Gözde Kazaz
Page 2
“The collective memory of Diyarbakir is being destroyed”
While the curfew in Sur ended today after nine days, the entire region, which is in the UNESCO World Heritage List, hangs by a major threat.
9 December 2015
"I understood what exile really means in Middle East"
Working on the Christians in Turkey and Middle East, journalist and historian Sebastien de Courtois was in İstanbul to attend “Minorities in Middle East: A Tough Future” conference that was held in French Cultural Center on October 9. We talked to Courtois about the Shingal exile, refugees’ condition in France and the ancient minorities of Middle East.
20 October 2015
2015 Hrant Dink Awards to women and LGBT rights activists
2015 Hrant Dink Awards were presented last night at the ceremony that was held in Istanbul. Women rights activist Samar Badawi from Saudi Arabia and Kaos GL Collective that has been fighting for LGBT rights in Turkey for 20 years received the awards.
15 September 2015
Undergraduate education in Syriac will be launched, and Armenian is next
After the MA program in Syriac Language and Literature that Mardin Artuklu University has been offering for six years now, preparations for launching an undergraduate program in Syriac Language and Literature within the Faculty of Arts were started. The next step is to launch departments of Armenian Language and Literature and Hebrew Language and Literature.
20 August 2015
Robert Fisk: The Syrian War has occupied Turkey
In a recent article, Robert Fisk, the senior Middle East correspondent of the Independent compared Turkey to Pakistan in the 1980s and said that the recent air bombardment was no surprise given that all powers in the region have betrayed the Kurds. We spoke to Fisk both about the details of the matters he touches on in his article, and whether power balances have changed in the Middle East. Fisk comments that Turkey has become a market place and when seen from this perspective there are more important issues at stake besides whether or not Turkey will enter the war in Syria: “I believe that Syria has started penetrating Turkey. Suruç is an example of this. From this view, the Syrian War but not the Syrians have occupied Turkey. It is not the reverse.”
6 August 2015
Paylan: “The target was the solidarity between Turkey’s west and Kobani”
HDP Istanbul Member of Parliament Garo Paylan, speaking to Agos about the bomb attack in Suruç, reminded that the building that was targeted was a crisis centre for solidarity with Kobane, adding, “This solidarity was targeted today”.
20 July 2015
Armenia: LGBTI community forced to conceal identity to avoid trouble
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.
26 June 2015
The secret everyone knows in Diyarbakır
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.
18 June 2015
‘We want to screen this documentary at Police Academies’
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.”
15 June 2015
Lobna Allamii: I will file lawsuits against all former AKP MPs who have now lost their parliamentary immunity
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.
12 June 2015
Syrian refugees wait for support
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.
2 June 2015
Future of Turkey and Armenia in economic relations
The findings of the CRRC-Armenia/TESEV joint survey on public perception in Armenia on the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations have been published. According to the survey, issues of trust regarding normalization persist, however, especeially the opening of the border and economic relations may constitute an important step in normalization.
14 May 2015
Farewell to Baron Seropyan, a monument of revolutionary attitude
We bid farewell to Sarkis Seropyan. His life of 80 years became more visible during his funeral ceremony, as tens of his friends accompanied Baron Seropyan on his final journey.
31 March 2015
Another step towards a police state
The ‘Internal Security Package’ to be discussed in Parliament next week has once again opened the debate on the boundaries of authority to be transferred to law enforcement. Departing from the security package that has become the focus of criticism, we have examined what the new regulations bring, the path followed by such regulations aiming to protect the ‘continuity of the State’ and the background of the criticized stance of the police force.
4 February 2015
‘The Government’s inner conflict is a good sign’
Executive director of HRW Middle East and North Africa Division Sarah Leah Whitson will be visiting Istanbul on April 24 as part of the ‘Project 2015’ group to take part in the Armenian Genocide 100th Anniversary Commemoration. We interviewed Whitson in Istanbul, where she held meetings with civilian society organizations in Turkey, which will participate in the organization of the commemoration event; and asked her about Turkey’s position in 2015, the Diaspora’s expectations and the impact of Armenian identity on her life.
30 January 2015
New stay of execution verdict for historic Emek Movie Theatre demolition
A new stay of execution verdict has been issued for the continuing construction project at the site of the historical Emek Movie Theatre. On the other hand, the State Council ruled for the launching of an investigation involving four persons including Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan on the grounds that they had not taken “necessary precautions during the construction”.
13 January 2015
For a more ‘fun’ activism, try ArtAct
Armenian activist group ArtAct carries out creative actions against violence and harassment. The ArtAct group is trying to develop new methods beyond traditional activism in order to reach more people, and could inspire similar groups in Turkey.
24 December 2014
Suspect confusion at Kadıköy Church arson case
Arson, not an accident, was the cause of the fire that broke out on the night of December 7, Sunday, at the building that is home to KKBD (Holy Bible Society) and KUT (Kadıköy International Community Church). According to Pam Ohanyan of KUT, thousands of Holy Books and CDs were destroyed in the fire that broke out on the floor where the library of the church was also located.
10 December 2014