Gagrule.net

Gagrule.net News, Views, Interviews worldwide

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • GagruleLive
  • Armenia profile

This is the reason why you should never trust Turks, Iraqi lawyer ‘tortured’ in Istanbul

July 7, 2018 By administrator

Iraqi lawyer ‘tortured’ in Istanbul

Iraqi lawyer ‘tortured’ in Istanbul

ISTANBUL – Demirören News Agency

An Iraqi lawyer has filed a criminal complaint, claiming that two men tortured him in Istanbul, forcing him to wear women underwear as they took his photos and videos to extort money.

According to the lawyer, identified as J.A., his former co-worker Erhan Ç. was the main culprit behind the scheme.

Erhan Ç., a Turkish driver, was reportedly convicted in Iraq for stealing 238,000 U.S. dollars from the car of the owner of the company he worked for in Iraq.

He was released after staying in an Iraqi prison for one year, thanks to the amnesty declared in the country

After entering Turkey illegally, Erhan Ç. allegedly called the company’s lawyer, J.A., and promised to return the money he stole from their boss, if the lawyer can come to Istanbul.

Believing that the former employee regretted his past actions, the Iraqi lawyer agreed and arrived in Istanbul on April 19.

The Turkish man picked J.A from the airport with four of his friends and brought him to his apartment where the Iraqi would be tortured for days by the five men.

The gang allegedly forced the lawyer to wear women underwear, taking videos and photos depicting him as if he was sexually abused.

“They took $2,700 and my cellphones. They threatened to post the photos to my family if I don’t give them $200,000,” the lawyer told the police.

J.A. returned to Iraq to find the money and put his car and apartment on sale, but the gang waited only a few days before sending the photos to the Iraqi’s son, wife and boss through WhatsApp.

The Iraqi lawyer returned Turkey and filed a criminal complaint on May 4, but all suspects remain at large.

According to the initial findings of the investigation launched by Büyükçekmece Chief Prosecutor’s Office, Erhan Ç. was given refugee status by the United Nations in Iraq, where he “escaped” following the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.

“We have included in the file all the evidence, including security camera footage at the Istanbul airport, pro-Gülen social media posts of the suspect and his WhatsApp messages,” attorney Pirozhan Karali said.

 

 

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Iraqi, İstanbul, lawyer, tortured

Istanbul governorship bans holding of Armenian Genocide remembrance event

April 24, 2018 By administrator

istanbul ban Genocide remembrance event

istanbul ban Genocide remembrance event

The Governorship of Istanbul, Turkey, has prohibited an Armenian Genocide commemoration event.

The Human Rights Association Istanbul Branch had planned to carry out an event devoted to the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, at Sultanahmet Square, on Tuesday at noon, according to Evrensel newspaper of Turkey.

But learning that the term “genocide” will be used during the event, the Governorship representatives prohibited to carry it out and suggested doing it without using that word.

Its organizers, however, refused to hold this event without the term “genocide,” and decided to put off this public assembly until 1։30pm and hold it at Taksim Square, instead.

They noted that there will be figures from France at Taksim Square, and therefore Turkish authorities will avoid interference.

 

Filed Under: Articles, Events, Genocide Tagged With: ban Genocide, Event, İstanbul, Remembrance

Armenian artist Daron Mouradian opens first solo exhibition in Turkey

March 21, 2018 By administrator

Mouradian opens first solo exhibition

Mouradian opens first solo exhibition

A solo exhibition of the paintings of Armenian artist Daron Mouradian has opened at the Kadir Has University in Istanbul, Turkey.

The exhibit titled “Open Hidden Game” is Mouradian’s first solo exhibition in Turkey, Panorama.am reports, citing Ermenihaber. The event is curated by Professor Hasan Bülent Kahraman.

Speaking about his works, the Armenia artist says: “I will not talk much, let my paintings talk. Let the visitors decide what my paintings are telling.”

The exhibition runs until 1 July 2018.

Filed Under: Articles, Events Tagged With: İstanbul, Mouradian, solo exhibition

Istanbul hosts Armenian dance concert

March 12, 2018 By administrator

Istanbul Congress Center on Sunday hosted a special concert event dedicated to Armenian dances.

The invited guest performers were the national dance ensemble Maral and the Tatul Altunyan Song and Dance Ensemble, the Istanbul-based Armenian publication Luys reports.

A commentator for the TV channel Dogan described the concert – attended by numerous Turkish and Armenian public and political figures, and intellectuals – as an attempt towards “fostering friendship”.

The event was covered by both Turkish and Armenian media outlets. Also, it becomes clear from one of the videos that many Istanbul-Armenians boycotted the presence of Aram Ateshyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, by chanting loud slogans and exchanging whistles.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Armenian, dance concert, İstanbul

Erdogan Construction Companies cannot keep up building Jails, Istanbul governor and ex-police chief way to jail

February 10, 2018 By administrator

Former Istanbul governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu (R) is giving a press statement with Hüseyin Çapkın, former police chief, on April 30, 2013. (Photo by Sabah daily newspaper)

A court in Turkey has given jail terms to a former governor of Istanbul and an ex-police commissioner over affiliation to the movement of the US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Ankara government accuses of having masterminded the July 2016 coup attempt.

A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday that Istanbul’s 30th Heavy Criminal Court had sentenced former governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu to three years, one month and 15 days in prison, while ex-police commissioner Hüseyin Çapkın got two years and one month in jail.

Mutlu denied any links to the Gulen movement, and strongly rejected all charges.

“Everything about me has been analyzed. It has been seen that I am transparent. I have never had a relationship with this [Gulen] movement. For my whole life, I have adhered to the constitution and the law. There is no tangible evidence in the indictment in relation to [the] Gulen movement,” he said.

Mutlu was arrested on August 5, 2016 along with nine other suspects, shortly after the botched putsch.

Çapkın, who was arrested on September 3, 2016, has also dismissed the charges brought against him.

“I’m not a part of such an organization. I’ve never received help from [such] an organization during my career. I’ve never sent my children to any schools belonging to this group,” he said.

During the botched putsch, a faction of the Turkish military declared that it had seized control of the country and the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was no more in charge. The attempt was, however, suppressed a few hours later.

Ankara has accused Gulen of having orchestrated the coup. The opposition figure is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to topple the government via infiltrating the country’s institutions, particularly the army, police and the judiciary.

Additionally, the Ankara government has outlawed his movement, and has branded it as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Gulen has denounced the “despicable putsch” and reiterated that he had no role in it.

The 76-year-old cleric has called on Ankara to end its “witch hunt” of his followers, a move he said is aimed at “weeding out anyone it deems disloyal to President Erdogan and his regime.”

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: governor, İstanbul, jail, Turkey

Istanbul Armenians sue Turkey interior ministry

February 7, 2018 By administrator

Istanbul armenian

Istanbul armenian

The initiative group to organize the election of the next Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople has filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of the Interior of Turkey.

This initiative group had submitted a petition to the Governorship of Istanbul and the Ministry of the Interior with respect to holding the election of the Patriarch; but it had not received any reply, according to Agos Armenian weekly of Istanbul.

As a result, the initiative group decided to file a lawsuit against the Ministry of the Interior, so as not to lose its rights.

Subsequently, the chairpersons of the foundations of the Istanbul Armenian community and the speaker of the initiative group were called to a meeting at the Governorship of Istanbul, where Süleyman Soylu, the Minister of the Interior of Turkey, also will attend this talk.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Armenian, İstanbul

Istanbul hosts Hrant Dink commemoration march VIDEO

January 19, 2018 By administrator

The Armenians in Turkey and around the globe are for the eleventh year commemorating Hrant Dink, the assassinated editor-in-chief of the Istanbul-based Armenian weekly Agos.  

At the hour symbolizing the tragic moment, activists, intellectuals, journalists or simply ordinary people of Armenian, Turkish and Kurdish descent gathered in Istanbul for a commemoration march to raise the demand for justice in resolving the murder. Members of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, led by Kemal Kilicdaroglu, have also joined the public event.

Dink was gunned down by a teenage Turkish ultranationalist, Ogun Samast, outside his editorial office in Istanbul on Janaury 19, 2007. The trial over the assassination has been dragging on for over a decade wihout reachig its logical outcome.

 

Filed Under: Genocide, News Tagged With: Hrant dink, İstanbul

Armenian church reopens in Istanbul after renovation

December 18, 2017 By administrator

The Surb Khach (Apparition of the Holy Cross) Armenian Church in  Kurucesme district of Constantinople (now Istanbul) has been reopened after reconstruction, Akunq.net reports, citing Agos.

According to the source, the church was anointed on December 9 by Archbishop Sahak Mashalyan. Attending the ceremony were clergymen from the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, representatives of the local Armenian community.

Addressing the audience, Archbishop Mashalyan stressed the importance of taking care of the Armenian churches.

“We have to keep our churches open and pray. Churches are the heart of society, not just the church, but the spirit of the church. I see here today the students of the Surp Cross High School. My wish is to see young people in the church every Sunday,” he said.

After the ceremony dinner was served in the hall of the church. Speaking at the dinner, member of the Board Saro Benkliyan thanked the guests and those who contributed to the reconstruction of the church. The meal ended with Mashalyan giving a plaque of thanks to Myrirdir Sertsimsek, who worked on the renovation of the church.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Armenian, Church, İstanbul

Armenian MP of Turkey ruling party says he is very fortunate to be born in the country

October 22, 2017 By administrator

A tweet by Markar Esayan, Istanbul Armenian MP of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkey, has infuriated Christians living in the country.

“I claim as a Christian that the country in which we live our faith, identity most freely is, very fortunately, our country Turkey, where we were born,” Esayan wrote on his Twitter account.

Several Christian Internet users living in Turkey, however, have strongly reacted to this post.

In particular, the person in charge of Sabro newspaper of the Assyrians commented as follows: “Is this why the Heybeli Island [Greek] Seminary [in Istanbul] is closed, Assyrian property is seized and given to the [Turkish Directorate of] Religious [Affairs], and that’s why Armenian means a swear word in this country.”

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Armenian MP, İstanbul, Markar Esayan

Assyrians struggling for a primary school in Istanbul

September 30, 2017 By administrator

By Uzay BulutSaturday, September 30, 2017

The new school year has started this month in Turkey, but Assyrian Christians, otherwise known as Syriacs or Chaldeans, still do not have a single primary school in the country where they could learn their native language and culture.

The Istanbul-based newspaper Agos reported that the activists of the Syriac community applied to the Ministry of National Education in 2012 to get its permission and support to open a Syriac kindergarten in Istanbul. When their application was rejected, they took on a legal struggle and were finally able to open the Mor Efrem kindergarten without any economic support from the government.

The Mor Efrem kindergarten currently has 50 students and will be open for the fourth semester this year, but unfortunately, there is not a Syriac elementary school in Istanbul where its graduates would be able to enroll.

The Virgin Mary Ancient Syriac Church Foundation in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul is still struggling to open a Syriac elementary school in the city. The officials of the foundation stated that it is impossible for them to open an elementary school without governmental support.

Sait Susin, the head of the foundation, said: “We started our preparations for the school but we are faced with a huge financial burden. It is impossible for us to overcome it, not even with donations. We do need economic support.”

Susin added that their most important need is a building and if the government provides it for them, they will be able to afford other costs. “We have applied to the ministry for that, but we still haven’t received a result,” said Susin.

Assyrians are a Christian people indigenous to the Middle East. Istanbul has an Assyrian community, estimated in around 15,000, but the number is only an approximation. The Turkish government does not officially recognize Assyrians as a distinct ethnic community, so it does not conduct a census on them.

However, in the Ottoman Empire in 1913-1914, there were 2,580 schools belonging to non-Muslims, 29 were Assyrian schools. The last Assyrian school in Turkey, which was located in the city of Mardin, was closed down in 1928 and afterwards, Assyrians were not allowed by Turkish governments to open a primary school where they would be educated in their native language for the next 90 years.

The Assyrian people have inhabited the region since the beginning of recorded history and for 300 years, Assyrian kings ruled the then largest empire of the world. A stateless people today, Assyrians have been continuously brutalized by Muslims in the territory – Turks, Kurds, Arabs, and Persians. The greatest systematic violence against Assyrians and their civilization took place before, during, and at the aftermath of WWI at the hands of the Turkish regimes in what is now Turkey.

According to a report by the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights (CGHR) of the Rutgers University–Newark,
“The Assyrian people have been repeatedly victimized by genocidal assaults over the past century. They first suffered, along Ottoman Greeks and Armenians, from Turkey’s simultaneous genocides during and immediately after World War I… Massacres, rapes, plundering, cultural desecrations, and forced deportations were all endemic. Around 750,000 Assyrians died during the genocide, amounting to nearly three quarters of its prewar population. The rest were dispersed elsewhere, mostly in the Middle East.”

After the 1914-1923 genocide, Assyrian Christians were left out of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which set the boundaries of republican Turkey and became the defining document for the rights and freedoms to be provided for the non-Muslim minorities.

However, the rights of Assyrians were not even mentioned in the treaty. And ever since, not a single Turkish government has carried out democratic reforms to change this situation and finally grant Assyrians their rights. As a result, Assyrians still do not have schools or other government-funded institutions in the country.

The persecution of Assyrians such as the plundering or expropriation of their properties continued after the Turkish republic was established in 1923 and is still going on.

In late June, for example, the Turkish government seized dozens of properties belonging to Assyrian Christians − such as churches, monasteries and cemeteries − and transferred them to public institutions.

On July 15, the Syriac monthly paper, Sabro, reported that,
“In the Sur district of Diyarbakir, a historic church belonging to Syriacs-Chaldeans as well as 12 shops and 2 homes belonging to the church foundation have been expropriated with a cabinet decree.”

In the meanwhile, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on September 13:

“In the 15 years since St Hurmizd was founded, the Assyrian primary school in Western Sydney has grown from a cohort of 85 students, to more than 700. All of the students come from non-English speaking, Assyrian backgrounds, and nearly 200 are new refugee arrivals. Many were welcomed to Australia as part of the Government’s intake of 12,000 Iraqis and Syrians earlier this year.”

If the Australian government can provide Assyrian refugee children with a primary school, why does the Turkish government, a member of NATO and perpetual candidate for EU membership, not do the same for the indigenous Assyrian children in Turkey?

It seems that Turkey’s Assyrian community is going through the latest stage of genocide. US officials should immediately urge the Turkish government to respect the Assyrian right to education as well as their religious liberty. For the Assyrian civilization to survive, the religious and cultural values of Assyrians – and particularly their native language – should be freely used, learnt, and preserved by the community.

But it would not be very realistic to assume that the Turkish government, which is busy with seizing Assyrian properties, would soon provide Assyrians with basic human rights. Hence, it appears to be the ethical and urgent responsibility of Christian leaders in the US and across the world to support the dwindling Assyrian community in Turkey economically as well as psychologically. For if they do not do that, nobody else will. And if the current community plundering and a lack of cultural rights continue, yet another native Christian community in Turkey will eventually be extinct.

Uzay Bulut

Uzay Bulut is a Turkish journalist and political analyst formerly based in Ankara. She graduated from Istanbul’s Bogazici University in 2007 with a BA in Translation and Interpreting Studies. She holds a master’s degree in Media and Cultural Studies at Ankara’s Middle East Technical University.

Source: https://philosproject.org/assyrians-primary-school-istanbul/

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: assyrians, İstanbul, school, struggling

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 16
  • Next Page »

Support Gagrule.net

Subscribe Free News & Update

Search

GagruleLive with Harut Sassounian

Can activist run a Government?

Wally Sarkeesian Interview Onnik Dinkjian and son

https://youtu.be/BiI8_TJzHEM

Khachic Moradian

https://youtu.be/-NkIYpCAIII
https://youtu.be/9_Xi7FA3tGQ
https://youtu.be/Arg8gAhcIb0
https://youtu.be/zzh-WpjGltY





gagrulenet Twitter-Timeline

Tweets by @gagrulenet

Archives

Books

Recent Posts

  • U.S. Judge Dismisses $500 Million Lawsuit By Azeri Lawyer Against ANCA & 29 Others
  • These Are the Social Security Offices Expected to Close This Year, Musk call SS Ponzi Scheme
  • Breaking News, Pashinyan regime has filed charges against public figure Edgar Ghazaryan,
  • ANCA’s Controversial Endorsement: Implications for Armenian Voters
  • (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, has invited Kurdish Leader Öcalan to the Parliament “Ask to end terrorism and dissolve the PKK.”

Recent Comments

  • administrator on Turkish Agent Pashinyan will not attend the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State
  • David on Turkish Agent Pashinyan will not attend the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State
  • Ara Arakelian on A democratic nation has been allowed to die – the UN has failed once more “Nagorno-Karabakh”
  • DV on A democratic nation has been allowed to die – the UN has failed once more “Nagorno-Karabakh”
  • Tavo on I’d call on the people of Syunik to arm themselves, and defend your country – Vazgen Manukyan

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in