Ekrem Imamoglu in his guest essay for us this week: “The election has also shown that citizens can form much stronger alliances than political elites. Even if parties and political leaders lose hope in democracy, citizens do not.” economist.com/by-invitation/…

After an intense day&night of protests in Van, the high electoral board in Turkey decides DEM’s mayor elect #AbdullahZeydan who won 55.5% of the votes shd be handed the mandate to become the next mayor of the city. Significant u-turn for the better for democracy and rule of law

Turkey's biggest protests in a decade erupted in the Kurdish city of Van and spread to other provinces last night after the newly-elected mayor was removed from office and replaced with the candidate from Erdogan's AKP thetimes.co.uk/article/protes…

Controversial move in Turkey preventing DEM party’s #AbdullahZeydan from becoming the next mayor of Van. He won w/ 55.5% vs 27.2% for the candidate from Erdogan's AKP. Elex board decided he was banned from running by a last minute court order + 2nd runner shd be given the mandate

SON DAKİKA!
Diyarbakır Büyükşehir Belediye Eş Başkanlığı'nı kazanan DEM Partili Serra Bucak'a da, AKP'nin itirazı nedeniyle mazbatanın şu an verilmeyeceği söylenmiş.

evrensel.net/haber/514837/d…

Meet Gulistan Sonuk. She is the new major of Turkey's Kurdish-populated Batman, where Sunni Islamist Kurds have traditionally held power. Amazing and significant change. She is one of many women rising on a local level.

Akbelen Ormanı direnişinin önde gelen isimlerinden olan Nejla Işık, İkizköy'de muhtar seçildi

bbc.in/3xpu9C6

Later this month I'll be moderating this panel on Turkey's democracy at Frontline Club in London, introducing some truly excellent speakers: author Deniz Goran, actor Memet Ali Alabora, and journalist Selin Girit. If you're in town please join 👇eventbrite.co.uk/e/panel-discus…

BBC News (UK) Putin critic Alexei Navalny collapsed and died while taking a walk, prison service statement says - follow live updates bbc.co.uk/news/live/worl…

Hostages at Gebze plant freed: officials AFP News Agency

An armed man took at least 7 people hostage at a P&G factory in Turkey in protest of Israel's attacks on Gaza, reports say. A photo released by DHA agency showed the man covering his face w/ a Palestinian scarf, and apparently wearing an explosive device bbc.com/turkce/article…

Türkiye 1995'ten beri ölçülen Yolsuzluk Algı Endeksi'nde hiç olmadığı kadar geriledi, Zambiya ve Gambiya gibi ülkelerin gerisine düştü bbc.in/42m9zhp

Moment jailed lawmaker Can Atalay is ousted from Turkish parliament. Action taken by former controversial justice minister, banners reading “Freedom to Can Atalay” raised in protest. Opposition is furious, calling this a coup and an act against rule of law

Workers Party of Turkey TİP’s leader calls on everyone to go out and protest the ousting of their MP Can Atalay from the parliament. “Stripping Can off his seat means ‘ I do not respect the rule of law in this country, I’ll do whatever I like,” he says and promises repercussions

Turkey's parliament formally stripped jailed opp MP #CanAtalay off his seat. His election had created a standoff between the country's two top courts. Atalay is one of seven defendants sentenced to 18 years in prison as part of the controversial Gezi trial bbc.com/turkce/article…

Can Atalay hakkındaki Yargıtay kararı TBMM'de okundu, vekilliği düştü. Kararın okunmasının ardından TİP, DEM Parti ve CHP milletvekilleri pankartlarla başkanlık kürsüsünü işgal etti bbc.com/turkce/article…

'Edebiyatçılar Olarak Bu Linç Kampanyasını Endişe ile İzliyoruz' artdogistanbul.com/edebiyatcilaro…

#Istanbul . Video below appears to shows the deadly attack in the Church of Santa Maria, Istanbul. A man in black seems to followed into the church by two gunmen wearing masks. Looks very much like a targeted killing. Identity of the dead man has not been released yet.