Despite mounting arrests and new threats, Turkish students continue to mobilise against the regime's violence, sexism and homophobia, writes Kerry Smith.
Justice and Development Party
Interference in univerity affairs by Turkey's regime has sparked resistance by staff and students. Could this be the start of a new youth movement, writes Muhsin Yorulmaz?
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered a historic defeat in Turkey’s local elections that even they could not spin as a victory.
Following the AKP’s loss of the three biggest economic centres of Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, Erdoğan’s balcony speech sounded defeated and defensive.
How did this happen? What role was, and will be played by the country’s main leftist coalition party, the People’s Democratic Party (HDP)?
In the aftermath of Turkey’s June 24 elections, “won” amid fraud and intimidation by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the alliance between his Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Muhsin Yorulmaz takes a look at the post-election climate.
By now, it is widely known that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “won the election” in his country. But Muhsin Yorulmaz writes that the authoritarian leader’s support is waning.
Turkey’s authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won 53% of the vote in the June 24 presidential election.
This extends his rule until at least 2023 — but now with the sweeping executive powers narrowly endorsed in a referendum last year.
The Turkish government has proposed a new law which will ban the use of the words and terms “Kurdistan”, “Kurdish city/cities” and “Armenian Genocide” in parliament.
Parliamentarians who use these words or terms will be fined 12,000 Turkish liras (about $4500) and be banned from participating in three sessions in the Grand Assembly.
Carrying placards, which opposition parties often do to criticise the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, will also be banned.
Fascist mobs, with support from the police, attacked neighbourhoods populated by Kurds, the Alevi religious minority, other minorities and leftists. Istanbul, July 16. Photo: Sendika10.org.
Faced with an attempt to overthrow his government, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the coup as “a gift from God” — and wasted no time in exploiting it to further entrench his authoritarian regime.
The following statement was issued by Women's Freedom Assembly (KÖM) in Turkey/North Kurdistan on January 18. Translation abridged from Jadaliyya.com.
* * *
The Women’s Freedom Assembly is calling for your solidarity against the war and massacres that we have been living through for the past eight months.
The following statement was released by the Australian Kurdish Association on December 22.
Let's Stand Against the Massacre in Kurdistan, Support the Kurdish People's Struggle for Freedom!
Erdoğan’s electioneering: aftermath of October 10 bombing in Ankara.
In Turkey’s November 1 election, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) increased its votes from 41% to 49% in the five months (143 days) from the election in June. The AKP won a majority of seats — 317 out of 550.
The governing party gained 5 million extra votes. It adopted very risky policies to get this result, but was determined to win the elections — no matter how many lives were lost.
The moment the bomb detonated. Ankara, October 10, 10:04am.
The following statement was released by Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, co-chairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), on October 12 in response to the October 10 bombing of a peace rally in Ankara organised by the HDP, trade unions and civil society organisations. Following the attack, police blocked ambulances and attacked survivors.
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