Monthly Archives: March 2014
Google: ‘Our Public Domain Name System (DNS) service intercepted by ISP’s in Turkey’
Google is claiming that ISPs in Turkey are intercepting their DNS service. The implication, unstated in Google’s announcement, is that this is being done in order to block services such as YouTube and Twitter which are banned by the government. … Continue reading
Turkey goes to municipal electons amid corruption and tape scandals
My colleague Sevgi Akarçeşme sums it up for March 30: Millions of voters in Turkey will cast their vote in the upcoming local elections which have now turned into a vote of confidence for the ruling Justice and Development Party … Continue reading
Daily Taraf: ‘Police chief attempts to provide voting results only to state-run news agency’
A senior police chief from the capital Ankara had allegedly called police chiefs of all provinces and told them to provide election results to only state-run Anadolu news agency, Taraf daily claimed on Saturday. The allegation had caused an outrage … Continue reading
Purge in Turkish media: senior correspondent sacked, chief editor steps down
Yasemin Taşkın, a senior correspondent in Rome, with daily Sabah, was sacked with immediate effect today, with no reason given. Sources close to the family say that her firing had to do with the interview her husband, Marco Ansaldo, did … Continue reading
Erdoğan sues Today’s Zaman editor-in-chief, four others
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has filed a complaint against Today’s Zaman editor-in-chief Dr. Bülent Keneş, Zaman deputy editor-in-chief Mehmet Kamış, Today’s Zaman columnist Emre Uslu, Journalist Önder Aytaç and Former İstanbul Police Department Intelligence Bureau Chief Ali Fuat … Continue reading
My last comment on TR elections: Make or break
What will the voters vote for on Sunday? What will they have in mind when they go to the ballot boxes? Will things be any better when they wake up on Monday? The municipal elections have become an issue much … Continue reading
Turkish gov’t bans YouTube, steps up pressure on media ahead of elections
The embattled Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, which has been the subject of graft allegations, on Thursday banned access to YouTube shortly after banning Twitter, canceling the nationwide broadcasting license of one station and issuing a record number … Continue reading
FT: Turkey rebound relies on Erdoğan poll win
Turkey’s ban on Twitter has taken international opinion of its authoritarian prime minister to a new low on the eve of a vote that could determine his political future, reports Delphine Strass, Financial Times. But despite the country’s febrile politics, slowing economy … Continue reading
Turkish military refuses to be drawn into pre-election politics, but worries about Kurdish autonomy
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has decried efforts to drag it into political debates ahead of this weekend’s local elections, pledging to stay out of politics for the sake of the nation’s best interests. “It has been observed with regret … Continue reading
Twitter challenges ban, court issues stay of execution, but blockage continues
Ankara Administrative Court on Wednesday issued a stay of execution on Turkey’s Twitter ban, saying the ban runs “contrary to the principles of rule of law,” and Twitter shortly after announced that it is also launching legal action against the … Continue reading