Turkey Purge

Germany grants asylum to 196 Turkish diplomats: report

The asylum requests of 196 Turkish nationals with diplomatic passports have been approved by Germany, Deutsche Welle reported on Tuesday. In response to a parliamentary question by Left Party, Germany’s Interior Ministry said 196 Turkish nationals, who applied for asylum in Germany following a botched coup attempt in July, 2016, were recognized. According to the […]

Germany grants asylum to 196 Turkish diplomats: report Read More »

Sacked in post-coup purge, teacher of 18 years working as beekeeper for living

Hatayi Demir, an elementary school teacher until she was dismissed by a government decree issued under post-coup emergency rule last year, is now earning her keep by working as a beekeeper in a village in Tunceli province. According to Duvar news portal, Demir was first suspended and ultimately dismissed by the government decree, like her

Sacked in post-coup purge, teacher of 18 years working as beekeeper for living Read More »

Daughter of deceased jurist says parliamentarians, newspapers ignored calls for help

Buket Erdoğan, the daughter of the recently-deceased jurist Mustafa Erdoğan said the deputies as well as the newspapers she tried to reach out to help her father ignored her calls. A former Supreme Court of Appeals member, Erdoğan was imprisoned over links to the Gulen movement, which the government accuses of masterminding the July 15,

Daughter of deceased jurist says parliamentarians, newspapers ignored calls for help Read More »

Ministry: 774 detained over Gülen links in past week

A total of 774 people were detained across Turkey as part of investigations into the Gülen movement, which the government accuses of masterminding the July 15 coup attempt, over the past week. In a written statement on Monday, Interior Ministry said Sept 774 were detained over their alleged links to the movement between Sept 11-18. Meanwhile, law

Ministry: 774 detained over Gülen links in past week Read More »

Turkey arrests yet another journalist over terror charges

Kemal Özer, a reporter and nature photographer for Evrensel daily newspaper, was put in pretrial detention on terror charges on Friday. Detained in Tunceli province as part of an investigation into the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Sept 4, Özer was arrested on accusations of membership to a terrorist organization after spending 11 days

Turkey arrests yet another journalist over terror charges Read More »

Coup suspect says daughter was sexually abused by prison guards

Brig. Gen. Gökhan Şahin Sönmezateş, accused of leading the group that allegedly tried to capture President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during last year’s abortive coup, has said his daughter was sexually abused during a prison visit to the jailed commander. During a coup trial on Sept 9, Sönmezateş said his daughter was sexually abused while being searched by

Coup suspect says daughter was sexually abused by prison guards Read More »

Nurse with 21 years of experience working at tobacco farm after dismissal

Fatma Turan, a 44-year-old nurse who was dismissed under Turkey’s post-coup purge of state institutions, has been working at a tobacco farm to earn her family’s living. Turan was removed from her job along with her husband Özdemir Aydin, also a hospital worker, under a post-coup emergency decree. They were both detained in police operations

Nurse with 21 years of experience working at tobacco farm after dismissal Read More »

10 more people sent to prison in Adıyaman over ByLock use

An Adıyaman court arrested a total of 10 people on Friday in Adıyaman province as part of an investigation into users of ByLock, a smart phone application that Turkish authorities believe is a communication tool among followers of the Gülen group. The Adıyaman Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants on Sept. 7 for 40

10 more people sent to prison in Adıyaman over ByLock use Read More »

Couple, three children detained near Greek border before illegal departure from Turkey

A family of 5 were detained while hiding at a hunters’ club in Ipsala district of Edirne, Turkey’s border province with Greece, on Sept 14. Gendarmerie rounded up the couple as well as their three children, aged 2, 6 and 9. The state-run Anadolu news agency said that the couple, identified only with their initials

Couple, three children detained near Greek border before illegal departure from Turkey Read More »

Photojournalist put in pretrial detention after 12 days in custody

Photojournalist Çağdaş Erdoğan was arrested after spending 12 days under custody, on Sept 13. Detained while taking photos in Istanbul’s Kadikoy district on Sept 2, Erdoğan was put in pretrial arrest on accusations of membership to a terrorist organization on Wednesday. Erdoğan is alleged to have taken pictures of a building that belongs to the

Photojournalist put in pretrial detention after 12 days in custody Read More »