News
Selected news coverage, focusing on civil society, environmental issues, human rights, social justice and urbanism
‘Our Lives Are Very Worthless’: Garment and Textile Workers Decry Rights Violations
Devastating earthquakes in south-eastern Turkey last year also left workers vulnerable, according to new report by the Clean Clothes Campaign. (Equal Times)
Istanbul Platform Aims to Keep Earthquake Aid Flowing
An anonymous donation system helped Istanbul residents through Covid and economic hardship. Now it’s going international to sustain earthquake relief in the region. (Bloomberg CityLab)
Art Orgs Mobilize Support After Turkey-Syria Earthquakes
Artists and cultural organizations have been contributing to the post-disaster relief efforts despite their own needs for support. (Hyperallergic)
Turkish Workers Fight for Pay Rises as Inflation Bites
As inflation tops 60%, workers have staged a series of protests this year – winning concessions that could revive interest in unions. (Thomson Reuters Foundation News)
Urban Development Helped Fuel Turkey’s ‘Sea Snot’ Invasion
Industrialization and population growth in the Istanbul region is being blamed for a slimy outbreak of marine mucilage, threatening sea life in the Marmara Sea. (Bloomberg CityLab)
New Homes, Highways Boost Flood Risk on Turkey's Northern Coast
Two recent deadly floods have sparked fresh warnings about unchecked development in the country's Black Sea region. (Thomson Reuters Foundation News)
Turkish Arts Philanthropist Acquitted, Then Detained Again
Imprisoned since 2017, Osman Kavala was found not guilty of attempting to overthrow the government, but re-detained on new charges before he could even taste freedom.(Hyperallergic)
Turkey Ploughs on with Controversial €1.2 Billion Dam Project
The work going on here threatens to displace tens of thousands of people across the Tigris Valley and submerge 12,000 years of history in Hasankeyf. (Equal Times)
Turkey's Building Boom Takes Toll on Worker Safety
Worker safety issues in Turkey’s mining industry have been the subject of a national outcry, but the country’s construction sector is no less perilous for workers. (IPS)
More than a Game: Turkish Women’s Champs Become Symbols, Scapegoats
Victory by the ‘Sultans of the Net’ comes at a time when gender equality and LGBTQ rights are seen as increasingly under attack in Turkey. (Turkey Recap)
Humanitarian Challenges Mount in Turkey Ahead of Hotly Contested Election
Recovery from earthquake devastation is among the pressing challenges as Turkey heads into critical elections amid ongoing cost-of-living crisis in world’s largest refugee-hosting nation. (The New Humanitarian)
Earthquake Aid From Istanbul: Feeding and Supporting Those In Need
Culinary solidarity after Turkey’s earthquakes: cooking in tent camps, delivering food aid, and supporting small local producers. (Culinary Backstreets)
The Fight Against Poverty in Istanbul, One Soaring Bill at a Time
A donation platform getting anonymous aid to families at the height of the pandemic has found renewed relevance as an economic crisis batters Turkey. (Bloomberg CityLab)
Climate Shifts and Rising Demand Leave Turkey Battling Growing Water Stress
Population growth, urbanization, climate change and poor water management are straining Turkey's water supplies. (Thomson Reuters Foundation News)
Across the World, Construction Workers are Caught Between Coronavirus Risk and Joblessness
Construction industry practices have come under scrutiny in many countries amid the on-going pandemic. (Equal Times)
Controversy in Istanbul Underscores Rising Political Pressures on Turkish Art Scene
A nationalist message from the head of the country’s biggest contemporary art fair stands in stark contrast to limits of expression on other segments of the Turkish art world. (Hyperallergic)
'We Want Our Jobs Back': Turkish Workers Protest Post-Coup Purges
Many of the public-sector employees removed from their posts believe that they have been targeted for their union activity. (Equal Times)
Centuries-Old Gardens Are the Latest Battleground in Istanbul
The ongoing debate about the fate of traditional market gardens raises bigger questions about who benefits from the city's changing landscape. (CityLab)
Pro-Erdoğan Protesters Target Istanbul Exhibition Deemed “LGBT Propaganda”
Artİstanbul Feshane briefly forced to shut its doors after conservative groups decried artworks containing nudity and imagery seen as critical of the state. (Hyperallergic)
How Turkey’s President Is Weaponizing Culture
Known for persecuting artists and cultural figures, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government is being accused of “artwashing” as he vies for influence in the world of art and culture ahead of critical elections. (Hyperallergic)
Turkey Targets Film Deemed ‘LGBT Propaganda’
The Turkish Culture Ministry has demanded its funding back on an award-winning independent film after a smear campaign by conservative media. (Hyperallergic)
The Price Isn’t Right: Economic Turmoil Bites in Istanbul
How the falling lira is affecting Turkey’s food and beverage sector, endangering the future of small businesses that were already hard-hit by the pandemic. (Culinary Backstreets)
Climate Campaigners Grapple with Constraints of Corona-era Activism
Around the world, environmentally damaging construction continues while activists’ ability to respond is hampered by virus restrictions. (Politico)
As the World Stays Home, Street Vendors Fight to Survive
Since the pandemic hit, once-vibrant streets have largely gone silent, leaving people who form an essential part of the urban fabric in a precarious position. (City Monitor)
Censorship Fogging Up Pollution Researchers' Work
In Turkey, rapid urbanization and poor pollution control are impacting public health. Researchers say the government is fully aware, and is punishing experts who've tried to warn the public. (Deutsche Welle)
Turkish Retailers Navigate Shaky Climate for Tourism
Amid political and security concerns, they are counting on domestic spending and an ability to adapt to changing times. (Women's Wear Daily)
Violence, Tear Gas Greet Protests to Save One of the Last Public Parks in Istanbul
The battle over Gezi Park, a rare green space in the city center, has become a symbol of opposition to Istanbul’s massive urban upheaval. (CityLab)
More news stories on civil society and human rights issues
>> Tomb of Fallen Warrior to Move Before Dam Floods Ancient Turkish Township The 15th century tomb of fallen warrior Zeynel Bey is due to be moved from the banks of the Tigris river in southeast Turkey on Tuesday, marking the symbolic end of a decades-long battle to stop a new dam and inundation of a 12,000-year-old settlement. (Thomson Reuters Foundation, 2017)
>> The Renewal and Repression of Turkey’s Civil Society Grassroots Citizen-organized assistance efforts after Turkey’s deadliest-ever terrorist attack are equally revealing of how activist efforts have been both repressed and revitalized. (Equal Times, 2015)
>> Rights at Risk in Turkey’s Anti-Terror Crackdown Still reeling from a deadly terror attack in a majority Kurdish town near the Syrian border, Turkey’s Kurds say they are targeted once again – this time by the counterterrorism measures their own government has taken in response. (Equal Times, 2015)
>> Amid Strife, Turks Break Fast Together for Ramadan The iftar meal that breaks the day’s fast became a forum for Turkish people to express their dissatisfaction with the direction they feel the country is taking. (Zester Daily, 2013)
>> Occupy Istanbul? Inside the Growing Mini-City at Gezi Park There are tents, libraries, free food, even free hugs. But how long will it be allowed to last? (CityLab, 2013)
More news stories on environmental issues
>> Living (and Dying) With Coal Photographer Kerem Yücel’s series “Smoky Future” documents the immediate—and visible–effects of coal-fired power plants on communities in Turkey. (Sierra, 2016)
>> Istanbul Is Slowly But Surely Getting On Its Bike Despite many obstacles, there are encouraging signs of a growing cycling culture in Turkey’s largest metropolis. (The National, 2015)
More news stories on labor issues
>> See You in Court: A Rise in Legal Attacks Against Rights Defenders Aims to Silence Corporate Critics Legal attacks by companies on trade union organizers and other human rights defenders are on the rise globally, with southeast Asia, central America, eastern Europe and Russia among the hotspots for judicial harassment. (Equal Times, 2020)
>> TÜMTİS and the Case that 'Threatens All Trade Unions in Turkey' As political strife roils Turkey, the union that provided a model for labour organizing in tough times is enmeshed in a decade-long legal case that threatens to further erode the rights of all unions in the country. (Equal Times, 2017)
More news stories on women’s rights issues
>> Oscar-Nominee ‘Mustang’ Puts Turkey in Unwanted Spotlight A cinematic depiction of five adolescent sisters being married off one by one in rural Turkey has received accolades abroad but a decidedly more mixed reaction at home. (Women’s eNews, 2016)
>> Maternity Leave Boost May Backfire in Turkey A government proposal to lengthen the duration of paid maternity leave from four months to six months is generating apprehension rather than applause from women in Turkey. (Women's eNews, 2013)
>> Turkish Women Blow Whistle on Rights Crackdown Dozens of rallies have been held around the country to protest a new threat to reproductive rights. (Women's eNews, 2012)
>> Women of the World Unite for Rights The world’s recent financial and political upheavals have not been kind to women, participants said at the 12th International Forum on Women’s Rights and Development.
>> Economic Crisis Hits Gender Budgeting Over the last 10 years, there has been a growing movement to monitor national, regional, and local budgets and demand changes to allocation priorities to give women their due. (IPS-Inter Press Service, 2012)