It has been a full week of news. Let us hope the week ahead is a calmer.
Justice System and Everyday Life in Türkiye
🚧🚑 17-Vehicle Pile-Up on the Anatolian Motorway: Ankara-Bound Traffic Brought to a Halt
A major chain-reaction crash involving 17 vehicles has shut down the Ankara-bound lanes of the Anatolian Motorwaynear Sakarya, leaving seven people injured. The accident occurred late at night in the Arifiye area when a series of vehicles—including a coach, a lorry, a minibus and several cars—collided one after another. Emergency services, including health teams, gendarmerie, AFAD and firefighters, were dispatched to the scene, and the injured were taken to hospital after first aid. Traffic towards Ankara has been completely closed, with drivers diverted to alternative routes as recovery and clean-up operations continue and an investigation gets under way.
🚨👶 Neighbours Claiming to Be a “Clan” Attack Father and His 14-Month-Old Baby
In Yalova’s Çınarcık district, a father and his 14-month-old daughter were hospitalised after being brutally attacked by neighbours with whom they had long-standing disputes. According to the family, the neighbours—who allegedly identified themselves as a clan—had been pressuring them to leave the building, even leaving bullet casings and threatening notes outside their home. The assault occurred as the father, M.B., was returning home to break his fast with his baby in his arms; one of the suspects struck them with a piece of wood in the presence of gendarmerie officers. The baby suffered skull fractures, while the father sustained broken bones to his nose and head. Akın Gürlek announced that a judicial investigation has been launched and that the suspect accused of injuring the father and child has been arrested, as the family calls for stronger protection amid fears for their safety.
As a follow-up to the story we also covered in our 19 February newsletter,
🚨🕵️♂️ “Casperlar” Crime Gang Probe: Prosecutors Seek Jail for 17 Suspects
In an expanding investigation into the so-called “Casperlar”, a new-generation armed criminal network, Turkish prosecutors have requested the pre-trial detention of 17 suspects, including nine serving police officers, a court clerk, a customs enforcement officer and a former police officer. Following coordinated raids across six provinces, the suspects were brought before a judge after digital evidence allegedly showed that members of the group obtained confidential law-enforcement data such as arrest warrants, criminal records and vehicle information through corrupt public officials. While 17 suspects face detention requests, one individual was referred for judicial supervision, and court proceedings are ongoing.
🕵️♂️🇩🇪 German Authorities Uncovered Police Links to the Casperlar Crime Gang
German law enforcement played a key role in exposing Turkish police officers who allegedly leaked confidential data to the so called Casperlar organised crime group. The breakthrough came during a German investigation into a planned attack on a prosecutor involved in drug cases linked to Turkish suspects. After detaining Casperlar leader İsmail Atız, German police discovered images of Turkish police database POLNET queries on his phone and shared this intelligence with Turkish authorities. That information triggered an internal probe in Türkiye, leading to the identification of officers accused of illegally providing search records and even sensitive Europol data to the gang.
🚨🔪 Three Arrested for Threatening Family of Stabbed Man in Bağcılar
Three suspects have been remanded in custody in Bağcılar, Istanbul, after allegedly sending threatening messages to the family of a 27-year-old man who was stabbed while trying to stop a group from assaulting a child. Police say the suspects, all under 18, targeted the victim’s father with intimidation in an attempt to prevent him from filing a complaint. The arrests follow a renewed investigation into the 12 February incident, in which the victim intervened during an attack near a metro station and was seriously injured. Authorities confirmed that the suspects were detained after evidence of the threats emerged, and they were formally jailed following court proceedings.
🚨😌 Another Reassuring Week for Public Safety as 324 Suspects Are Rounded Up Nationwide
In what will surely come as a great comfort to everyone feeling perfectly secure already, Türkiye’s Interior Ministry announced that a five-day police operation across 28 provinces resulted in 324 detentions for crimes including aggravated fraud, online child abuse and harassment, and illegal betting. A solid 181 suspects were promptly remanded in custody, 87 placed under judicial supervision, and the rest remain conveniently “under process”. Officials presented the figures as evidence of decisive action, offering yet another reminder that criminal activity is being tackled robustly, extensively, and, judging by the numbers, rather frequently.
Politics
Ruling Government (JDP and NMP coalition aka People’s Alliance)
🗂️🇹🇷 Turkish Cabinet Meets with Packed Agenda at Beştepe
Türkiye’s Presidential Cabinet will convene this week under the chairmanship of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, marking its fourth meeting of the year after a three-week break. The primary focus will be the latest stage of the “Terror-Free Türkiye” process, including discussion of the landmark report adopted by the cross-party parliamentary commission. Ministers will also assess developments on the ground, regional and global security issues, and rising tensions between the US and Iran. Foreign policy items on the agenda include Syria, the reconstruction of Gaza, humanitarian aid efforts and diplomatic steps to curb Israel’s ongoing attacks. The meeting will be the first Cabinet session attended by Justice Minister Akın Gürlek and Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi.
📜🏛️ Framework Set for New Constitution Draft
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party has reached a key milestone in its long-running push for a new constitution, with party sources saying the overall framework of a draft text has now been agreed. The AK Party’s Constitutional Commission, chaired by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, is preparing to brief President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on progress, after which detailed article-by-article work is expected to begin if he gives the green light. Officials stress that the first three articles of the current constitution will remain untouched, arguing they already reflect broad societal consensus, and that the new text will likely be shorter than the existing one. Once finalised, the draft is to be shared with parties represented in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and the wider public, with government circles presenting this phase as a test of whether cross-party compromise on a civilian constitution is now politically possible.
🔪🏛️ After Interior and Justice, Five More Ministers Set to Go, Claims Açıkel
Journalist Ziya Osman Açıkel has claimed that the cabinet shake-up in Ankara is far from over, saying that five more ministers are expected to be replaced following recent changes at the Interior and Justice ministries. Speaking on TGRT Haber, Açıkel said government corridors are alive with talk of a broader overhaul that will also extend to the police and the judiciary. According to his account, key posts at the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) are set to change, a sweeping decree reshuffling police chiefs is on the way, and surprise names may emerge in upcoming Court of Cassation appointments. Açıkel added that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is said to be weighing reactions within his party to the initial moves before finalising the next round—fueling expectations of a deeper cabinet revamp in the coming period.
🗞️👀 Power Corridors Buzzing: 25 Former Ministers Linger as System Strains Show
Behind the scenes in Ankara, ruling-party corridors are crowded with no fewer than 25 former ministers now sitting in parliament, a striking by-product of the presidential system that has sharply curtailed ministerial power. As insiders describe today’s cabinet members as little more than “political technicians”, real authority remains tightly concentrated in the presidency—leaving ex-ministers from figures like Süleyman Soylu to Hulusi Akar watching closely from the sidelines. The backdrop is a tense political moment: a parliamentary report shaped by the constraints of the 50+1 system, fresh debates over infaz law reforms where the MHP pins hopes on Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, the founding of 2026’s first new political party, and growing scepticism over inflation targets already undone by February. Together, they paint a picture of a governing system under pressure, cautious in reform and crowded with political experience waiting in the wings.
🚨👮 Shake-Up Rumoured at Türkiye’s Police Headquarters: Seven Names in the Frame
Speculation is mounting over an imminent leadership change at Türkiye’s National Police, with journalist İsmail Saymaz reporting that Interior Ministry circles are discussing the possible removal of Police Chief Mahmut Demirtaş. According to Saymaz, seven potential successors are being quietly floated, including senior figures from within the force and the wider bureaucracy such as deputy police chiefs, a serving provincial governor and Istanbul’s police chief. The discussions come amid a broader wave of reshuffles across the Justice and Interior Ministries, and sources suggest the police organisation itself favours an internal appointment. The claims have not been officially confirmed, but they point to fresh movement at the top of Türkiye’s security apparatus.
⚠️🗳️ Crisis Inside the AK Party: How to Grant Öcalan the “Right to Hope”?
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party is grappling with a deep internal dilemma as it tries to balance electoral calculations with the political fallout of the İmralı process. According to Ankara insiders, the most contentious issue is how to legally frame the so-called “right to hope” for Abdullah Öcalan, without naming it as such or introducing a person-specific arrangement. The draft under discussion would reportedly rely on conditional release mechanisms rather than an amnesty, potentially covering even aggravated life sentences, while avoiding any reference to Öcalan leaving İmralı. Yet party figures fear explaining such a framework—one that could also apply to members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party—to voters. Following the completion of the parliamentary process at the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and renewed debate sparked by Devlet Bahçeli, the AK Party is now openly questioning where Öcalan fits in this legal architecture, marking what many describe as the most politically risky phase of the process so far.
🚨🥐 Allegedly Assaulted for Skipping Breakfast: Senior Official Accused, Victim Suspended
A female manager working at the Elazığ Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports has accused Provincial Director Abdulsamet Eren of assaulting and verbally abusing her after she did not attend a workplace breakfast event. According to her complaint, the incident took place on 3 February 2026, when she was summoned to Eren’s office, insulted, struck with a thrown water bottle and physically restrained by the arm and neck, before colleagues intervened. Medical reports reportedly confirmed signs of assault, and criminal proceedings have been launched on charges including intentional injury, threats and insult. Despite filing the complaint, the woman was suspended from duty for three months, a decision that has sparked outrage from her family, who say they are now facing intimidation and are calling for justice and an impartial investigation.
🥖🤲 MHP Launches “Askıda Pide” Campaign Across All 39 Districts of Istanbul
The Istanbul branch of the Nationalist Movement Party has launched a Ramadan-specific “Askıda Pide” campaign across all 39 districts of the city, led by Provincial Chair Sertel Selim and carried out in line with instructions from party leader Devlet Bahçeli. Coordinated by the provincial organisation, district heads have been meeting residents in their local areas and personally distributing bread, with the aim of ensuring that the abundance of Ramadan reaches those in need. Party officials said the initiative seeks to strengthen the culture of solidarity and sharing, with Selim inviting citizens to take part in what he described as a collective act of goodwill during the holy month.
Askıda pide, literally translated as “hanging pide”, is a traditional form of quiet charity practiced especially during Ramadan in Türkiye. A customer pays for one or more extra pides at a bakery and leaves them “on hold” with the shopkeeper. Later, a person in need can ask the baker whether there is any askıda pide available and receive the bread free of charge, without having to ask anyone directly for help. The system is based on trust, anonymity and dignity, allowing both the giver and the recipient to remain unknown to each other.
Parliament
🕊️🪦 TBMM Speaker Kurtulmuş: “Let Us Bury the Weapons, Not Our Children”
Türkiye has crossed a vital threshold on the path to a “terror-free Türkiye”, said Numan Kurtulmuş, after the cross-party Commission on National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy completed its final report. Speaking in Istanbul, Kurtulmuş described an emotionally charged process in which victims’ families, peace advocates and veterans were heard side by side, united by a single demand to end bloodshed. He stressed that the report is not an endpoint but a framework for the next stage, calling for the full verification of disarmament by state security bodies and for legal steps to follow swiftly after Ramadan. Kurtulmuş also renewed his call for a new, civilian constitution, arguing that the post-1980 coup charter no longer reflects Türkiye’s needs and that the country now has a historic opportunity to consign decades of violence to the past.
2B Title Deed Bill Heads to Parliament as National Parks Law Sparks Backlash
As heated debate continues in parliament over amendments to the National Parks Law that critics say weaken conservation protections and open protected areas to commercial use, the ruling Justice and Development Party is preparing to introduce a separate bill addressing long-standing title deed disputes on so-called 2B lands and plots owned by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ). The proposed regulation aims to resolve ownership uncertainties in areas that have lost their forest status and are already under de facto settlement, allowing some parcels to be reclassified and registered. While the government frames the move as a remedy for citizen grievances, opposition parties and environmental groups warn it could legitimise past encroachments and accelerate the conversion of public land, at a time when the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye is already grappling with criticism that national parks are being turned into long-term commercial assets.
İstanbul
😼🐾 Istanbul’s Cats Trigger Rabies Jitters — But No Outbreak in Sight
More than 123,000 people in Istanbul sought medical treatment in 2025 after potential rabies exposure, mostly involving cats, prompting a flurry of alarming headlines that officials insist are wildly overblown. Despite the eye-watering vaccination figures — over 411,000 precautionary doses administered — authorities stress that Istanbul has not recorded a single rabies case since 2007. The jabs were given as a routine safety measure following bites, scratches or saliva contact from both stray and owned animals, with cat encounters accounting for the vast majority. In short: lots of needles, no disease, and a gentle reminder that in Istanbul, it’s the street cats — not a public health crisis — keeping emergency rooms on their toes.
Opposition Parties (RPP and others)
⛓️📹 İmamoğlu Shares a Day in Silivri: “I Know — In the End, Everything Will Be Alright”
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the detained Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor and CHP’s presidential candidate, has shared an animated video on social media offering a glimpse into his daily routine inside Silivri Prison, narrated using an AI-generated version of his voice. He describes mornings beginning with the harsh clang of iron gates, followed by light exercise in the yard, a quick scan of the news over tea and the preparation of simple meals, before passing the day walking, writing and reading widely — from Ayn Rand to Ahmet Ümit, Ayşe Kulin and Atatürk’s Nutuk, which he says he is completing for the third time. He also reflects on music drifting in from neighbouring cells, the challenge of writing letters without proper stationery and the quiet refuge he finds in books and poetry, concluding that despite deepening injustices and hardships, he remains certain that “in the end, everything will be alright.”
🗳️⚖️ CHP MP Kayışoğlu Backs Mayor Denizli: “We Stand Against Your Dirty Propaganda”
Nurhayat Altaca Kayışoğlu has publicly voiced her support for Lâl Denizli after the Çeşme mayor was released following questioning as part of an ongoing investigation. In a statement shared on social media, Kayışoğlu said Denizli had voluntarily gone to give evidence, firmly rejected all allegations and personally requested a drug test in response to what she described as “political immorality”. Condemning the claims as a smear campaign, she declared her full backing for Denizli, warning that baseless accusations would ultimately rebound on those spreading them. Denizli, a former national athlete, has also categorically denied any suggestion of drug use, saying she was deeply offended by the allegations and would pursue the legal process to the end.
📉🇹🇷 İYİ Party Leader Dervişoğlu: “The Economy Is in Ruins — The Only Way Out Is Removing This Government”
Müsavat Dervişoğlu, leader of the İYİ Party, delivered a blistering assessment of Turkey’s economic situation during an iftar gathering in Bursa, warning that millions are being crushed by debt and despair. Speaking after the party’s event at the Atatürk Congress and Culture Centre, he said more than 25 million enforcement and seizure cases have paralysed the courts, while pensioners cannot afford to cook, low-paid workers are struggling to survive, young people feel hopeless, farmers are abandoning production due to soaring costs and shopkeepers are trapped by taxes, rents and debt. Accusing the government of disastrous economic management, Dervişoğlu claimed Turkey faces up to $250 billion in interest payments between 2021 and 2026, concluding starkly that the economy is “in tatters”, the nation has lost hope in its future and that “the only remaining solution is to get rid of this government.”
📰✊ European Turkish Journalists’ Association: “We Will Not Stay Silent While Journalists Are Being Silenced”
The arrest of journalist Alican Uludağ on charges of “publicly insulting the President” and “spreading misleading information” has triggered a wave of criticism from across Turkey’s political parties, legal bodies, professional organisations and civil society. Opposition figures, bar associations, journalists’ unions and medical and judicial organisations argue that the detention is not a matter of law but a political attempt to intimidate independent journalism. Strong reactions focused on Uludağ’s arrest in front of his children, the use of pre-trial detention as a punitive tool, and the criminalisation of reporting and social media commentary. The European Turkish Journalists’ Association (ATGB), which represents Turkish journalists living in European countries, joined calls for Uludağ’s immediate release, warning that silencing journalists undermines press freedom, democratic values, the rule of law and the public’s right to access accurate information.
Economy
🛡️💼 Turkey’s Markets Regulator Moves to Shield Investment Funds
Turkey’s Capital Markets Board (SPK) has unveiled a sweeping draft reform package aimed at tightening oversight of hedge funds and money market funds, introducing measures that range from additional capital requirements for portfolio management companies to mandatory collateral safeguards under Takasbank. Prompted by concerns over market manipulation and insufficient transparency, the proposals would strengthen risk management, curb concentration and related-party investments, and bring off-exchange repo transactions firmly under central clearing and supervision. Sector representatives broadly welcome the changes as a long-overdue “security umbrella” for investors, particularly the move to place collateral tracking with Takasbank, though opinions diverge on whether higher capital thresholds could deter new entrants. With the draft now open for consultation until 26 February, the regulator aims to finalise rules that enhance market discipline, investor confidence and the overall resilience of Turkey’s fund industry.
🌍📦 Don’t Let the Exporter Be Left Holding the Short Straw
The European Union’s free trade agreements with India and the Mercosur bloc may look like a straightforward expansion of Europe’s global trade network, but for Turkey they carry a far more delicate balance of opportunity and risk. As part of the Customs Union, Turkey is obliged to align with the EU’s external tariffs without automatically gaining equal market access to the EU’s new trade partners, creating an asymmetric competitive landscape. Experts warn that this imbalance could weigh most heavily on price-sensitive, labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, ready-to-wear, white goods and parts of manufacturing, where India’s scale and cost advantages may intensify competition in the EU market. While Turkey retains strengths in quality, speed, regulatory compliance and integration into European supply chains, the message is clear: competing on price alone is no longer viable. Instead, sustaining export competitiveness will require a decisive shift towards design, sustainability, technology and brand value, alongside a strategic reassessment of Turkey’s position within the Customs Union and a stronger voice at the table where Europe’s trade rules are set.