The Trouble With Turkey

[Gavur]

Diyarbakir: Suspects released as Turkish rape victim whose nose was cut off withdrew

15 February 2006
17:43
Two suspects were released following a Wednesday hearing on charges of rape and assault in the southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, at which as the 16-year-old woman who had previously filed charges withdrew her case.

http://www.iha.com.tr/bin/directory.dll/pf?CKOSN

Two suspects were released following a Wednesday hearing on charges of rape and assault in the southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, at which as the 16-year-old woman who had previously filed charges withdrew her case.

The woman, known as R.G., had previously gone to the police and given testimony, saying that she had been pushed into prostitution by the family of her jailed husband in order to cover his expenses, and that they had raped and tortured her, cutting off her nose.

The woman, whose nose has since been reconstructed, gave testimony at the hearing which was held in the 3rd Assize Court at 10.30 on Wednesday morning. Ekrem Gezginci, the father-in-law of R.G., who was one of the main suspects accused of holding her hostage and assaulting her, was released following her withdrawal of her charges.

R.G. left the courthouse with her family, using her hands to conceal her face. Ekrem Gezginci reacted in fury in reporters who tried to photograph their departure.

[Gavur]

Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Says Ankara Continues Discriminatory Policy Against Non-

ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY SAYS ANKARA CONTINUES DISCRIMINATORY POLICY AGAINST NON-MUSLIMS
ISTANBUL, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS: In an interview to a Turkish daily Hurriyet the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey and Istanbul, Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian, said the government of Turkey continued the discriminatory policy against its non-Muslim national minorities.
As an example he cited a government decision that exempts donations to Muslim foundation from taxes and imposes huge taxes on donations to Christian and other religious foundations. He said also the government pays for electricity consumed by mosques, while this privilege does not apply to Christian churches, though Christians, like Muslims are also citizens of Turkey and pay taxes.
Mutafian cited another example, saying the government pays for accommodation of Muslim pilgrims when they visit holly Islam sites. which is not the case with Christians and Jews when they make pilgrimage to Jerusalem. "All these manifestations of discrimination make Christians feel humiliated," the Armenian Patriarch said, adding also that the government has not responded to the Armenian Patriarchate's request to open a theological department at an Istanbul University for Christian Armenian students.

[Gavur]

Court orders blind man to read

01/12/2006 21:18 - (SA)


















Istanbul - A blind Turkish pensioner has been sentenced to a 26-day reading and writing course at his local public library after he failed to vote on time in an election for his village co-operative, his son said on Friday.

A prosecutor in the province of Kutahya in northwest Turkey sentenced Ismail Canseven, 73, to the education course after he did not show up for the election of the co-operative's board of directors in May, Isa Canseven told Reuters.

"What am I going to do in a library? I can't see out of either of my eyes, and I can't read or write anyway," Friday's edition of the Hurriyet newspaper quoted Ismail as saying.

Isa Canseven, 42, said he would appeal against the sentence served on his father. "My father can only find the bathroom by holding on to a piece of string we've tied to the (bathroom) wall," he said.

In Turkey, people are obliged by law to vote in elections.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2038877,00.html