Justice System and Everyday Life in Türkiye
⚖️ Family Ministry Files Criminal Complaint Against Singer and Women’s Rights Group Who Spoke Out Over Mother and Daughter’s Deaths
Turkey’s Ministry of Family and Social Services has filed a criminal complaint against pop singer Gülben Ergen and the leadership of the Önce Çocuklar ve Kadınlar Derneği (Children and Women First Association) following their public statements about the deaths of Fatma Nur Çelik and her eight-year-old daughter Hifa İkra on the Zeytinburnu seafront on 2 March, with both now under investigation for “publicly disseminating misleading information” and “failure to report a crime.” Ergen, who said police came to her home and that she would be honoured to give a statement, joins association president Müjde Tozbey — who told prosecutors that those seeking justice for the deaths are being prosecuted whilst the alleged abuser father remains at liberty. The ministry has defended its handling of the case, saying it issued an emergency protection order for the child on the very day of the deaths and that media and civil society organisations distorted its actions. CHP Women’s Branches chair Asu Kaya expressed support for Ergen whilst posing a series of questions to four ministers, asking among other things why Çelik’s repeated courthouse warnings that she might be killed were not treated as a criminal complaint, why a publication ban was placed on the investigation file, why CCTV footage from the scene has not been publicly accounted for, and why the father — whom Çelik had named — remains neither a suspect nor in custody.
🌸 Adana’s Orange Blossom Carnival Draws Over a Million Visitors in Record-Breaking 14th Edition
The 14th International Orange Blossom Carnival in Adana has drawn more than one million participants, with 200,000 domestic and foreign tourists travelling to the city from elsewhere and generating what organisers expect to be record revenues for local businesses of all sizes — from hotels, cafés, and restaurants operating at full capacity to small retailers, market traders, and women and young entrepreneurs. The carnival, held under the slogan “In Adana in April,” featured opening and closing concerts by well-known artists, exhibitions, dance and folk performances, food events, and a competition celebrating the region’s citrus heritage alongside a costumed parade contest.
🔍 ‘Is There a Powerful Hand on This File?’ — Father of Student Found Dead on Lake Van Shore Demands Answers After 19 Months
The father of Rojin Kabaiş, a Van Yüzüncü Yıl University student whose body was found on the shore of Lake Van on 15 October 2024 after she went missing, has renewed his call for justice as the investigation enters its 19th month without resolution. Nizamettin Kabaiş told Cumhuriyet that the family has been making repeated trips to Ankara seeking answers, that the prosecutor has yet to give a clear account of what happened to his daughter, and that he suspects powerful interests may be shielding those responsible. The family recently met Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, during which they were told that two people who had threatened them on social media had been detained abroad, and the family requested DNA samples from the university rector and certain relatives. Kabaiş said DNA from two males had already been identified in the case, that his daughter’s locked phone had failed to be unlocked in Spain and is now being sent to China — a delay he fears has allowed evidence to be destroyed and suspects to flee abroad — and called on the public to support the family’s campaign for justice, saying Rojin belongs to everyone, not just her family.
🕌 Diyanet Confirms Escort Scandal at Vienna-Based Islamic Union After Initial Denial
Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs has acknowledged a scandal at its Vienna-based affiliate ATİB (Austrian Turkish Islamic Union) after initially dismissing the allegations as baseless slander, with Deputy President Fatih Mehmet Karaca confirming to a parliamentary commission that the institution had in fact been informed of the matter back in 2019 and launched an investigation at the time. The affair, which became public as the “escort scandal,” involves allegations that hundreds of thousands of euros in association funds were spent off the books at entertainment venues and on escort services, with the expenditure concealed in the accounts under headings such as imams’ residence permit costs. Karaca said all personnel implicated in the incident had been dismissed and that the institution had carried out all necessary administrative and disciplinary procedures, adding that “where there are people, there can be mistakes — what matters is that action is taken when they are identified.”
📰 Agos, Turkey’s Turkish-Armenian Weekly, Marks 30 Years in Print
Agos, the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly founded on 5 April 1996 as the first such publication of the Republican era, is marking its 30th anniversary. The paper was co-founded by Hrant Dink — who served as its editor-in-chief until his assassination on 19 January 2007 — alongside Harutyun Şeşetyan and Anna Turay. The name Agos is an Armenian word meaning the furrow in which a seedling is planted. Dink was succeeded as editor by Etyen Mahçupyan, then Rober Koptaş, and currently Yetvart Danzikyan, who marked the anniversary by saying: “Art and craft are sometimes confused. No, we were not artists — we were craftspeople. Craftspeople keeping a deep press tradition alive. We put on our glasses, bent over the desk, and worked the raw material together. That is how we filled 30 years. They took Hrant Dink from us, but we did not give up. Greetings to all those who refused to give up.”
🏍️ Motorcycles Now Involved in Half of All Turkish Traffic Accidents as Fleet More Than Doubles in Seven Years
Turkey’s registered motorcycle fleet has grown from 3.3 million in 2019 to 7.2 million in 2026 — more than doubling in seven years and now accounting for nearly 21 per cent of all vehicles on the road — and the consequences are showing in accident statistics: motorcycles were involved in 50.2 per cent of all 288,318 traffic accidents recorded in 2025, up from 45.7 per cent the previous year, with motorcycle fatalities rising from 1,553 in 2024 to 1,675 in 2025, an average of 4.6 deaths per day. Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said the principal causes are speeding and unsafe lane changes, and called on all road users — not just motorcyclists — to check their mirrors twice before manoeuvring and to respect motorcycles as a legal and natural part of traffic. There is, however, some cause for cautious optimism: in the first quarter of 2026, motorcycle fatalities fell 29.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, with daily average deaths dropping from 2.9 to 1.9, which the minister attributed to intensified enforcement and awareness campaigns, whilst stressing that the government’s target remains zero road deaths.
Politics
🐣 Erdoğan Sends Easter Greetings and Calls for Unity Amid Rising Discrimination and Regional Turmoil
President Erdoğan has sent an Easter message to Turkey’s Christian citizens and the wider Christian world, using the occasion to highlight what he described as the exemplary spirit of unity and solidarity shown by Turkey’s citizens of all faiths at a time when discrimination, cultural racism, and intolerance are on the rise globally. Erdoğan said Turkey is determined to strengthen the climate of peace that underpins social harmony, particularly during the painful and troubled period the region is currently experiencing, and expressed hope that Easter would serve as an occasion for peace, stability, and tranquillity in the region and the world.
🤝 Erdoğan Receives Hamas Delegation at Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul
President Erdoğan has met a Hamas delegation at his Dolmabahçe working office in Istanbul, with the latest situation in Gaza reported to be the focus of discussions.
🕊️ Erdoğan Meets Zelenskyy in Istanbul, Reaffirms Black Sea Navigation Safety and Turkey’s Role in Peace Efforts
President Erdoğan has met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul for talks covering bilateral relations, the search for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war, and regional and global developments. Erdoğan reaffirmed Turkey’s continued support for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, stressing that the region needs more peace and stability, and underlined Turkey’s particular concern for freedom of navigation and energy supply security in the Black Sea. Bilateral trade was also on the agenda, with Erdoğan saying Turkey is determined to increase its trade volume with Ukraine and will continue taking the necessary steps to that end. He also expressed satisfaction at Ukraine’s efforts to develop its relations with Gulf states.
🏛️ Cabinet Meets Today With Middle East War, Energy Security and PKK Disarmament All on the Agenda
Turkey’s cabinet will convene at Beştepe today under President Erdoğan’s chairmanship for a wide-ranging session covering the regional fallout from the US-Israel war with Iran, the risks to energy supply from developments at the Strait of Hormuz, and the economic implications of rising oil prices and potential supply disruptions. Ministers will also review the progress of Erdoğan’s recent diplomatic activity and Foreign Minister Fidan’s regional contacts, with a focus on Ankara’s efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading further. The Russia-Ukraine front will also feature, with the cabinet expected to assess risks to civilian and commercial shipping in the Black Sea following Erdoğan’s recent phone call with Putin and his Istanbul meeting with Zelenskyy. On domestic security, the “Terror-Free Turkey” peace process will be on the table, with field observation reports on the PKK disarmament process to be discussed and the current state of play assessed.
⛪ Zelenskyy Visits Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul After Erdoğan Talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Balat district of Istanbul following his meeting with President Erdoğan at Dolmabahçe, holding talks with Patriarch Bartholomeos. Zelenskyy said the meeting covered the hardships faced by Ukrainian children and the humanitarian situation caused by Russian attacks, and that he briefed the Patriarch on the ongoing peace negotiations, thanking him for his support and prayers for Ukraine.
📋 Parliament to Debate Maternity Leave Extension, Under-15 Social Media Ban and Care Home Cameras This Week
A raft of social legislation comes before the Grand National Assembly plenary from Tuesday 7 April, covering several measures that have been in public debate for some time. The most significant change to employment law extends total maternity leave for female workers from 16 to 24 weeks — or 26 weeks for multiple births — with women currently on maternity leave who have not yet completed 24 weeks also entitled to claim the additional eight weeks; paternity leave for male workers doubles from five to ten days. The bill also enshrines the ban on social media for children under 15, requiring platforms to implement age verification, provide parental control tools, and comply with content removal orders within one hour for platforms with over ten million daily Turkish users, with sanctions escalating from advertising bans to bandwidth throttling for non-compliance. Game platforms face parallel obligations including parental controls, age-based content ratings, and the appointment of a local representative for overseas platforms with over 100,000 daily Turkish users. Convicted sex offenders and those found guilty of drug trafficking, obscenity, and human trafficking will be barred from operating or working in any premises frequented by children. Care homes and residential social service facilities will be required to install software-assisted camera systems connected to a central monitoring network, with footage held for two years and shareable only by court order. The bill also authorises the Family Ministry to access comprehensive financial and personal data on social assistance applicants and recipients, and introduces monthly income support payments to private public transport operators through municipal channels.
📞 Foreign Minister Fidan Speaks With Syrian Counterpart Shaibani on Regional Developments
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has spoken by telephone with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Shaibani, with the call covering bilateral Turkey-Syria relations as well as the ongoing war and latest developments in the region.
🚫 Turkey Denies Supplying Iran With Air Defence and Drone Missiles, Calls Claims Psychological Warfare
Turkey’s Disinformation Combat Centre has flatly denied social media claims that Turkey supplied Iran with advanced anti-aircraft and drone missiles, and that a US F-15 fighter jet allegedly shot down was hit by a Turkish-made man-portable air defence system. The centre described the claims as entirely baseless and said they originate from identifiable sources as deliberate psychological warfare operations and black propaganda designed to undermine Turkey’s constructive role in the regional crisis and its peace and diplomacy-focused efforts. The statement urged the public to disregard speculative content from non-official sources and warned that such disinformation campaigns are aimed at manipulating international public opinion and destabilising the region’s sensitive balances.
🛸 Reuters Report on Turkish Drones in Eastern Libya Raises Questions About Quiet Shift in Ankara’s Strategy
A Reuters report featuring satellite imagery of what military analysts assessed as likely Bayraktar TB2 drones at the Haftar-controlled Al-Hadim air base in eastern Libya has prompted analysts to ask whether Turkey is testing a new approach to a long-stalled political impasse. Turkey has been normalising relations with Haftar’s Libyan National Army since last year — MIT chief İbrahim Kalın met Haftar in Benghazi and Haftar’s son Saddam visited Ankara for talks with the defence minister — but the key prize of eastern Libya’s parliament ratifying the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime demarcation agreement has remained out of reach. Libya researcher Nebahat Tanrıverdi Yaşar told Cumhuriyet that if the drone presence is confirmed, it could signal the emergence of a third path: attempting to break through the political deadlock via limited practical security engagement on the ground, bypassing the formal ratification condition that has blocked deeper cooperation. She added that eastern Libyan parliamentary speaker Aqila Salih’s December statement declaring the 2019 agreement invalid needs to be read in context — it came partly as a corrective to earlier statements by eastern Libyan figures who had referenced the agreement favourably during a maritime dispute with Greece, and Salih’s framing points towards a multilateral renegotiation involving Turkey, Greece, and Egypt rather than straightforward ratification, which keeps Ankara at the table as a natural party whilst significantly lowering the prospect of a quick resolution.
✈️ Istanbul Airport Tops European Busiest Rankings as Middle East War Reroutes Traffic
Istanbul Airport ranked as Europe’s busiest airport in the week of 23–29 March, recording a daily average of 1,436 flights according to EUROCONTROL’s weekly European Aviation Report — a result attributed in part to the rerouting of air traffic caused by the Middle East war. Amsterdam came second with 1,280 daily flights, followed by London Heathrow at 1,266, Paris Charles de Gaulle at 1,261, and Madrid at 1,230.
📊 Anger Tops the List as Turkish Youth Disengage From Politics, With 54% Doubting Elections Are Fair
A survey of 1,403 young people aged 18 to 29 across 33 provinces, conducted by the Habitat Association in October 2025, has found deepening disillusionment with politics among Turkish youth, with only 10.3 per cent describing themselves as very interested in politics and 21.7 per cent saying they have no interest at all. Nearly 58 per cent said politicians do not take their priorities into account, 56 per cent said they cannot reach politicians, and 54 per cent believe elections are not conducted fairly. Satisfaction with how democracy functions stands at just 14.6 per cent, whilst 43.8 per cent expressed dissatisfaction. More than half — 55.8 per cent — said there is no point in approaching the government because those in power only look after their own interests, and around half of working young people believe nepotism rather than merit determines access to public sector jobs. Asked what emotions they feel about Turkey’s political atmosphere, 19.9 per cent said anger — the top response — followed by hope at 13.8 per cent and fear at 12.6 per cent. The proportion expressing disgust has nearly doubled since 2023, rising from 6.2 to 11.8 per cent.
📰 Interior Ministry Orders Police to Accept Press Cards as Official ID Without Demanding Additional Documents
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi has issued a circular to all law enforcement units instructing them to accept press cards issued by the Presidential Communications Directorate as official identity documents during identity verification procedures, meaning journalists who present their press card may not be asked to produce additional identification. The instruction cites a legal amendment made in October 2022 to the Press Law which explicitly establishes the press card as an official identity document, and the relevant provisions of the Press Card Regulation which require all public and private institutions to accept it as such. A similar arrangement was previously made for driving licences. The ministry framed the circular as reinforcing journalists’ rights to access information, freedom of communication, and the functioning of public oversight mechanisms.
Ruling Government (AKP, MHP and DEM coalition aka People’s Alliance)
🏛️ Former Constitutional Court Chief Calls It ‘Timid’, AKP Founder Says Presidential System Is ‘Turkey’s Catastrophe’
Two figures with deep roots in the Turkish establishment delivered unusually blunt attacks on the current political and judicial order at an Ankara conference organised by the Democracy Platform. Former Constitutional Court president Haşim Kılıç said the AYM has adopted a “timid and anxious” posture in handling individual applications that is damaging the court’s reputation for independence, and that its failure to enforce its own rulings against defiant lower courts — combined with the ECHR’s repeated findings of violations against Turkey — has reached a point where judicial problems can no longer be deferred. He also argued that freedom of expression, which had previously been constrained to the private sphere before 2010, has since been narrowed further so that people no longer even dare to express opinions privately, with society now exercising what he called the “right to silence” rather than free speech. Hüseyin Çelik, one of the founding members of the AKP, was equally direct about the presidential system of government, saying it has become Turkey’s catastrophe: once a leader consolidates power, merit is replaced by absolute loyalty and obedience, and criticising the party leader becomes tantamount to betraying the cause. Çelik also questioned whether Turkey can genuinely call itself a state of law, pointing to the injustice of a system in which a partisan president can freely attack opposition parties whilst any response is treated as insulting the head of state.
🚔 Former HDP Co-Chair Sebahat Tuncel Detained at Istanbul Picnic Marking Öcalan’s Birthday
Police intervened at a picnic organised on the Kanarya seafront in Istanbul’s Küçükçekmece district to mark PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s birthday, detaining at least three people including former HDP co-chair Sebahat Tuncel following a scuffle between officers and the crowd. The picnic reportedly continued after the detentions.
🏡 Öcalan’s Family Said to Be Planning Museum at His Birthplace in Şanlıurfa Village
The family of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is reportedly moving to convert his birthplace in the village of Ömerli in Şanlıurfa into a museum, at Öcalan’s own request. DEM Party MP Ömer Öcalan said the house holds historical significance as a place where Öcalan lived and where key figures of the Kurdish movement including Cemil Bayık and Kemal Pir also stayed, adding that the family wishes to preserve the building in its original state for posterity.
Opposition Parties (CHP and others)
🐣 CHP Leader Özel Calls Christian Community Leaders to Offer Easter Greetings
CHP leader Özgür Özel has telephoned the spiritual leaders of Turkey’s Christian communities to mark Easter, speaking with Armenian Patriarch Sahak Maşalyan, Armenian Catholic Patriarchate administrator Vartan Kirakos Kazancıyan, and Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Vicar Orhan Çanlı. Özel expressed his wish that Easter would bring peace, tranquillity, and fraternity to the world.
🗳️ Özel Begins Opposition Party Tour Today With DEM Party Talks at Noon as By-Election Push Gets Under Way
CHP leader Özgür Özel is today beginning a round of visits to opposition parties centred on his by-election agenda, with the first meeting scheduled for noon at DEM Party headquarters where he will hold talks with co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan. The tour continues on Wednesday 8 April in Istanbul with meetings with Workers’ Party of Turkey leader Erkan Baş and Labour Party leader Seyit Aslan, and is expected to extend through Thursday and Friday in Ankara with further party visits. Beyond the by-election question, the meetings will also cover what Özel’s office describes as attacks on democracy, the impact of the Iran war on Turkey, and the current state of the economy. Özel announced the party tour last week following the detention of Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey, at which point he also said he would seek a meeting with parliamentary speaker Numan Kurtulmuş.
⚖️ ‘PKK/KCK’ Written Next to İmamoğlu’s Name in Detained Pensioners’ Interrogation Documents
Seven members of the Emekli Meclisi — a pensioners’ advocacy group that had been marching from Istanbul to Ankara demanding pension increases in line with real inflation — have been remanded in custody on terrorism organisation membership charges following a 31 March operation, with five others released under judicial supervision. The case has produced a striking detail: when interrogators questioned one of the detained pensioners about phone contact with İmamoğlu, they cited five zero-minute calls over 2023-2025 to a landline number said to be registered to him but with no data confirming any actual connection to him — and next to İmamoğlu’s name in the interrogation documents the organisation field read “PKK/KCK.” The pensioners were accused of DHKP-C membership yet the actual conduct cited as criminal consisted entirely of lawful civic activities: banner-carrying marches, press statements, social media announcements, meetings with MPs, and petition drives. Their lawyer Uğur Esat Keşküş told Medyascope that a nine-year-old secret witness statement claiming pensioners’ rights activism was cover for organisational activity had been used to criminalise every democratic action his clients had taken, and that no organisational connection was actually established in the detention ruling. The case connects to the broader “Kent uzlaşısı” terrorism investigation in which the Istanbul prosecutor has framed the electoral cooperation between CHP and DEM Party in the March 2024 local elections as a PKK metropolitan expansion strategy — an investigation that ensnared İmamoğlu alongside other mayors and officials.
🏛️ Bursa Metropolitan Council to Meet Thursday to Elect Acting Mayor After Bozbey’s Detention
Bursa Metropolitan Municipal Council will convene in extraordinary session on Thursday 9 April at 11:00 to elect a deputy mayor to act in place of Mustafa Bozbey, who was detained and suspended from office last week. The session was called by the Bursa Governorate, with written notification sent to all council members.
⚖️ Three Re-Detained in Bolu Municipality Probe Released Under Judicial Supervision
Three people re-detained in the ongoing extortion investigation into Bolu Municipality — CHP council member Cihan Tutal, financial affairs director Naim Ayhan, and BOLSEV Foundation board member Ali Sarıyıldız — have been released under judicial supervision conditions after a duty judge declined to remand them in custody. The three had originally been detained and released under supervision in the initial 28 February operation, which also resulted in the arrest and suspension of Mayor Tanju Özcan and his deputy Süleyman Can. They were re-detained at the weekend following fresh searches of the municipal building and their homes, workplaces, and vehicles by gendarmerie units.
Thanks for reading this far, I will see you tomorrow. ☕
Thanks for posting this! I found the news about care homes being required to install software-assisted camera systems with central monitoring fascinating. It makes me wonder what the context behind that decision is. Is this part of a wider movement to install surveillance systems across facilities or have there been a large number of security incidents in care homes. I know you just give daily overviews, but I have so many questions about the context behind this one!