Latest news with #TurkishConstitution
The Sun
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Police barricade off Istanbul centre to block cartoon protest
ISTANBUL: Police sealed off the centre of Istanbul on Tuesday to block protesters from rallying at a mosque following allegations a satirical magazine published a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed. Police clashed with protesters in the area late Monday, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them as they tried to storm a bar frequented by staff of LeMan, a Turkish satirical weekly. The unrest began after Istanbul's chief prosecutor ordered the arrest of several of LeMan's senior staff on grounds it had published a cartoon in its June 26 issue that 'publicly insulted religious values'. The magazine categorically denied the allegation, with its editor-in-chief telling AFP the image had 'nothing to do with the Prophet Mohammed'. But news about the warrant sparked anger on the streets with several dozen protesters trying to storm a bar frequented by the magazine staff, which turned into a mob of 250 to 300 people who clashed with police, an AFP correspondent said. A group called the Islamic Solidarity Platform also urged protesters to join a midday (0900 GMT) rally on Tuesday at the Hussein Agha mosque on Istanbul's central Istiklal Avenue. 'Insulting the Prophet Mohammed and the prophet Moses is unacceptable! Arise!' it said on social media. - 'No justification for violence' - The violence drew sharp condemnation from Erol Onderoglu, the Turkey representative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). 'There is no justification for such violence, which we strongly condemn,' he told AFP, saying it was 'hard to understand' why the police did not intervene sooner and that the 'cartoonists' safety must take priority'. Overnight, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted images of the cartoonist, LeMan's graphic designer, its publisher and another staff member being roughly dragged away under arrest, prompting a rebuke from Turkish rights group MLSA. 'Detaining cartoonists and subjecting them to mistreatment under the accusation of 'insulting religious values' over a cartoon is unlawful and violates both the Turkish Constitution and Turkey's international obligations,' its co-director Veysel Ok wrote on X. 'Even if a non-violent image or statement disturbs, offends, or provokes a large part of society, it is still protected by freedom of expression.' Copies of the disputed cartoon posted online show two characters hovering in the skies over a city being bombed. 'Salam aleikum, I'm Mohammed,' says one shaking hands with the other who replies, 'Aleikum salam, I'm Musa.' In English, Musa can be translated as Moses. Speaking to AFP from Paris, LeMan editor-in-chief Tuncay Akgun said the image had been deliberately misinterpreted to cause provocation. 'In this work, the name of a Muslim who was killed in Israel's bombardments is fictionalised as Mohammed,' he said. 'This cartoon is not a caricature of Prophet Mohammed in any way,' he said, describing the arrest warrant as a 'systematic provocation and attack' on the decades-old satirical magazine.
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First Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Erdogan bans images of jailed Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu as crackdown intensifies
Turkish authorities have imposed a ban on using images and sound recordings of jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu read more In another sign of escalating standoff with opposition and shrinking space for dissent in Turkey, authorities there have imposed a ban on using images, sound recordings of jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and dozens of municipality staff members who were detained earlier. Istanbul prosecutor's office made the announcement, banning all visual depictions of the key opposition figure and potential presidential contender. Meanwhile, local media reported that police detained 44 people in the latest round of raids as part of a graft investigation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The development has raised concerns over Erdogan's relentless assault on Turkey's democracy even as supporters of Imamoglu hold protests nationwide. Just days back, Imamoglu's opposition Republican People's Party or CHP held a massive rally in Istanbul, pressing Erdogan for the mayor's release. They also view the ongoing probe against him as politically motivated. Imamoglu was detained in March on corruption charges that he has vehemently denied. The CHP has accused Erdogan of using the judiciary to prevent the mayor from running in the presidential polls. On the other hand, the president has accused the CHP of 'doing everything to disturb the public peace, to polarise the nation.' Notably, Imamoglu is the frontrunner for CHP's nomination, but his candidacy took a hit after Istanbul University annulled his diploma in March this year, citing alleged irregularities with Council of Higher Education regulations. Under the Turkish Constitution, a presidential candidate must hold a higher education degree. Imamoglu alleged the university's decision was 'illegal'. Now, the latest move to ban depictions of the Istanbul mayor has intensified confrontations between the ruling and opposition factions. The deepening political crisis and suppression of democratic rights have cast a gloomy shadow over financial markets as well. Since Imamoglu's arrest and ensuing protests, the Turkish lira has come under great pressure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Turkish authorities had to raise interest rates and spend around $50 billion in foreign reserves to keep the currency stabilised. Does Erdogan want to further extend his rule? There are concerns that Erdogan might be looking for ways to alter the country's constitution so that he can hold on to power even after his term ends in three years. Erdogan first led the country as prime minister from 2003 and was elected president in 2014. However, he can't run for elections again unless rules are changed. Erdogan has denied allegations that he wants to change the constitution to extend his rule, saying he was 'not interested' in being re-elected. 'We want the new constitution not for ourselves, but for our country. I have no interest in being re-elected or running for office again,' he told reporters earlier this week.
Al Jazeera
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Thousands join march in Turkiye's Istanbul to protest mayor's arrest
Thousands of protesters have joined a march in Istanbul in support of the city's arrested mayor, defying a warning from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that authorities would crack down on 'street terror'. Demonstrators took to the streets in Turkiye's commercial hub on Friday for the third consecutive day to show their support for Ekrem Imamoglu – Erdogan's chief political rival – who was arrested on Wednesday, days before he was due to announce his 2028 presidential run. Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel said more than 300,000 people had joined protests across Istanbul. 'We are 300,000 people,' the CHP leader told the vast crowds in front of City Hall, saying protesters had gathered at several places across the country's largest city due to the road and bridge closures preventing people from all being in one place. The mayor was arrested early on Wednesday over alleged corruption and 'terror' links. Dozens of other prominent figures, including journalists and businesspeople, were also detained. After the detentions, the government announced a four-day ban on political demonstrations. The arrests came a day after a university in Istanbul invalidated Imamoglu's diploma, in effect disqualifying him from the presidential race because having a university degree is required to run for the nation's highest office under the Turkish Constitution. Imamoglu said he would challenge Istanbul University's decision. Erdogan on Friday said the government would not tolerate street protests and accused Imamoglu's Republican People's Party (CHP) of links to corruption and 'terror' organisations. 'An anticorruption operation in Istanbul is being used as an excuse to stir unrest in our streets. I want it to be known that we will not allow a handful of opportunists to bring unrest to Turkiye just to protect their plundering schemes,' Erdogan said. Government critics viewed Imamoglu's arrest as an attempt to remove a key challenger to Erdogan from Turkiye's next national ballot. Government officials rejected accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insisted that Turkiye's courts operate independently. Reporting from Istanbul, Al Jazeera's Aksel Zaimovic said there were 'many university students' at the protest outside Istanbul's municipality building. 'They say they are protesting the arrest of Imamoglu as well as the decision by Istanbul University to revoke Imamoglu's diploma,' he said. Zaimovic also noted that protesters told him 'this movement is intended to send a message about 'systemic injustice' in Turkish society rather than supporting any one political party.' 'Many say their right to elect an individual to represent them is being challenged by these latest developments,' he added. Protests over Imamoglu's arrest began in Istanbul on Wednesday and quickly spread to 32 of Turkiye's 81 provinces, according to an AFP news agency count. The CHP, Turkiye's main opposition party, which was intending to make Imamoglu its presidential candidate on Sunday, has described his arrest as a 'coup'. 'Don't be silent! Otherwise, they'll come for you,' protesters yelled. Many held aloft placards with slogans such as 'Don't be afraid, the people are here' and 'Rights, law, justice'. Since the protests erupted, at least 88 protesters have been arrested, Turkish media reported, with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya saying 16 police officers had been hurt. Police have also detained another 54 people for online posts authorities deemed 'incitement to hatred', he said. Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkiye's largest city in March 2019 in a historic blow to Erdogan and the president's Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century.
Al Jazeera
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Turkiye's Istanbul University annuls Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's diploma
Turkiye's Istanbul University has annulled Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's diploma, citing irregularities with Council of Higher Education regulations and threatening his chances of running in the 2028 presidential election. The university said on Tuesday that 38 people, including Istanbul's mayor, had irregularly transferred to its Management Faculty's English-language programme in 1990. It added that 10 of those with the irregularity had their transfer annulled, and the degrees of 28 graduates, including Imamoglu, 'will be withdrawn and cancelled on the grounds of … obvious error'. Imamoglu slammed the move as 'unlawful' and promised to fight the decision in court. 'They [the university] do not have the authority to make such a decision. The authority lies solely with the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Business Administration. 'The days when those who made this decision will be held accountable before history and justice are near. The march of our nation, thirsty for justice, law and democracy, cannot be stopped.' Murat Emir, a lawmaker from Imamoglu's Republican People's Party, said the decision 'dealt a heavy blow to our democracy'. Musavat Dervisoglu, the opposition Good Party chairman, said the annulment was 'beyond purging a political rival'. 2028 election The ruling could hurt Imamoglu's plans to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2028 election and came days before the opposition was expected to select Imamoglu as its presidential candidate. Under the Turkish Constitution, presidential candidates must have a higher education degree. Imamoglu, currently in his second term as the mayor of Istanbul, is the subject of multiple investigations and cases. The vocal opponent of Erdogan in January slammed what he called 'harassment' after leaving an Istanbul court for questioning as part of an open investigation on his criticism of the city's public prosecutor. In 2022, Imamoglu was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail and banned from political activities for 'insulting' members of Turkiye's High Election Council, a sentence that Imamoglu has appealed.
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Imprisoned Kurdish leader urges PKK to disarm and disband as part of peace effort with Turkey - Region
Imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his militant group on Thursday to lay down its arms and dissolve as part of a new bid to end a four-decade-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. In a message from his prison on an island off Istanbul on Thursday, Ocalan said the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, should hold a congress and decide to disband. 'Convene your congress and make a decision. All groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself,' Ocalan said, according to a message that was relayed by pro-Kurdish party politicians who visited Ocalan earlier in the day. Ocalan's momentous announcement is part of a new effort for peace between the group and the Turkish state, that was initiated in October by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's coalition partner, Devlet Bahceli. The far-right politician suggested Ocalan could be granted parole if his group renounces violence and disbands. Ocalan, 75, has been imprisoned on the island of Imrali, off Istanbul, since 1999 after being convicted of treason. Despite his incarceration, he continues to wield significant influence over the PKK. The group's leadership is widely expected to heed any call Ocalan makes, although some factions within the group could resist, analysts say. The peace effort comes at a time when Erdogan may need support from the DEM party in parliament to enact a new constitution that could allow him to stay in power. The Turkish Constitution doesn't allow Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003 as prime minister and later as president, to run for office again unless an early election is called — something that would also require the support of the pro-Kurdish party. The DEM party has long pressed for greater democracy in Turkey and rights for the country's Kurdish population, and also to improve conditions for the imprisoned Ocalan. Founded by Ocalan in 1978, the PKK has led an insurgency in Turkey's southeast since 1984. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. Previous peace efforts with the PKK have ended with failure — the most recent in 2015. Even amid the latest peace efforts, Erdogan's government has widened a crackdown on the opposition, arresting journalists and politicians. Several elected Kurdish mayors have been ousted from office and replaced with state-appointed officials. Thursday's meeting was the third time DEM party officials have met with Ocalan as part of the peace efforts. The officials have also met with Selahattin Demirtas, an imprisoned former pro-Kurdish party leader, and travelled to Iraq for talks with Kurdish leaders there. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
