For a Taste of Four Cultures on Two Contınents
Oct 29th, 2016, 08:25 AM
#41
Thanks ann and Dukey1.
Under the current Turkish version of "Emergency Powers", the government does not allow any recourse for most actions like being dismissed without reason from any type of government employment. This applies to about 200,000 soldiers, teachers, judges, police, prosecutors and other government employees as well as owners and employees of all businesses taken over by the government with the claim of aiding and abetting a terrorist organization.
The ones arrested are not given the prosecution files and have no recourse to the constitutional court. In most cases the suspect gets no more than 15-30 minutes/week with lawyer, no TV, letters,radio and only propaganda or religious books. In many cases it is Kafka multiplied.
The situation applies even to babies, grandparents and twice removed cousins.
The government will be selling all expropriated undertakings, including 120 radio stations, 23 TV s, tens of newspapers, with the exception of those not distributed to their inner circle of supporters. The expected revenue fro these sales is $5 Billion.
Also :
20m20 minutes ago
Ahmet C. Celebiler Retweeted Breaking News
#Deathpenalty needed to break up with #EU, get closer to #ShariaLaw, put fear into hearts of opposition who may be termed "enemy of state."Ahmet C. Celebiler added,
Breaking News @BreakingNews
Turkish President Erdogan: Government will parliament to consider reintroducing death penalty - AFP https://yhoo.it/2fhpHwP
Under the current Turkish version of "Emergency Powers", the government does not allow any recourse for most actions like being dismissed without reason from any type of government employment. This applies to about 200,000 soldiers, teachers, judges, police, prosecutors and other government employees as well as owners and employees of all businesses taken over by the government with the claim of aiding and abetting a terrorist organization.
The ones arrested are not given the prosecution files and have no recourse to the constitutional court. In most cases the suspect gets no more than 15-30 minutes/week with lawyer, no TV, letters,radio and only propaganda or religious books. In many cases it is Kafka multiplied.
The situation applies even to babies, grandparents and twice removed cousins.
The government will be selling all expropriated undertakings, including 120 radio stations, 23 TV s, tens of newspapers, with the exception of those not distributed to their inner circle of supporters. The expected revenue fro these sales is $5 Billion.
Also :
20m20 minutes ago
Ahmet C. Celebiler Retweeted Breaking News
#Deathpenalty needed to break up with #EU, get closer to #ShariaLaw, put fear into hearts of opposition who may be termed "enemy of state."Ahmet C. Celebiler added,
Breaking News @BreakingNews
Turkish President Erdogan: Government will parliament to consider reintroducing death penalty - AFP https://yhoo.it/2fhpHwP
Oct 29th, 2016, 02:01 PM
#43
I hope this news report manages to stay on the web:
http://platform24.org/en/articles/41...emergency---25
Another last minute decree bans university presidential elections among the faculty and gives power to appoint university presidents to the Turkish president from three candidates chosen by the Higher Education Board which is itself appointed by the president.. Not a joke!!
http://platform24.org/en/articles/41...emergency---25
Another last minute decree bans university presidential elections among the faculty and gives power to appoint university presidents to the Turkish president from three candidates chosen by the Higher Education Board which is itself appointed by the president.. Not a joke!!
Oct 29th, 2016, 02:44 PM
#44
From that article, OC:
<<1,267 academics were discharged from their university posts under the same decree. The dismissals include some of the academics who supported a petition calling for peace in the country’s southeast as well as Mehmet Altan, who was arrested in late September on charges of having “subliminally” supported the coup attempt of July 15 and Eser Karakaş, a former Star columnist and the husband of international judge of the European Court of Human Rights Işıl Karakaş.>>
How do you subliminally support a coup? Have the turkish police discovered telepathy?
With that list of arrested journalists, it looks like Turkey is well on the way to being a police state, if it's not one already. I am so sorry about this OC.
<<1,267 academics were discharged from their university posts under the same decree. The dismissals include some of the academics who supported a petition calling for peace in the country’s southeast as well as Mehmet Altan, who was arrested in late September on charges of having “subliminally” supported the coup attempt of July 15 and Eser Karakaş, a former Star columnist and the husband of international judge of the European Court of Human Rights Işıl Karakaş.>>
How do you subliminally support a coup? Have the turkish police discovered telepathy?
With that list of arrested journalists, it looks like Turkey is well on the way to being a police state, if it's not one already. I am so sorry about this OC.
Oct 29th, 2016, 11:30 PM
#46
Fra_Diavolo,
The State Department move was made on the basis of popular demand by the Consular employees in Istanbul who were unhappy with their families spending too much on the great shopping in Istanbul and on travels to neighbouring countries whose proximity is a great incentive Americans find hard to resist. Visiting Iraq and Syria are especially attractive.
The State Department move was made on the basis of popular demand by the Consular employees in Istanbul who were unhappy with their families spending too much on the great shopping in Istanbul and on travels to neighbouring countries whose proximity is a great incentive Americans find hard to resist. Visiting Iraq and Syria are especially attractive.
Oct 31st, 2016, 11:23 AM
#50
2016 adventurer,
Both Istanbul airports are two of the safest airports I can imagine.
The only two problems are, lack of sufficient seating in common areas and the expensive and not so good food.
To beat both problems, I strongly recommend that you pay the cost of one of the CIP lounges and pass your time in comfort and with reasonable food and drinks which are included in the lounge price. I bet that they will not even charge for the kids, but you should google that.
http://www.ataturkairport.com/en-EN/...eServices.aspx
http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...-during-winter
Both Istanbul airports are two of the safest airports I can imagine.
The only two problems are, lack of sufficient seating in common areas and the expensive and not so good food.
To beat both problems, I strongly recommend that you pay the cost of one of the CIP lounges and pass your time in comfort and with reasonable food and drinks which are included in the lounge price. I bet that they will not even charge for the kids, but you should google that.
http://www.ataturkairport.com/en-EN/...eServices.aspx
http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...-during-winter
Oct 31st, 2016, 02:28 PM
#51
2016, if I may chip in here, avoid McDs like the plague. Ignoring whether one wants ones children to eat there at all, a friend of mine was returning from a holiday in Turkey recently and was persuaded by his kids to get them a "Happy meal" [a misnomer if ever I heard one] at the airport. £17 each.
Oct 31st, 2016, 02:35 PM
#52
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Hello OC. I have just got back from my trip to Turkey and that great session in Darka with you and Eser. Thanks again.
My observations are on Istanbul and Iznik and Bursa... the only bits of Turkey I visited this time. There were almost no tourists, no tour buses, no cruise ships. The Grand Bazaar was almost deserted. I felt very sorry for the people involved in the tourism sector, though there were several groups of local or middle eastern tourists. And yes, Istiklal has lost its vibe. As a solo woman, I didn't at any time feel uncomfortable anywhere I went. People were as helpful and friendly as ever, just a noticeable increase in women wearing headscarves. This has been happening every year I have been there for the past 20 or so.
Istanbul seems to be going through a period of great change. The whole Marmara Sea coastline has construction work going on between the airport and the centre. And the pace of change is fast. Whole areas of Old Istanbul are being 'gentrified'..ie the beautiful old wooden houses being pulled down rather than renovated, and new modern apartment buildings are springing up. The lovely area of Kuzguncuk just along the Bosphorus from Uskudar has escaped all this and is a joy to wander through.
Re the airport, I had the most rigorous security check ever on leaving last Friday. There must have been 5 or 6 different checks on paperwork in addition to the 3 or 4 baggage screenings. Interestingly this didnt seem to extend to flights other than those to the US. I was flying with Turkish Airlines. Not quite sure what to make of that.
I did a quick week to Iznik and Bursa on public transport, buses and the ferry. Didn't see a single western tourist the whole time. Maybe end of season? Not brilliant weather. Very restful for me after 4 weeks in Central Asia.
I was in Turkey 4 times this year. These days I book all my flights with Turkish Airlines as I am so disgusted with my treatment at the hands of all the American carriers. And Turkish seem to fly absolutely everywhere so connections are reliable. Certainly intend to be back there in 2017. See you then OC!
My observations are on Istanbul and Iznik and Bursa... the only bits of Turkey I visited this time. There were almost no tourists, no tour buses, no cruise ships. The Grand Bazaar was almost deserted. I felt very sorry for the people involved in the tourism sector, though there were several groups of local or middle eastern tourists. And yes, Istiklal has lost its vibe. As a solo woman, I didn't at any time feel uncomfortable anywhere I went. People were as helpful and friendly as ever, just a noticeable increase in women wearing headscarves. This has been happening every year I have been there for the past 20 or so.
Istanbul seems to be going through a period of great change. The whole Marmara Sea coastline has construction work going on between the airport and the centre. And the pace of change is fast. Whole areas of Old Istanbul are being 'gentrified'..ie the beautiful old wooden houses being pulled down rather than renovated, and new modern apartment buildings are springing up. The lovely area of Kuzguncuk just along the Bosphorus from Uskudar has escaped all this and is a joy to wander through.
Re the airport, I had the most rigorous security check ever on leaving last Friday. There must have been 5 or 6 different checks on paperwork in addition to the 3 or 4 baggage screenings. Interestingly this didnt seem to extend to flights other than those to the US. I was flying with Turkish Airlines. Not quite sure what to make of that.
I did a quick week to Iznik and Bursa on public transport, buses and the ferry. Didn't see a single western tourist the whole time. Maybe end of season? Not brilliant weather. Very restful for me after 4 weeks in Central Asia.
I was in Turkey 4 times this year. These days I book all my flights with Turkish Airlines as I am so disgusted with my treatment at the hands of all the American carriers. And Turkish seem to fly absolutely everywhere so connections are reliable. Certainly intend to be back there in 2017. See you then OC!
Nov 2nd, 2016, 12:59 AM
#53
Thanks for pitching in Gertie. We enjoyed your company.
I am glad your visit was uneventful and fun.
On the political front, Yesterday, the offices of the only unbiased and 100 year old daily opposed to authoritarian rule and the violent attempts to solve the Kurdish issue was raided as were the homes of 15 of its editors, directors and columnists. 9 of the 15 who were immediately available by chance (!) at 6AM in their beds, were taken into custody with no recourse to a lawyer for five days. The officially given reason as broadcast by the government media was that they were found to be aiding abetting and even participating in the July 15 strange coup attempt without being a member of the FG cult.
This newspaper was the first who started warning against FG over thirty years ago and some of the columnists have books divulging secrets of the FG clandestine acts as previously supported by the government.
On traveler safety,
there are some news of explosives and suspects found but no action by ISIS or anything to justify State Dept. recalling families of consular staff.
We heard from Grandson's Georgian nanny that the Georgian border was closed on the Georgian side for three days without a given reason.
Teaching staff of my university had a protest meeting on campus, joined by some of the student body, against the presidential emergency power decree which banned university president elections and gave full authority to the president of Turkey to appoint anyone he wanted. On that subject, I tweeted that the only requirement is now probably, the ability to read and write.
We are considering ways and means of making Chicago our number one home and using the Istanbul and Iznik homes sporadically.
I am glad your visit was uneventful and fun.
On the political front, Yesterday, the offices of the only unbiased and 100 year old daily opposed to authoritarian rule and the violent attempts to solve the Kurdish issue was raided as were the homes of 15 of its editors, directors and columnists. 9 of the 15 who were immediately available by chance (!) at 6AM in their beds, were taken into custody with no recourse to a lawyer for five days. The officially given reason as broadcast by the government media was that they were found to be aiding abetting and even participating in the July 15 strange coup attempt without being a member of the FG cult.
This newspaper was the first who started warning against FG over thirty years ago and some of the columnists have books divulging secrets of the FG clandestine acts as previously supported by the government.
On traveler safety,
there are some news of explosives and suspects found but no action by ISIS or anything to justify State Dept. recalling families of consular staff.
We heard from Grandson's Georgian nanny that the Georgian border was closed on the Georgian side for three days without a given reason.
Teaching staff of my university had a protest meeting on campus, joined by some of the student body, against the presidential emergency power decree which banned university president elections and gave full authority to the president of Turkey to appoint anyone he wanted. On that subject, I tweeted that the only requirement is now probably, the ability to read and write.
We are considering ways and means of making Chicago our number one home and using the Istanbul and Iznik homes sporadically.
Nov 2nd, 2016, 01:35 AM
#54
OC - I am so sorry to read of the continuing repression in Turkey. I so enjoyed meeting you and Eser and your totally adorable grandson in Istanbul in September. Like gertie, I felt quite safe in the city. (Finally posted a piece on Istanbul to my blog.) I am currently in Japan, and hope things will be calm in the US when I get home in mid-November...
gertie - I did not see any massive extra security when I flew Istanbul to Tashkent in early September. There was a checkpoint on the way to the airport, but it seemed to be a wave through for most traffic. The was a bag check on entry, whether by car or metro. However, I have noticed additional security for people flying to the US at most international airports. The problem is with the US authorities, not the locals.
gertie - I did not see any massive extra security when I flew Istanbul to Tashkent in early September. There was a checkpoint on the way to the airport, but it seemed to be a wave through for most traffic. The was a bag check on entry, whether by car or metro. However, I have noticed additional security for people flying to the US at most international airports. The problem is with the US authorities, not the locals.
Nov 4th, 2016, 04:39 AM
#55
Hello from more disturbing news.
I am afraid I have to post an increasede threat warning. Make sure you stay away from all police, gendermery, political party, buildings, signs and gatherings.
The government decided to put into force their plan to discredit and arrest the Kurdish members of parliament. Yesterday evening they satarted with the joint leaders and some of the most popular and outspoken ones. So far, altogether nine arrests and four or more to be hunted.
This was followed by a car bomb in front of the police headquarters at Diyarbakir. 2-7 dead and 30-100 wounded. No exact numbers because there was an immediate press ban on the event.
TL lost against the $ and the Euro. Stock market fell about 5% this morning.
Ambassadors of EU countries had a meeting in Ankara, but no press release was made.
I think that Erdogan and his party are having mass prayer sessions for Trump to win the United States elections.
Will EU continue the application for Turkish membership?
Will NATO keep Turkey as a full and equal memeber?
Will Russia replace EU and United States as supporter and partner?
I think we will not need to wait for the 2017 Fall season for the new episodes of this TV horror series.
I am afraid I have to post an increasede threat warning. Make sure you stay away from all police, gendermery, political party, buildings, signs and gatherings.
The government decided to put into force their plan to discredit and arrest the Kurdish members of parliament. Yesterday evening they satarted with the joint leaders and some of the most popular and outspoken ones. So far, altogether nine arrests and four or more to be hunted.
This was followed by a car bomb in front of the police headquarters at Diyarbakir. 2-7 dead and 30-100 wounded. No exact numbers because there was an immediate press ban on the event.
TL lost against the $ and the Euro. Stock market fell about 5% this morning.
Ambassadors of EU countries had a meeting in Ankara, but no press release was made.
I think that Erdogan and his party are having mass prayer sessions for Trump to win the United States elections.
Will EU continue the application for Turkish membership?
Will NATO keep Turkey as a full and equal memeber?
Will Russia replace EU and United States as supporter and partner?
I think we will not need to wait for the 2017 Fall season for the new episodes of this TV horror series.
Nov 4th, 2016, 06:48 AM
#57
thursdayd, I am glad you could visit us in Istanbul and see the most important family member. I regret it was such a hectic day.
Americans have a long tradition of personal liberties and will not easily give them up. Unfortunately, it many cases people refuse to understand that hate speech used against others may easily make you a target of the hate of even more others, and end up curtailing everyone's liberties.
Americans have a long tradition of personal liberties and will not easily give them up. Unfortunately, it many cases people refuse to understand that hate speech used against others may easily make you a target of the hate of even more others, and end up curtailing everyone's liberties.
Nov 4th, 2016, 10:20 AM
#58
OC - more shocking news about developments in Turkey - I'm so sorry about what has happened to your country.
It's a lesson to us all about how fragile democracy is and how quickly it can disappear.
Look after yourself.
It's a lesson to us all about how fragile democracy is and how quickly it can disappear.
Look after yourself.
Nov 17th, 2016, 12:08 PM
#59
Things are moving very fast.
People's gullibility is starting to make Turkey a more dangerous place despite their innate friendliness, because of the hate speech of the president and other officials against the United States and EU, especially Belgium and Germany.
If you are visiting Istanbul, dress as you would if you were here for business and not as a typical tourist.
Stay on the Bosphorus, at Nisantasi and/or the typical business hotels, visiting the historic sites in the day time.
It may be a good time to leave Chora church and its environs out of your itinerary.
There have been no cases against any tourists that I have heard of but the polls are showing a large increase in dislike for United States and EU.
Less than a month ago, at Gaziantep a small group of people in Islamist garb, shooed some foreign visitors back to their vehicles, saying, "We do not want you here, go away!!"
All Western and Southwestern provinces and cities are safe as ever.
An opposition MP joked of Izmir Province alone seceding from Turkey and joining EU and was subject to a large number of organized stupid remarks and threats.
Most of the elected Kurdish mayors of Southeastern cities have been detained and replaced by government party member administrators. (note that some of the mayors and deputies are also sunni moslems. So it is not a matter of religion, but fear of losing despotic control of regions where Kurds are in the majority.)
I will not be giving too many political details any more unless the events apply to the safety and enjoyment of travelers to Istanbul and also Turkey in general.
People's gullibility is starting to make Turkey a more dangerous place despite their innate friendliness, because of the hate speech of the president and other officials against the United States and EU, especially Belgium and Germany.
If you are visiting Istanbul, dress as you would if you were here for business and not as a typical tourist.
Stay on the Bosphorus, at Nisantasi and/or the typical business hotels, visiting the historic sites in the day time.
It may be a good time to leave Chora church and its environs out of your itinerary.
There have been no cases against any tourists that I have heard of but the polls are showing a large increase in dislike for United States and EU.
Less than a month ago, at Gaziantep a small group of people in Islamist garb, shooed some foreign visitors back to their vehicles, saying, "We do not want you here, go away!!"
All Western and Southwestern provinces and cities are safe as ever.
An opposition MP joked of Izmir Province alone seceding from Turkey and joining EU and was subject to a large number of organized stupid remarks and threats.
Most of the elected Kurdish mayors of Southeastern cities have been detained and replaced by government party member administrators. (note that some of the mayors and deputies are also sunni moslems. So it is not a matter of religion, but fear of losing despotic control of regions where Kurds are in the majority.)
I will not be giving too many political details any more unless the events apply to the safety and enjoyment of travelers to Istanbul and also Turkey in general.
Nov 17th, 2016, 12:20 PM
#60
I will not be giving too many political details any more unless the events apply to the safety and enjoyment of travelers to Istanbul and also Turkey in general.>>
that strikes me as one of the saddest things I've read in a long time, OC, but I'm sure we understand the reason behind it.
staying safe is the most important thing at present.
that strikes me as one of the saddest things I've read in a long time, OC, but I'm sure we understand the reason behind it.
staying safe is the most important thing at present.
