Cyprus-Forum.com

[Tim Drayton]

The 20-year-old student who was arrested in the course of Gezi protests and stands accused of membership of a terrorist organisation, one of the pieces of evidence for which according to the indictment filed by the public prosecutor was that she was wearing a “red-coloured neckerchief which symbolises socialism”, now named as Ayşe Deniz Karacagil (pictured below), has been sent to Alanya prison, 138 kilometres away, to await trial. In an interview the press, the young woman’s mother says that her daughter has never worn a red neckerchief - not that she accepts that this is a crime - and that the entire indictment is based on fabricated claims.



http://www.radikal.com.tr/turkiye/cezae ... ti-1155388

[Tim Drayton]

Middle Eastern Technical University rector, Dr. Ahmet Acar, has criticised the ‘midnight raid’ used to bring construction machinery onto part of the university’s campus where a new road is projected. He has said:

“It was METU that approved this road project, anyhow. We do not find the midnight raid to be a good faith approach and do not condone it. What took place was an entirely unlawful act. METU land was entered without permission. We will make recourse to the law in the matter.”

http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/?hn=447676&kn=7&ka=4&kb=7

[Tim Drayton]

Around a thousand demonstrators are reported to have assembled at the entrance to the Middle Eastern Technical University to protest against the ‘midnight raid’ in which the Municipality brought construction equipment into the university’s campus to work on a controversial new road.



http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/?hn=447706&kn=7&ka=4&kb=7

[Tim Drayton]

Protestors are now planting saplings where trees were cut down last night in the Middle Eastern Technical University campus.

http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/?hn=447706&kn=7&ka=4&kb=7

[Tim Drayton]

Activists planting saplings where trees were cut down last night in the Middle East Technical University campus.

[Tim Drayton]

The Middle East Technical University management has made the following written statement with regard to the events of last night:

[my translation]
In view of requests emanating from our members, the press and public opinion for clarification with regard to the process that began with Ankara Metropolitan Municipality teams entering our campus without notice and warning on the evening of 18 October 2013, it was deemed necessary to make the following comment.

The relevant entities were informed in the Ministry’s fax of 2 October that the Construction Plan Aimed at Preserving METU had been approved by the Ministry of Environment and City Planning. However, the detailed approved plans that required to be annexed to the fax were delivered to our university on 11 October 2013.

Contrary to statements that have been reported in the press, at the approval stage, certain alterations to the plan as proposed by METU were observed to have been made by the Ministry. Since the plan was placed on hold on 4 October 2013, METU’s objections were to have been forwarded to the Ministry by 4 November, at the expiry of a one month period. We met with Ministry, Municipality and State officials on Friday 11 October, where it was stressed that we would have objections to the plan decisions and that no irreversible procedures should be undertaken within the objection period. The Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Technical Works Department Vice Chair and the Development and Urbanisation Department Chair stated that no procedures would be implemented without consulting the University. Ankara Metropolitan Municipality was also notified in writing on the same day that we gave no approval for any procedure until the statutory suspension and objection processes had been completed.

In spite of this meeting and correspondence, a sudden night operation was conducted on Friday 18 October, without awaiting the expiry of the suspension and objection periods. Construction machinery belonging to Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, construction teams and a large number of municipal staff entered University grounds in the vicinity of Öğretmenler Avenue in the 100. Yıl area, without obtaining permission and breaking down the campus fence, at around 21.15 in the evening on Friday 18 October. Private security officials on duty at the University warned the teams not to make unauthorised entry into the grounds and attempted to stop them. However, it was not possible to prevent a large number of lorries, construction machines and municipal staff from entering the campus without permission.

The 10 Nisan police station was informed several times by telephone that the campus had been entered without permission and that trees which are the property of METU had been removed in an unlawful manner, and written application was also made for the construction and tree removal procedures to be prevented. However, police station officials took no steps and did not accept our written application. Notification was at the same time given to the Municipality Construction Team Supervisor that the intervention being undertaken was unlawful and a log has been kept to the effect that this person declined to accept the written notice.

Written application was made to Ankara Provincial Governor’s Office, the Province Directorate of Police and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayoralty for the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality teams’ actions to be halted. Additionally, a phone call was made to the Provincial Governor of Ankara in which the situation was outlined and the request made for the intervention as undertaken to be ended. However, the municipal teams continued to perform their activities until 06.30 in the morning. In the inspection conducted in the morning of 19 October, it was established that the route falling within the METU grounds had been opened in full and all trees on the route had been removed. We have been provided with no information as to how some 3,000 trees, including more than 600 pine trees, which needed to be transported, were removed. However, it is impossible for 600 trees to have been transported in one night.

Our University has made a contribution to solving the issue of the road by way of continuation of Anadolu Avenue and has acted with good faith in this regard. On the other hand, without permitting the statutory process in connection with the Construction Plan for Protective Purposes to be completed, the METU grounds were entered in the manner of a raid, construction was commenced in an illegitimate material intervention and trees which are the property of the University were removed without the relevant necessary statutory procedure being followed. Our University will take all of the necessary legal steps in connection with this intervention that was undertaken without its knowledge and permission. As a University, we perceive this approach that is incompatible with good faith and responsible public administration as being unacceptable and violently condemn it.

http://www.radikal.com.tr/turkiye/odtud ... di-1156252

[bill cobbett]

News of a dramatic increase in the number of banned web-sites in Erdogan's Turkey in the past two to three years.

Now up to around 8,000 sites banned.

http://erkansaka.net/archives/27062

[bill cobbett]

News yesterday of the very poor conditions in which those detained in the Gezi Park protests are being held.

Reported at... http://www.aydinlikdaily.com/No-Hot-Wat ... ainees-990

"...The families of citizens arrested during the Gezi Park protests in June met on Saturday to discuss the inhumane conditions their relatives are being kept under in prison. ... "

The father of one of the detainees said...

"... “There is no running water in the prison, the prisoners can’t even wash. When I went to visit my son, he was too ashamed to even hug me....”

[Tim Drayton]

The Chamber of Architects has filed a crime complaint against Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, Melih Gökçek, for entering private property and cutting down trees, with reference to Friday’s ‘midnight raid’ conducted by the municipality at the Middle East Technical University.

http://www.radikal.com.tr/politika/meli ... su-1156455

[Tim Drayton]

Middle East Technical University students, academics and graduates, assisted by some Republican People’s Party (CHP) members of parliament, continue to plant saplings where trees were ripped up during Friday night’s ‘midnight raid’ by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality. There are about 500 policemen stationed in the area, supported by riot control vehicles.

http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/?hn=448014&kn=7&ka=4&kb=7