charter-school employees are required to kick back part of their salaries to a Muslim movement founded by Gulen known as Hizmet, or Service, according to knowledgeable sources. Read more about the case  by Martha Woodall of the Philadelphia Inquirer on the allegations raised over North Philadelphia charter school run by the followers of a Turkish imam via GIT North America.

  

You were right after all. The shame is ours.

Read Yildirim Turker’s commentary on the recent KCK arrests, the AK Party government’s judiciary  and the September 12 politics via GIT North America. 

Prison Letters 

Read the letters from Aysel Diler and Sevcan Goktas, two students in prison among many others, on GIT North America's Witness Accounts.

These letters are responses to the cards they received from Baki Tezcan, a GIT – North America member on research leave in Turkey, where he had participated at the Prison Lectures on March 3, 2012, at the end of which the audience wrote cards to the women students held at the Bakırköy Women’s Prison and elsewhere.  

 

Two letters from Aysel

After receiving this first letter from Ms. Diler, Tezcan wrote a letter to her to which she responded in her second letter. The letters were translated into English by Tezcan. Read it on GIT North America's Witness Accounts.

 A letter from Sevcan

This letter was translated into English by Zeynep Oğuz based on the Turkish text transcribed by Tezcan. You can read the Turkish version of the text on Bianet and the English version on GIT North America's Witness Accounts. Sevcan's case was very well known and followed closely. Two members of parliament from the Republican People's Party Veli Ağbaba (Malatya) and Hüseyin Aygün (Tunceli) attended some of the proceedings and protested the handling of the case. You can read Turkish coverage of the case in two articles on Bianet.

What is a Turkish Imam Doing in North Philadelphia?

Martha Woodall of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes about the allegations raised over North Philadelphia charter school run by the followers of a Turkish imam:

"Truebright Science Academy Charter School in North Philadelphia is one of more than 130 charter schools nationwide run by followers of the Turkish imam M. Fetullah Gulen, and federal officials have put it under a microscope. [...]

The Inquirer reported last spring that federal agencies are investigating whether some Turkish charter-school employees are required to kick back part of their salaries to a Muslim movement founded by Gulen known as Hizmet, or Service, according to knowledgeable sources.

They also are trying to determine whether the schools are abusing the H1-B visa program, which has allowed hundreds of Turkish teachers, administrators, and other staffers to work in charter schools.

The visas are used to attract foreign workers, especially with math, science, and technology skills for which there are shortages of qualified Americans. [...]

After The Inquirer reported last year that records showed uncertified, foreign-born teachers were paid more than their certified American counterparts, at least nine filed discrimination complaints with the EEOC.

One American teacher said she never imagined she would be lodging a complaint in her own country alleging discrimination based on national origin. [...]"

In related news, "[t]he U.S. state of Tennessee has passed a new law limiting the number of foreign teachers at charter schools in an apparent reaction to educational institutions linked to Gulen Community led by Turkish religious leader Fethullah Gulen," according to a report on Hurriyet Daily on April 18.The report states that "[t]he law decreases the percentage of foreign teachers that can be employed in a charter school from 10 percent to 3.5 percent."

To read the thorough piece in the Inquirer, visit here. To read the report on new law in the state of Tennessee visit here.

You were right after all. The shame is ours.

Yildirim Turker[1]

The AK Party judiciary--apparently newly “liberated” from the yoke of politics--has made yet another decision that will be left to posterity as a shameful page in judicial history. Judging by the fact that the prime minister [Tayyip Erdogan] has praised this move as the guardian of an independent judiciary, it is clear that the government is accountable for this final play. As a matter of course, it is impossible to overlook that the prime minister is behind the long arm of the KCK police investigations.[2]

According to the prime minister, three quarters of those protesting are ‘so-called’ teachers; he has no time to waste with BDP[3] members of parliament, because “they are spineless;” the journalists that have been arrested aren’t real journalists, [and] the military that bombed and killed 34 civilians in Uludere is without fault. As it turns out, we already know who the guilty parties are; The identities of the culprits are no different than 20 or even 40 years ago.

The mentality of the police in this country has been as unchanging as their haircuts. Did you really think that the officers responsible for beating Ahmet Turk would be identified and charged? If you did, then you must be one of those die hard “yetmez ama evet” supporters.[4] I do not know how to respond to those who still attach any hope to [the identification and prosecution of those responsible for the assault on Ahmet Turk]. The prime minister said of Ahmet Turk: “He insolently fought with the police, and then [his supporters] say, ‘they assaulted a member of parliament.’ You are the ones who are fighting with the police, and inciting mobs to attack them. Security forces withstand this up to a point, and then they have to react to protect themselves.” How can one harbor any hope of justice after such a statement? The same smug approval that lies beneath the punches thrown at Ahmet Turk are behind the KCK indictments.

In order both to justify the government violence that showed itself as a result of the ban on Newroz celebrations this year, as well as to intimidate us so-called misguided journalists, the prime minister has stood by the police, saying, “We know what we’re doing. Don’t talk out of turn about things you know nothing about.” The prime minister accused those who opposed his pro-force approach of not knowing the real facts about the Kurdish political movement. After the ravenous arrests following the KCK investigations, the ruling party created an exclusive club of sorts with the partisan media, leaving everyone who disagreed with them out of the picture. Claiming that bailing out Ersanli and Zarakolu was foolishness, [those in charge] told us, “Just wait, and see what will happen.” Respectable men of letters rejoiced when the September 12 hearings started as if to say, “I told you so.” This is why they had voted this government into power in the first place. They are still trying to spite us with their adolescent bullying.

How has the attempt to prosecute two of the generals involved in the September 12 military coup changed our lives for the better? How is the current judiciary’s a priori determination of guilt any different from the mechanism of power that was set into place after the coup? So much of our lives have been spent exercising caution [against potential conspiracies]: Decoding secret messages, manipulating the logo on a pack of cigarettes to discover that it looks like the bust of Mao, seeing a hammer and sickle cleverly disguised on municipal services logos; keeping our eyes open at every turn in order not to be deceived by the alien-communist-separatist-sectarian agents in society. The first indictment that came at the end of the KCK trials was unanimously passed by the Criminal Court. The honorable justice was clearly not concerned with using the dispassionate language of the law. He apparently had decided for all of us, and let us know his verdict: “... Anyone who has read the document called the KCK Charter would consider it to be state constitution.”

But this is not all. Demonstrating a level of creativity that even surprised those who were wondering how Ragip Zarakolu’s arrest would be explained, the justices said:

“In spite of the fact that the teaching in question appears only to have been an innocent and humanist activity, it fulfilled a terrorist organizations logistical and manpower needs. For example, any individual may buy a cell phone from a store or purchase nails to repair his house. These activities may in turn be regarded as the fulfillment of normal and human needs. But as the PKK/KCK terrorist organization often does, one could use a cell phone to detonate a bomb remotely that has been reinforced with nails to cause maximum damage. And if such an individual is caught while buying such a cell phone or nails in order to be used in the preparation of such an explosive, there is obviously no need to prove that the individual in question is guilty of aiding and abetting the terrorist organization. It is clear that the suspect [Zarakolu] is guilty of an identical contribution to a terrorist organization...”

Now do you understand the charges against Zarakolu? Supposedly Zarakolu’s son Cihan Deniz Zarakolu taught a class on the origins of the universe at Siyaset Akademisi. Even the parts of the lesson about dinosaurs were presented as evidence against the younger Zarakolu in court. In other words, if there are no nails, then dinosaurs will have to do.

But this is nothing. Previously unremarkable activities such as owning and keeping red and yellow bandanas in one’s house, attending quantum physics class, and commiserating with a friend over the phone over his bad luck are listed as if they were the most abominable crimes. It turns out we were ignorant of many facts about Zarakolu, Ersanli and many others under arrest. We speak out of turn, and anger our prime minister who reckons that Ahmet [Sik]’s book is a bomb. Shame on us: We brazenly said they would never prosecute those involved in the 12 September coup. Well, they sure showed us!

---

[1] This is the English translation of the article originally entitled “Hakliymissiniz. Utanc Bizim,” and published on Radikal Daily on April 8, 2012. GIT- North America would like to thank Han Salzmann for the translation of this article from Turkish to English. To read the original in Turkish visit http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalYazar&ArticleID=1084254&Yazar=YILDIRIM-TURKER&CategoryID=97

[2] Koma Civâken Kurdistan (Union of Communities in Kurdistan). “Operation KCK” is a investigation by the Turkish government into alleged links between Kurdish political activists and armed separatist militants.

[3] Baris ve Demokrasi Partisi (Peace and Democracy Party) is a political party in Turkey with a social democratic ideology and a strong interest in Kurdish minority rights in Turkey.

[4] The slogan, literally meaning, “It is not enough, but yes” refers to a portion of the electorate who voted ‘yes’ in the 2010 referendum in Turkey. The referendum proposed amendments to the constitution passed subsequent to the military coup on 12 September 1980. A portion of those who voted ‘yes’ had reservations about the scope of the measures proposed by the referendum, but viewed it as ‘the lesser of two evils.’

Newsfeed - April 18

GIT - North America is an independent organization, supported solely by the volunteered time dedicated by its members who are faculty and graduate students working on Turkey.

To sign the inaugural declaration of GIT, please send an e-mail to diana.gonzalez2@wanadoo.fr -- to join GIT - North America, e-mail gitamerica@yahoo.com

Editorial note: This is our last blog post on a Wednesday. From now on, we will post our reports on Sundays only. This is a decision we made based on the data about our readership which suggest that the entries posted on Sundays are read much more widely than those posted on Wednesdays. Please keep following us on Sundays!


Why could one be unhappy about the release of Şık and Şener?

Read Fredérike Geerdink's blog entry on why she was unhappy about the release of two journalists a little more than a month ago via GIT - North America.

Human rights classes in Turkey's classrooms

Read about an education project that aims to raise awareness about human rights and democratic citizenship in Turkey via GIT - North America.

Selek case to be discussed at a conference in Strasbourg

Read about the conference that will discuss the court case of Pınar Selek, a sociologist who has been on trial for an explosion that took place at the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul on July 9, 1998, on GIT - North America.

Students forced to paid military service

Read about the new initiative that forces college students to paid military service via GIT - North America.

Why could one be unhappy about the release of Şık and Şener?

Fredérike Geerdink, a freelance journalist based in Istanbul, had written an entry on her blog entitled "Why I'm unhappy about the release of Şık and Şener" on Tuesday, March 13, referring to the release of the two journalists whose pre-trial detention had attracted world media's attention to Turkey. Today we thought that Geerdink's piece could be reread after the release of Ragıp Zarakolu, another well-known name that had attracted international attention to the plight of journalists, professors, publishers, students, and translators in Turkey's jails. This is a good time to remember that there are still more than 100 journalists and several hundreds of students in Turkey's jails. You can read Geerdink's piece on her blog.

Human rights classes in Turkey's classrooms

As a site that is focused on problems with academic liberties and freedom of research in Turkey, we have been reporting very frustrating and often tragic news for almost four months. There have been some positive news in our coverage as well, such as the releases of the journalists Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık, and the publisher and Nobel Peace Prize candidate Ragıp Zarakolu. Today we are happy to report another positive news item: the Ministry of National Education has launched a project to raise awareness among students about democratic citizenship and human rights in cooperation with the European Union, which allocated 9.1 million euros for the effort. Let us hope that the classes that will be created with these funds will not be electives to compete with the recently introduced elective courses on the Qur'an and the life of Muhammad. For a full report in English, visit Hurriyet Daily News.

Selek case to be discussed at a conference in Strasbourg

A conference is taking place today (April 18) in Strasbourg with the cosponsorship of various French and Turkish non-governmental organizations that is focused on the case of Pınar Selek, a sociologist who has been on trial for an explosion that took place at the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul on July 9, 1998.

Entitled "The Pınar Selek Affair: An emblematic case of the criminalization of civil society and the problems of the judiciary in Turkey," the conference will include presentations by Karin Karakaşlı (author, journalist), Akın Atalay (Selek and Ahmet Şık's lawyer), Oral Çalışlar (journalist) and many others. For a full report in English, visit Bianet.

Students forced to paid military service

The news portal Bianet reports that according to a letter sent by the Ministry of Defense to The Council of Higher Education (YÖK), which has then been conveyed to universities, male students completing 29 years of age have two options in order to enroll or to re-enroll in a school: joining the army for 15 months or paying 15.000 TL as the first installments of the paid military service and getting the related document.

The letter sent by Ministry of Defense relies on the Law No. 1111, Military Law, Article 35/C which exists since 21.06.1927. However, this law was not applied for years and there were no obstacles for men over the age 29 during the enrollment process. Currently, there are approximately 250 students facing this situation in Middle Eastern Technical University (METU) while the number goes up to 450 students at Yildiz University.

To read the rest of the news report in English, please visit Bianet.

Newsfeed - April 15

GIT - North America is an independent organization, supported solely by the volunteered time dedicated by its members who are faculty and graduate students working on Turkey.

To sign the inaugural declaration of GIT, please send an e-mail to diana.gonzalez2@wanadoo.fr -- to join GIT - North America, e-mail gitamerica@yahoo.com


More than 7,000 college students subject to investigations in Turkey

Read about the disciplinary investigations of college students who assert their basic rights of free speech on GIT - North America.

You can take your exam -- for $ 500 and while risking your life

Read about the conditions of arrested students in Turkish prisons on GIT - North America.

Zarakolu engaged in protest of silence

Ragıp Zarakolu, a Nobel Peace Prize candidate, publisher and activist who was recently released from prison after months of incarceration on terrorism-related charges, is beginning a protest of silence to avoid being used to normalize Turkey’s “abnormal” justice system. Read more on Hurriyet Daily News.

Turkey's discrepancy at home and abroad

Read an interview with Susan Woodward, an expert on conflict resolution, peace building and comparative politics, who points out the discrepancies in Turkish domestic and international politics, on Bianet.

You can take your exam -- for $ 500 and while risking your life

College students who are subjected to pre-trial detention have the right to attend their exams in their colleges -- if they pay for the gas bill of the prison transfer vehicle with which they would have to be transported to their colleges.

These vehicles are well known in Turkey as they made the news when one of them burnt down last September with five inmates, who were burnt to their deaths when the two drivers and ten soldiers could not unlock their door (for the news report in Turkish, see Radikal).

If an arrested student is held in an Istanbul prison while her college is in Ankara, the bill she would have to pay might be as high as TL 1,000 (more than $ 500), states the news report entitled the "Prison Diaries of Arrested Students," which was prepared Emiyra Yılmaz for dipnot.tv. The report (in Turkish) includes other details of the life of students in prison.

Next week, we will publish English translations of two letters we received from students.

More than 7,000 college students subject to investigations

The minister of National Education, Ömer Dinçer, stated that in 2010 and 2011 a total of 7,043 college students have been subjected to disciplinary investigations at their colleges. 4,602 of them have received suspensions while 55 have been expelled from their colleges.

Dinçer's statement was in response to a parliamentary question posed by Levent Tüzel, an independent MP (member of parliament), who represents Istanbul.

Veli Ağbaba, another MP who represents Malatya and is a member of the Republican People's Party, commented that the situation in universities is worse than it had been under the 1980 military regime as university administrations assume the role of judges and punish their students long before courts make any decisions about their actions, which are mostly basic assertions of civil liberties.

Newsfeed - April 11

GIT - North America is an independent organization, supported solely by the volunteered time dedicated by its members who are faculty and graduate students working on Turkey.

To sign the inaugural declaration of GIT, please send an e-mail to diana.gonzalez2@wanadoo.fr -- to join GIT - North America, e-mail gitamerica@yahoo.com


Another journalist and two more students arrested

Read about the arrest of yet another journalist and two more college students, who were reporting and participating at (respectively) the Newroz celebrations in Istanbul, on GIT - North America.

Zarakolu released

Read about the release of publisher and human rights activist Ragıp Zarakolu, who spent more than five months in pre-trial detention, on GIT - North America.

The European Court of Human Rights punishes Turkey on pepper spray use

Read about the sentence of the Human Rights court against Turkey, which has a bearing on the way in which the police deals with peaceful protesters in Turkey, on GIT - North America.

Homophobia in Turkish capital

Read about the homophobic remarks of Melih Gökçek, the mayor of Ankara, on our Hate Speech page.

9 arrested, including an ETHA reporter and two students, in relation to the Newroz celebrations in Istanbul

According to the report in Turkish on Bianet on April 10, Cagdas Kucukbattal, a reporter working for the ETHA news agency was among the 9 people who got arrested in relation to the Newroz celebrations on March 18 in Istanbul. Kucukbattal, who was filming the celebrations, had previously been detained and kept under arrest for 9 months because he covered the protests against the base station receivers erected in the Gazi neighborhood of Istanbul.

The report states that the remaining group of people arrested in relation to the Newroz celebrations in Istanbul, among members of legal political organizations, also include two Istanbul University students Mehmet Akip Bilgin and Eren Yurt.