Politics
⚖️📜 Ethics Board to Be Set Up for Members of the Judiciary
An Ethics Board will be established within the Council of State to issue advisory opinions on whether the conduct, or potential conduct, of judicial officials complies with ethical standards. Under amendments to the Council of State’s Rules of Procedure published in the Official Gazette, the new Council of State Ethics Board will review the behaviour of chamber presidents and members, prosecutors and rapporteur judges. The board will consist of seven members—five drawn from chamber presidents or members, one prosecutor and one rapporteur judge—along with an equal number of alternates, all serving two-year terms. Members will be elected by the Council of State’s General Assembly, with the most senior chamber president acting as chair.
🚨🏙️ ‘Sharia Against Secularism’ Banners Appear Across Ankara
Banners openly targeting secularism and promoting sharia law were hung at numerous locations across Ankara, including pedestrian overpasses. The banners, bearing slogans such as “We stand with sharia against secularism” and “Long live Islam, long live sharia”, were signed by Köklü Değişim, a reactionary group known as an offshoot of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has been designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey’s top court. Images of the banners were shared on the group’s social media accounts, where left-wing political parties and organisations were also singled out and labelled “enemies of Islam”. The incident has reignited debate over double standards in freedom of expression, coming shortly after three members of a left-wing party were placed under house arrest in Istanbul for hanging a banner defending secularism.
🚓⚖️ Police Officer Dies After TÜVTÜRK Brawl as Suspects’ Statements Emerge
A police officer in Ankara, Melih Okan Keskin (44), has died after suffering a brain haemorrhage following a fight at a TÜVTÜRK vehicle inspection station, with court statements from the suspects now made public. Keskin, who was on duty at Batıkent Şehit Ramazan Çağlar Police Station, was involved in an argument with inspection staff while taking his car for routine checks, which escalated into a physical altercation. He was reportedly beaten by employees, later collapsing and dying three days after being hospitalised. Of the three suspects detained, two were remanded in custody while one was released under judicial control; in their testimonies, the suspects claimed they acted out of fear or confusion during the scuffle and denied responsibility for the fatal injuries. TÜVTÜRK announced that the employment contracts of those involved had been terminated and that an internal investigation is ongoing.
🗳️⚙️ Democratic Mechanical Engineers Extend 56-Year Tradition with Victory in MMO Istanbul Election
The Democratic Mechanical Engineers slate, led by Ezgi Kılıç, has won the 37th Istanbul Branch Executive Board elections of the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers (MMO), continuing a 56-year tradition within the organisation. According to unofficial results, the group secured a decisive victory with 2,026 votes, far ahead of rival lists. Speaking after the results, Kılıç thanked colleagues for their solidarity and framed the win as not only an organisational success but also a statement of resolve amid Turkey’s wider political, economic and social challenges. In its accompanying declaration, the branch pledged to intensify its struggle for democracy, labour rights, public interest and a secular, independent Turkey, while highlighting issues ranging from economic crisis and precarious employment to earthquake preparedness, women’s rights and the defence of urban and environmental commons.
🕊️⚖️ New Process for 2,000 Turkish ISIS Fighters: Trials May Be Moved to Turkey
Negotiations along the Ankara–Baghdad–Washington axis have opened the door to a new judicial process for more than 2,000 Turkish ISIS militants currently held in prisons in northern Syria, with the option of transferring their trials to Turkey now on the table. The talks focus on Turkish nationals who have been moved, or are set to be moved, from Syrian facilities to Iraq, where investigations are being conducted under the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council on charges including crimes against humanity and genocide. Ankara is reportedly seeking the transfer of its citizens back to Turkey after the investigation and initial proceedings, while complex issues around identity verification persist, as many militants concealed or falsified their nationality. Among the names cited is İlyas Aydın, known as Abu Ubayda, a fugitive suspect in the 10 October Ankara bombing, highlighting the potential implications for long-running terrorism cases.
Ruling Government (JDP and NMP Coalition)
🔥🇹🇷 Erdoğan: “We Rose from the Ashes Together, as 86 Million”
Marking the third anniversary of the 6 February earthquakes, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye had emerged stronger from what he described as the most devastating disaster in the republic’s history, stressing that the nation had “risen from the ashes as 86 million”. Speaking at a commemoration in Osmaniye alongside parliamentary leaders and coalition partners, Erdoğan said the state had mobilised within minutes, healed wounds through state–nation solidarity, and completed more than 455,000 homes and workplaces for survivors. He put the total economic cost at over $250bn, defended the government’s reconstruction record against opposition criticism, and listed extensive investments in housing, education, healthcare, transport and justice infrastructure, while MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli echoed the message of unity and resilience and vowed the alliance would continue supporting those affected.
🕊️🏛️ Feti Yıldız: The Process Is Non-Negotiable and Irreversible
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız said the peace process was a “state matter” that cannot be delayed or rolled back, stressing that contributing to the development of a democratic, secular social state governed by the rule of law is a shared responsibility. In a statement on X, Yıldız said the goal of a “Terror-Free Türkiye” would be pursued while protecting national honour and state dignity, underlining that the issue is closed to debate. Emphasising unity, he argued that the nation is bound not by race or biology but by shared language, culture, history and destiny, recalling the tradition of thinkers from İsmail Gaspıralı to Ziya Gökalp and Alparslan Türkeş, and insisting that memory and pain are shared across all members of the nation.
🗳️🔥 A Ministerial Falling-Out Takes Centre Stage in Parliament
A long-stalled bill to hike traffic fines has once again exposed tensions at the heart of Turkish politics, with a public rift between former and current interior ministers spilling onto the parliamentary floor. The proposal, first submitted last May and now back before the Grand National Assembly for a third time, has yet to pass despite nine months of debate. Opposition parties argue it is less about road safety and more about boosting state revenues, while even members of the governing bloc are quietly resisting further penalty increases. The bill’s unusual journey — debated not in the Interior Committee chaired by former minister Süleyman Soylu but in the Justice Committee, and defended in the chamber by an Interior Ministry deputy rather than a justice official — has drawn sharp criticism. New Path Group MP Bülent Kayaaccused the government of turning personal rivalries into a public spectacle, as Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya presses ahead with a bill that has become a political test of endurance rather than legislation.
📈📰 Coverage of Bilal Erdoğan Surges by 400% in Pro-Government Media
An analysis of pro-government outlets shows a dramatic spike in coverage of Bilal Erdoğan, with reports up by roughly 400% compared with the same period last year. The articles consistently frame him not as the president’s son or a businessman, but as a cultural and civic figure — listing titles tied to foundations, youth organisations and ethnosport bodies — and focus on his speeches and appearances. In the first 40 days of 2025 he featured in just three news items; in the first weeks of 2026, he appeared in at least sixteen, spanning festivals, youth programmes, overseas events and high-profile meetings. At the same time, his public remarks have grown sharper and more controversial, while he continues to avoid open press conferences where critical questions might be asked. The pattern, critics argue, amounts less to journalism than to a carefully curated visibility campaign, reinforcing broader concerns about media ethics, selective reporting and the role of newsrooms as shields for political and corporate power rather than watchdogs acting in the public interest.
Opposition Parties (RPP and others)
🚨🏛️ CHP Mayor Mesut Özarslan Quits Party, Fuelling AKP Switch Speculation
The Mayor of Keçiören, Mesut Özarslan, has resigned from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), announcing his decision in a lengthy social media statement in which he accused the party leadership of harassment, intimidation and an orchestrated smear campaign. Özarslan said he could no longer continue under a leadership style he described as incompatible with political decency, directly targeting CHP leader Özgür Özel, while stressing that his respect for CHP voters remained intact. Following his resignation, a municipal council member and a deputy mayor also stepped down. The move has intensified claims that Özarslan is preparing to join the Justice and Development Party (AKP), with journalist İsmail Saymaz and former AKP mayor Savcı Sayan both asserting that a transfer is imminent, despite Özarslan having previously denied such plans.
🏛️✊ Keçiören Deputy Mayors Resign After Özarslan Exit: “What Matters to Us Is Not Office, But the CHP”
Following the resignation of Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Keçiören Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor Tolga Turgut and Deputy Mayor Emir Can Tunç announced their resignations from office, citing loyalty to the party and its values. In separate statements, both stressed that their commitment was not to positions or titles but to the CHP, its organisation and its voters. Turgut described the party as a lifelong cause rather than a political vehicle, saying he chose to stand with the party, its grassroots and his conscience. Tunç echoed this stance, underlining his allegiance to Republican values and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and stating that remaining in office after recent political developments would amount to disloyalty to CHP supporters in Keçiören.
Economy
🐔🛑 Chicken Exports Halted to Tackle Price Rises Ahead of Ramadan
Turkey has decided to suspend chicken exports from 9 February in response to sharp price increases in poultry products, with the aim of protecting domestic supply and maintaining price stability. The Ministry of Trade said the move was taken ahead of Ramadan after unjustified price hikes of up to 15 per cent put pressure on consumers. According to the Ministry’s Press Adviser Bekir Kaplan, the export ban is intended to curb speculative pricing by producers and stabilise the market for households in the coming weeks.
🚕🗳️ Changing of the Guard at Istanbul Taxi Drivers’ Chamber
A long-standing chapter has come to an end at the Istanbul Taxi Drivers’ Chamber (İTEO), with Eyüp Aksu losing the presidency after years in office. At the election held at the Haliç Congress Centre, İsmet Dalcı emerged victorious, defeating both Aksu and Davut Hanoğlu, and formally took over the role. Notably, Aksu’s outgoing administration also failed to secure approval from the general assembly. Addressing nearly 20,000 taxi plate owners, Dalcı had campaigned on concerns over the declining real value of taxi plates and pledged to take steps to restore their worth, which has fallen to around 9–10 million lira after inflation, while unlicensed rentals reportedly reach about 60,000 lira per month.
🌫️🚢 Fog Brings the Bosphorus to a Halt
Heavy fog sweeping across Istanbul has forced the temporary suspension of ship traffic in the Bosphorus in both directions. According to a statement from the General Directorate of Coastal Safety under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, navigation was halted after visibility dropped to unsafe levels. The closure is precautionary and will remain in place until conditions improve, underscoring once again how weather can swiftly disrupt one of the world’s busiest and most strategic waterways.