Turkey arrests members of parliament

[Thanas]

Guardian

Turkey arrests pro-Kurdish party leaders and MPs
Co-leaders of Peoples’ Democratic party (HDP) were detained along with nine lawmakers


Two co-leaders and nine lawmakers of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic party (HDP) were detained early on Friday over reluctance to give testimony for crimes linked to “terrorist propaganda”.

Turkish police raided the Ankara house of co-leader Selahattin Demirtas and the house of co-leader Figen Yuksekdag in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish south-east, the party’s lawyers told Reuters.

Nine other HDP parliamentarians were also detained, lawyers said.

Turkey accuses the HDP of links to the Kurdish militant group PKK, which is deemed a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union and Turkey.

Erdogan taking lesssons from Putin again....

[K. A. Pital]

Totally expected - hope this smashes Turkey's hope to "enter the EU". But... Now where's Honorius to explain the great achievements of Erdogan?

[Edi]

Turkey also provides a very good example of the kind of policies Trump would like to pursue were he to be elected. Putin, Erdogan, Trump, all fruit of the same poisonous tree.

[mr friendly guy]

Turkey won't get any nearer to joining the EU with this type of action. That being said, they aren't likely anyway. Which brings me to the next point. What does Turkey want from the EU?

Presumably free movement so Turks can find jobs in more prosperous EU countries, and access to the common market. Which I think you don't need to be in the EU for that, as some countries like Norway have agreements with the EU without joining. However the EU would want such countries to at least "behave" to a standard the EU wants. However since the EU is facing disagreements with member countries over this anyway, and Turkey is the gateway for a lot of refugees which the EU want to manage, then maybe Edrogan can get away with these type of sheenanigans and still get what he wants. We shall see I guess.

[Thanas]

It also is the stated strategy of Erdogan to use Turkish immigrants to influence the politics. That is why he also is big on those people not integrating because that would mean he can not influence them as much.

Of course this only fuels the forces of the far right and makes it damn hard for the immigrants, who are not some uniformed mass of Erdogan thugs either.

[K. A. Pital]

The immigrants are mostly anti-Erdogan, at least in my area. But it won't help them since anti-immigrant sentiment does not distinguish.

[Thanas]

The turkish community in Germany is mostly split but their rallies always attract a lot of people, their last one had 40k in cologne alone.

[wautd]

In Belgium the majority appears to be pro-Erdogan (63% voted for AKP). It doesn't help that Turkeys Imams act as propaganda machines for the current regime though.

[Thanas]

In Belgium the majority appears to be pro-Erdogan (63% voted for AKP). It doesn't help that Turkeys Imams act as propaganda machines for the current regime though.

It is the same in Germany and a huge reason for yet another row between us and Turkey as we start to train our own Imams.

[Patroklos]

The Turkish military just recalled all Turkish officers studying in the US. We have 35 at the Naval Postgraduate School, only 10 will be able to graduate in December before the deadline for their return.

Those students were very subdued in their response to the issues back home. Probably a mix of embarrassment and similar restrictions on political activities in public (especially to foreigners) as we have in the US military. I will be sorry to see them go.

[Honorius]

Totally expected - hope this smashes Turkey's hope to "enter the EU". But... Now where's Honorius to explain the great achievements of Erdogan?

The fact they were all blatantly guilty of using their official vehicles to deliver arms to PKK militants and were recorded doing so, seems to escape you and Thanas.

Being an elected official does not give you permission to deliver arms to terrorists and actively aide them in killing citizens of your country. That is treason by the way. Now they will get their day in court and if they be guilty, they will be punished as the law allows.

[Thanas]

Oh I am sure they were, just as all the newspapers closed and journalists arrested were doing it too.

[wautd]

Totally expected - hope this smashes Turkey's hope to "enter the EU". But... Now where's Honorius to explain the great achievements of Erdogan?

The fact they were all blatantly guilty of using their official vehicles to deliver arms to PKK militants and were recorded doing so, seems to escape you and Thanas.

Being an elected official does not give you permission to deliver arms to terrorists and actively aide them in killing citizens of your country. That is treason by the way. Now they will get their day in court and if they be guilty, they will be punished as the law allows.

Funny, I remember Turkish whistleblowers being imprisoned when they showed the regime was giving weapons to Syrian terrorists rebels. Hypocritical much?

[ArmorPierce]

Turkey won't get any nearer to joining the EU with this type of action. That being said, they aren't likely anyway. Which brings me to the next point. What does Turkey want from the EU?

Presumably free movement so Turks can find jobs in more prosperous EU countries, and access to the common market. Which I think you don't need to be in the EU for that, as some countries like Norway have agreements with the EU without joining. However the EU would want such countries to at least "behave" to a standard the EU wants. However since the EU is facing disagreements with member countries over this anyway, and Turkey is the gateway for a lot of refugees which the EU want to manage, then maybe Edrogan can get away with these type of sheenanigans and still get what he wants. We shall see I guess.

Turkey has been bidding to join the European Union since the 1960s.

The reason why at the time is because it conformed into turkeys vision to westernize the country under secular ideals and to modernize the country.

Erdogen holds differing views however.

[K. A. Pital]

Totally expected - hope this smashes Turkey's hope to "enter the EU". But... Now where's Honorius to explain the great achievements of Erdogan?

The fact they were all blatantly guilty of using their official vehicles to deliver arms to PKK militants and were recorded doing so, seems to escape you and Thanas.

Being an elected official does not give you permission to deliver arms to terrorists and actively aide them in killing citizens of your country. That is treason by the way. Now they will get their day in court and if they be guilty, they will be punished as the law allows.

I am sure people at the Moscow trials were guilty too... wait... well, that's about the same amount of trust which I can give to Erdogan.

[Tribble]

I'm putting this here because it seems like Turkey is going to need its own general thread:

Turkey: Thousands protest against proposed child sex law

Thousands have protested in Istanbul in Turkey against a bill that would let off men who assaulted underage girls if they marry their victims.

The government insists the legislation is aimed at dealing with the widespread custom of child marriage, but critics say that it will legitimise child rape.

Protesters clapped and chanted: "We will not shut up. We will not obey. Withdraw the bill immediately!"

There were demonstrations in other cities including Izmir and Trabzon.

The law would allow the release of men who assaulted a minor without "force, threat, or any other restriction on consent" and married the victim.

About 3,000 protesters gathered in Istanbul's Kadikoy square, according to reports.

Some waved banners with slogans such as "Rape cannot be legitimised" and "AKP, take your hands off my body" - referring to the AKP party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which introduced the bill.

"A rape can't be justified," protester Fadik Temizyurek told the BBC.

She said: "What does it mean to ask a child if they're OK? Until they're 18, a child remains a child, that is why this has to be condemned. We are here so that this law can't pass."

Kadir Demir, a father, said: "I am here because I listen to my consciousness. Because I have children, because of my children. Because I desire to live in a country where we can still live."

Another protester, Cigdem Evcil, said: "I am a mother. How am I supposed to react to this? I can`t believe it, it's not normal, it doesn't make sense.

"This morning when I woke up I heard the news on TV and I've called my daughter maybe 50 times since.

"If I let this happen to my daughter, if the mothers in this country let this happen, it means we are not mothers."

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told a Nato meeting on Friday in the city that the bill would not pardon rapists.

He said: "The bill will certainly not bring amnesty to rapists.... This is a step taken to solve a problem in some parts of our country."

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has reportedly ordered his AKP colleagues to hold talks with the opposition on the bill.

The bill was approved in an initial parliamentary reading on Thursday and will be voted on again in a second debate on Tuesday.

The UN children's fund said it was "deeply concerned" about the bill.

"These abject forms of violence against children are crimes which should be punished as such, and in all cases the best interest of the child should prevail," said spokesman Christophe Boulierac.

The bill follows a previous controversy after Turkey's constitutional court in July annulled part of the criminal code which classified all sexual acts with children under 15 as sexual abuse.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38041510

..... yaaaaaaaaaaa.

I wonder what Honorious has to say about this wonderful proposal?

[The Romulan Republic]

Turkey also provides a very good example of the kind of policies Trump would like to pursue were he to be elected. Putin, Erdogan, Trump, all fruit of the same poisonous tree.

Don't forget Duterte.

And when I see headlines like this, I sometimes find myself wondering how long it will be until this is happening here.

Well, we can always hope that it will lead at least some Americans to have more empathy for certain parts of the rest of the world, though I can't help but think that the Americans who would be inclined to learn such a lesson probably wouldn't have voted voted for Trump.

[Tribble]

Turkey also provides a very good example of the kind of policies Trump would like to pursue were he to be elected. Putin, Erdogan, Trump, all fruit of the same poisonous tree.

Don't forget Duterte.

And when I see headlines like this, I sometimes find myself wondering how long it will be until this is happening here.

Well, we can always hope that it will lead at least some Americans to have more empathy for certain parts of the rest of the world, though I can't help but think that the Americans who would be inclined to learn such a lesson probably wouldn't have voted voted for Trump.

Well, I didn't see "it'll ok to have sex with a child as long you marry them after" as part of Trump's campaign, unless I missed something.

[Raj Ahten]

Turkey also provides a very good example of the kind of policies Trump would like to pursue were he to be elected. Putin, Erdogan, Trump, all fruit of the same poisonous tree.

Don't forget Duterte.

And when I see headlines like this, I sometimes find myself wondering how long it will be until this is happening here.

Well, we can always hope that it will lead at least some Americans to have more empathy for certain parts of the rest of the world, though I can't help but think that the Americans who would be inclined to learn such a lesson probably wouldn't have voted voted for Trump.

Well, I didn't see "it'll ok to have sex with a child as long you marry them after" as part of Trump's campaign, unless I missed something.

Give Pence some time to work his influence. I'm sure his paternalistic ancient religion style will influence the Trump administration on such matters.

Back to the situation in Turkey I don't see Erdogan's creeping authoritarianism hurting him at all. Given the multibillion euro refugee deal as long as Turkey is willing to let the rest of Europe pretend the refugee crisis isn't happening he'll have carte blanche to do as he wills domestically. Those who have tried to act ethically on these matters have been hurt politically so if anything I see more leaders in the EU following Erdogan's script than condemning him.

[Tribble]

If true that's rather unfortunate because you'd assume "it's ok to have sex with a child as long you marry them after" would be something the EU universally condemned and opposed?

[The Romulan Republic]

Turkey also provides a very good example of the kind of policies Trump would like to pursue were he to be elected. Putin, Erdogan, Trump, all fruit of the same poisonous tree.

Don't forget Duterte.

And when I see headlines like this, I sometimes find myself wondering how long it will be until this is happening here.

Well, we can always hope that it will lead at least some Americans to have more empathy for certain parts of the rest of the world, though I can't help but think that the Americans who would be inclined to learn such a lesson probably wouldn't have voted voted for Trump.

Well, I didn't see "it'll ok to have sex with a child as long you marry them after" as part of Trump's campaign, unless I missed something.

Granted, though he did have a child rape accusation made against him (and then withdrawn, reportedly after death threats were made).

[Tribble]

Don't forget Duterte.

And when I see headlines like this, I sometimes find myself wondering how long it will be until this is happening here.

Well, we can always hope that it will lead at least some Americans to have more empathy for certain parts of the rest of the world, though I can't help but think that the Americans who would be inclined to learn such a lesson probably wouldn't have voted voted for Trump.

Well, I didn't see "it'll ok to have sex with a child as long you marry them after" as part of Trump's campaign, unless I missed something.

Granted, though he did have a child rape accusation made against him (and then withdrawn, reportedly after death threats were made).

At any rate,we already have plenty of "ZOMG Trump!" threads atm and I think the issues in Turkey do warrant separate attention.

Does anybody here know what are the chances of this going through? Or do you think it would be stopped?

[Kinyo]

Turkey withdraws child rape bill after street protests
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38061785

On mobile so struggling to quote but it has been withdrawn

[K. A. Pital]

Erdogan is learning from Putin - plans to stay President until he croaks.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/n ... ationalist

Or maybe it is a mutual exchange of experience, dunno.