TURKEY

TUR ABDIN — On 15 August, Syriac churches across Tur Abdin, a historic region in what is now southeastern Turkey encompassing significant locations such as Midyat, resounded with celebrations on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Arbo village hosted an event that extended…

BERLIN — The German Journalists Association (Deutscher Journalisten-Verband, DJV) issued an advisory to its members to avoid travelling to Turkey following the recent arrest of German Bundestag Deputy Gökay Akbulut. The DJV is among the largest journalists’ organizations in Europe. Headquartered in Berlin, it has about 38,000 members. On 3…

ANTALYA, Turkey — A German parliamentarian revealed on Sunday that she was detained for several hours upon entering Turkey earlier this month, a consequence of her past social media posts from 2019. Unfazed by the incident, she affirmed her commitment to visiting Turkey and expressing her candid opinions about its…

HASAKAH, Syria — The dwindling water levels in the Euphrates River have rendered vast agricultural lands unproductive, casting a shadow over regions in the North and East of Syria. Hammoud al-Hamadin, the administrator of Tishreen Dam, voiced concerns over the far-reaching consequences of Turkey’s water-cutting policies. He stressed that this…

NEW YORK — A formal complaint has been submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) accusing Turkey of targeting a civilian hospital in Iraq and resulting in the deaths of eight people. This is the first case concerning Turkish airstrikes against the Yezidi people to be brought before…

NOHADRA, Iraq — Turkish forces have launched a series of air raids on villages in Nohadra (Duhok) Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), resulting in the destruction of forests and farms belonging to local residents. Despite widespread condemnation from local, regional, and international communities, Turkey persists in breaching international law…

ARKAH, Turkey — The youth of Arkah village in the historic Tur Abdin region in southeastern Turkey have launched the Arkah News Facebook page to showcase the activities of Arkah village and the surrounding villages of Turo d’Izlo (Mount Izla). The page will be managed by individuals from the village, both…

ANKARA — In the aftermath of the economic collapse in Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visits to Arab Gulf countries, opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu the leader delivered a scathing speech during his party’s weekly meeting, criticizing Erdoğan’s policies. Drawing a striking analogy, Kılıçdaroğlu likened Erdoğan’s actions to that of…

MEHRE, Turkey —  The Syriac Chaldean Diril family strongly rejected the ruling issued in their parents’ case by the Şırnak court. They decided to file the case with the Supreme Court, due to the judicial ruling unfairness and unaccountability for the perpetrators. The Syriac-Chaldean Diril couple had returned in 2011 to…

BRUSSELS — The European Parliament has firmly rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s attempt to link Sweden’s accession to NATO with Turkey’s accession to the European Union. Instead, they emphasized that Turkey’s path to EU membership hinges on the promotion of public freedoms and human rights within the country. The…