Most recent articles by Daniel Derya Bellut
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Mafia scandal in TurkeyMafia ties run deep in AKP politics
Rarely have the links between Turkish politics and organised crime been as apparent as they are at present. Right-wing extremist mafia godfathers from the Grey Wolves are increasingly appearing in government circles. So what's behind all this? Daniel Derya Bellut has the details
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TurkeyAnti-Syrian sentiment boils over in Ankara riots
There are approximately 4 million refugees in Turkey, and they are increasingly the objects of hostility - as recent riots in Ankara have shown. Experts warn that the situation is likely to escalate in future
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Facing down Turkey's Recep Tayyip ErdoganThe chutzpah of opposition politician Canan Kaftancioglu
Left-wing CHP leader Canan Kaftancioglu inflicted a humiliating defeat on Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul in 2019. Now the Turkish president wants revenge in court. Yet Kaftancioglu seems unlikely to go down without a fight, having recently sued both Erdogan and his interior minister for defamation, after they branded her a "terrorist". By Daniel Bellut
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Ankara on the defensivePro-Kurdish faction in Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crosshairs
The Turkish government is hoping to split the opposition and put off voters by cracking down on pro-Kurdish politicians. But critics say the strategy won't work this time. By Daniel Derya Bellut and Hilal Koylu
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Violence against womenFemicide on the rise in Turkey
The recent murder of Turkish student Pinar Gültekin by her ex-boyfriend has sparked outrage in Turkey. Women's rights activists are calling for the government to tackle the widespread problem of femicide in the country, but their calls are being met with silence from the government and in some cases even tear gas and rubber bullets by police. By Daniel Bellut
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Coronavirus and press freedom in TurkeyErdogan's crusade against "all media and political viruses"
Is the Turkish president Erdogan using the fight against coronavirus to silence the few remaining critical press voices in the country? Opposition and journalists fear a new wave of censorship. By Daniel Derya Bellut
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The Istanbul Canal projectErdogan's dream, Istanbul's nightmare
Turkey's President Erdogan wants to create a second Bosphorus. The cost to the economy and environment would be enormous – and that's why Istanbul's mayor is attempting to stop the plan. A bitter power struggle is raging. By Daniel Derya Bellut
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Women in TurkeyAnkara turns a blind eye to femicide
A young Turkish woman was recently brutally murdered on her way home – one of 430 women killed in 2019 alone. Women's rights organisations are calling for better protection, but the government is doing almost nothing. By Daniel Bellut and Burcu Karakas
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Erdogan's economic crisisPlumbing the depths of despair in Turkey
In recent weeks, Turkish society has been rocked by a spate of suicides. Three families used cyanide to kill themselves – the reason: economic problems. According to the opposition, the ongoing economic crisis in Turkey is driving people to their deaths. By Daniel Derya Bellut
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Interview with Ali Ertan Toprak"I am stunned by Europe's weak and inactive stance against Erdogan"
Ankara has begun its Syrian offensive. The Kurdish region is threatening to sink into chaos. The aim of the operation is to expel the Kurds, says Ali Ertan Toprak, chairman of Germany’s Kurdish community, in an interview with Daniel Derya Bellut
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Schools in TurkeyErdogan's youth, religious but not educated?
The Turkish school system is in crisis: pupil performance is slipping. Critics blame the Erdogan government for the trend, which has recently founded hundreds of Imam Hatip religious schools. Information from Burcu Karakas and Daniel Derya Bellut