NEWS SCAN for Turkey – June 18th, 2013
Down below you will find a summary of topics from major Turkish papers and internet sites.
Dozens detained by Turkish police as part of probe into Gezi Park protests
Turkish police detain dozens as part of probe into Gezi Park protests
It is reported that several people have been detained by anti-terror security teams at their homes in Istanbul and Ankara early today as part of the Taksim Gezi Park protests.
Among places raided by security forces as part of the operation are Atılım Newspaper and Etkin News Agency in Istanbul. After the health checks, the detainees were sent to the police department.
On the other hand it is reported by Anatolia news agency that the outlawed Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) members were also targeted in the raids and some of the detained were members of the organization.
A new type of civil disobedience displayed in Turkey: Standing man
One person, started standing silently around 6 p.m. in the middle of Taksim Square on 18th June, where police has been limiting access following the clashes and crackdown of police on Gezi Park protestors, earlier. This person was identified as performance artist Erdem Gündüz.
This action swiftly turned into a silent struggle across the country for the right to protest.
Said person started standing at the same place without moving and staring at the flag of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, modern Turkey’s founder, which was hung on the Atatürk Culture Center (AKM) another spot where struggle between police and protesters took place over the last three weeks.
This person was soon joined by a group of around 300 fellow demonstrators, who all came to stand in silence beside him, staring in the same direction. The protestor who started the action left the scene right before police intervened against the protestors around 2 a.m. today.
Prime Minister: EU has no respect for democracy
Turkish PM Erdoğan continued his very strong criticisms against the European Union in a meeting yesterday. Erdoğan accused Brussels of being “undemocratic” in his latest reaction against the recent European Parliament resolution critical against of the government’s handling of the ongoing protests.
As international pressure on Ankara regarding the police crackdown on protesters grows, Erdoğan said Turkey and the EU have “different opinions on freedom” and the EU “does not respect democracy”.
He went on to say; “Do you have the right to take such a decision on Turkey? You stay silent about what’s happening in France, in England and elsewhere in Europe, and you dare to take a decision on our security forces, who are exercising their duty of law enforcement against those demonstrators. You are anti-democratic”.
Deputy PM says Army may step in to stop protests if need be
Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç is reported to have given unconditional support to the police, and said that the remaining protests will be suppressed immediately by the police.
ARINC is confirmed to have affirmed that environmentalist protests have ended and the remaining protests will be suppressed immediately by the police. Another important comment made by the deputy was that if the police did not suffice, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) could take on the responsibility.
Arınç has also said “What is required of us is to stop it if there is a protest against the law. There is the police, if that’s not enough there’s the gendarmerie, if that’s not enough there is the TSK. These authorities exist in the laws. The police will use all the authority given to them. Nobody should complain about the police”. He claimed that those who criticize the police were the ones who vandalize cities.
Turkish government starts study to restrict social media
It was announced by Muammer GULER, the interior minister yesterday that the government had launched a study to have control over (restrict) social media such as Twitter and Facebook. It is obvious that the government has been inspired by the Gezi protests that have spread across the country, recently.
According to concerned statements by the government, Justice Ministry has started working on a draft on crimes over the Internet and “International implementations regarding the issue are being inspected”.
To be more specific the minister said; “We have a study on those who provoke the public via manipulations with false news and lead them to actions that would threaten the security of life and property by using Twitter, Facebook or other tools of the social media,” Güler said. “Still, we think that the issue needs a separate regulation”.
17th Mediterranean Games to kick off in Mersin, southern Turkey
Mediterranean Games which will host athletes from 3 continents, namely Europe, Africa and Asia are going to be hosted in Turkey this year.
The games will take place between June 20-30th will be a second time for Turkey as the country had also hosted Mediterranean Games in Izmir in 1971
It is reported that 6,000 athletes from 24 countries are going to participate in in 34 branches. Southern provinces of Mersin and Adana have completed their final preparations for 17th Games, organized every four years among the nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
18.06.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA
We do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.
