On 6 July at noon, the police forced protestors, who for the last two weeks had taken to the streets to voice their opposition to the electricity price rise, out of Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan.

Protests against an electricity price rise appear to have lost momentum: The government’s suspension of the price rise for “re-examination” as well as differences in opinion and indecision among protestors have played their part.

The procedure of investigating the ‘race code’ of students in state records for students applying to non-Muslim schools is to be abolished. A public mandate has been prepared to end the procedure that received a very strong reaction. According to the public mandate that will be published in the Official Gazette in the coming days, headmasters will have the authority over school registrations. Schools will now also have the right to recommend teachers of cultural courses in Turkish to the Ministry of National Education.

Nvard Mafaryan, Pink Armenia Project Coordinator, travelled from Armenia to Istanbul to take part in the panel titled “LGBTI Struggle in Neighbouring Armenia” organized on the occasion of the 23rd LGBTI Pride Week, and spoke to AGOS about the LGBTI community in Armenia that is trying to protect its existence against the homophobia of the State and media, and the intersections between the rights’ struggles in Armenia and Turkey. The conversation then inevitably led to the continuing protests in Yerevan.

Last night, police attacked the group that had resisted in Yerevan’s Freedom Square protesting against an electricity price rise.

The victory YPG and Burkan al-Furat won in the Tell Abyad region of Syria has become a topic of broad debate both because of the refuge influx into Turkey, and the heavy defeat suffered by ISIS. We talked with HDP Mardin MP Mithat Sancar, who follows developments in the region closely, about the importance of saving Tell Abyad from ISIS, and the accusations directed at YPG.

The tension in Diyarbakır has increased once again following first the bombings at a HDP rally, and then the murder of 4 people. Helsinki Citizens Assembly Member Nalan Erkem and Mazlumder Diyarbakır Board Member Reha Ruhavioğlu, who were in the commission that visited the city for observations, have recounted the situation in the city. According to eyewitnesses, a jihadist streak has become more prominent in the region for months, and although everyone including the police has been aware of this, no one has acted to prevent the events.

Police violence once again arrives on the silver screen with the documentary ‘Article 16: Right to Life’. Co-director Yılmaz Kılıç says, “We did not shoot this documentary, it’s all the work of the police. All we did was to transmit their work.”

The beginning of the 6th Trans Pride Week, which will conclude with a rally in Taksim on June 21 was announced yesterday at a press conference. Speaking at the press conference, Istanbul LGBTI activists said, “We need a law against hate and violence”. The 23rd Istanbul LGBTI Pride Week will begin next Monday.

We received an e-mail the other day: “Hi, it’s Lobna. A lot of people have called me for interviews, but I want to talk to AGOS as well.” So, computers were switched on in Berlin and Istanbul; and we talked about the two years that have passed since the police shot Lobna with a gas cannister during the Gezi resistance, the election results and her roots.

CHP Istanbul Member of Parliament Selina Doğan, assessed her party’s performance at the general election for AGOS, and listed her priority tasks in Parliament.

HDP Co-Chairperson Selahattin Demirtaş has stated that they were well aware of their responsibility and that they would not allow for chaos, tension, insecurity and instability in Turkey.

The Foreign Ministry of Turkey published a letter of condemnation after the Federal Senate of Brazil passed a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Turkey has also recalled its Ambassador to Brazil for talks.

HDP Istanbul Member of Parliament spoke to AGOS after the election results were announced.

The June 7 general election has brought Armenian, Assyrian, Mhallami and Ezidi members into parliament. Meet the minority representatives in this colourful parliament.

46 million voters went to the polls for the June 7 Elections, producing a series of striking outcomes. As the 13-year AKP rule came to an end, the HDP passed the election threshold; and possible coalition scenarios are now being discussed.

HDP Co-Chairpersons Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ held a press-conference following the HDP’s election victory. The leaders thanked those who supported the collective effort, and declared, “no coalition with the AKP”.

Turkey votes for the 25th term members of parliament in one of the most important elections in the history of the Republic.

2 people are reported dead following a double explosion at the HDP’s Diyarbakır rally. HDP Co-Chairperson Selahattin Demirtaş repeated his call for calm and peace as in previous attacks targeting the party: “We will win, peace will win. I congratulate your resolve.”

Armenian civilian society organizations have rolled up their sleeves to find a solution for the shelter problem of the 15 thousand Syrian refugees in the country. The #RootsForRefugees campaign that will begin in the 2nd week of June will provide rent support for refugees trying to rebuild their lives in cities. Campaign organizers have called on Diaspora Armenians to contribute to the campaign.