Special to WorldTribune.com The one thing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan enjoys more than a turn of phrase is the filet mignon of raw power. Erdogan has had a voracious appetite for that red meat, moving quickly to shift the center of power in Turkey to the presidency, saying that the parliamentary system has outlived […]
Special to WorldTribune.com The UN is calling for an investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Turkey’s southeast region, citing instances of unarmed civilians being shot and rescue personnel being prevented from attending to those injured by Turkish troops. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, on May 10 said […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Two Turkish journalists have been sentenced to nearly six years each in prison for revealing “state secrets.” The verdict was reached on May 6, just hours after one of the journalists narrowly escaped an attack by a gunman in front of the courthouse. Can Dundar, the editor in chief of the opposition […]
Special to WorldTribune.com GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu resigned on May 5, in a move initiated by President Reçep Tayyip Erdoğan in order to circumvent the lack of parliamentary numbers which could change the constitution to create an executive presidency. The increasing consolidation of power in the president’s hands, however, has […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Germany fully expects Turkey to honor a deal limiting refugee flows to Europe despite the resignation of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, with whom German Chancellor Angela Merkel hammered out the deal. “The chancellor has worked very well until now with Davutoglu and all Turkish representatives and we assume that this good and […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Stripped of a large chunk of his authority, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on May 5 announced he would step down, boosting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s grip on power. The shock announcement, dubbed a “palace coup” by Erdogan’s opposition, unnerved Turkey’s financial markets, with the lira losing almost four percent its value […]
Special to WorldTribune.com A brawl erupted in Turkish parliament on May 2 after a committee approved an amendment clearing the way for the prosecution of pro-Kurdish lawmakers on terror-related charges. The amendment, which still requires approval from the full assembly, was proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development (AKP) party, which accused […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Charles Recknagel, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Night-time police raids in Istanbul. Reports of shoe boxes stuffed with $4.5 million in cash hidden in the home of a Turkish state bank head, plus a money-counting machine in the bedroom of a government minister’s son. And allegations that state funds are […]
Special to WorldTribune.com A deployment of largely Army Green Berets will join the fight against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in Syria, Obama administration officials confirmed on April 24. The Green Berets are among a group of 250 military personnel being deployed to Syria, increasing to 300 the number of U.S. forces battling […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Turkey is continuing its all-out assault on anyone who insults its thin-skinned president. In the latest incident, a Dutch journalist who referred to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “dictator” was detained while on holiday in Turkey and now is being prevented from leaving the country. Columnist Ebru Umar, who is […]
