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Thousands of lawyers protest Specially Authorized Courts
15:55 05.05.2012
Thousands of lawyers from 57 bar associations have demanded the closure of Specially Authorized Courts and condemned the governmental intervention in justice. The lawyers demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners, notably the jailed lawyers. 13
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HPG member Karadağ sent to his last journey
15:45 05.05.2012
People’s Defense Force (HPG) member Hasan Karadağ (Savaş Urfa) who was killed in the Doğubayazıt Town of Ağrı was sent to his last journey in Urfa today with ‘Martyrs do not die’ slogans. 26
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Saturday Mothers demand justice
15:44 05.05.2012
Sit-ins were held in Istanbul, Diyarbakır, Batman and Cizre (Şırnak) today by Saturday Mothers demanding justice for those forcibly disappeared. 17
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‘Constitution will not be new unless it solves acute problems’
14:36 05.05.2012
The Constitution Congress organized by the Democratic Congress of the People (HDK) is being held in Istanbul. Speaking in the congress, Prof. Dr. Gençay Gürsoy has noted that the need for a new constitution has risen from the Kurdish issue and that it is a great opportunity for solution as Prof. Dr. Sevtap Yokuş has said, “A democratic constitution can be created under democratic circumstances. The Constitution will not be new unless it solves the acute problems related to the discrimination.” 9
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‘Economics in Democratic Autonomy’ symposium starts
14:19 05.05.2012
‘Economics in Democratic Autonomy’ symposium, organized by the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) has started in Diyarbakır. Speaking in the symposium, DTK Co-Chair Aysel Tuğluk has said, “Establishing institutions such as community councils, village communes, democratic self-government institutions in public services, equal representation of different religious, cultural and ethnic groups, system of public delegation, organizing congresses and women’s assemblies, we aim to transform the nation-state’s excluding technical representation practices in favor of the society.” 8
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Tavuklu Village evacuated
13:51 05.05.2012
Tavuklu (Xirbêmirişka) Village of Mardin that was burnt and evacuated in the 1990s has been evacuated again, this time due to the arrest of the villagers on May 3. Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Mardin Vice Co-Chair Şaban Karakaş has commented that the village that was once evacuated due to state oppression has now been evacuated due to the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) political operations. 5
- Parliamentary Human Rights Watch Commission denounces prisoners 13:43 05.05.2012 The Parliamentary Human Rights Watch Commission has sent a letter written by prisoners in the Bingöl M Type Prison to the Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office. A lawsuit has been filed against the prisoners on the grounds that the letter contained propaganda of the illegal organization.
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Patnos mayor charged to 7 years and 3 months
16:56 04.05.2012
Patnos Mayor Yusuf Yılmaz has been charged to seven years and three months on the allegations of being a member of the illegal organization and resisting to a police officer for he participated in a press conference. Yılmaz has said the sentence was part of the ongoing political operations and totally unlawful. 1
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20,000 send HPG members to their last journey
16:49 04.05.2012
Three People’s Defense Force (HPG) members who were killed in a gunfight in the area between Lice, Genç and Kulp on April 24 were sent to their last journey today by 20 thousand in a funeral dominated by great anger towards the military operations. 34
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Pozantı victims rearrested, their families fined
13:40 04.05.2012
As children who have been released after being victims of sexual and physical abuse in the Pozantı Prison are being rearrested one by one, their families have applied to the Human Rights Association (İHD) Mersin Branch for help. İHD Mersin Branch President Ali Tanrıverdi notes that the families have been fined to 50,000 TL, pointing out to the government’s policy of oppression against the Kurds in Mersin. 1
ECONOMY
Starvation line in Turkey is US$600 per month according to Türk-İş
Thirteen million live below the poverty line
Unemployment climbs in Turkey: 3.5 million people officially out of work in January
Unemployment rate increases; 3 million 802 thousands are unemployed
Unemployment problem gets deeper
7
INTERNATIONAL
Resistance Tent by health workers in Samsun in day 365
Inrush in PCDK boreau in Hewler
Protecting common interest comes out in the meeting of Kurd Study Group
Co-presidents of DTP meet PCDK
3
Celebrations of Carsema Sor continues
4
CULTURE
Meaningful commemoration for Yılmaz Güney, legendary revolutionary figure of cinema in Turkey
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Lynch attempt against Kurdish Singer Aynur Doğan
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Abundance of Kurdish films screened in İstanbul Film Festival
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Movie of the history of independent Kurdish press awarded in Gold Orange
5
Spectacular performance from Colors of Mesopotamia
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