Joost Lagendijk
@joostlagendijk.bsky.social
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Important thread
The breadth and intensity of legal actions targeting the CHP, the İstanbul Municipality, İmamoğlu, and Özel serve three strategic objectives.
Categorically, Kilicdaroglu's offer to protect the CHP against Ankara's legal attack on the party is no different from the calls by the People's Alliance to strengthen the so-called domestic front against the security threats arising from a fragile region.
June 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Important thread
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Erdoğan’s only real ideology is power. He wraps himself in whatever banner serves his autocratic aims — ‘conservative democracy’ early on, Islamism during the Arab Spring, and then Turkish nationalism. The label changes. The goal — absolute, unchecked power — never does. And that is THE problem.
Opinion | Turkey’s People Are Resisting Autocracy. They Deserve More Than Silence.
The world’s democracies can speak up to make Erdogan’s life less comfortable.
www.nytimes.com
April 27, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Erdoğan’s only real ideology is power. He wraps himself in whatever banner serves his autocratic aims — ‘conservative democracy’ early on, Islamism during the Arab Spring, and then Turkish nationalism. The label changes. The goal — absolute, unchecked power — never does. And that is THE problem.
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
I’m glad the New York Times is highlighting the Turkish people’s fight for democracy, but this editorial — like a few others lately — misses the mark: stop viewing Erdoğan through an outdated Islamist lens. It distorts Turkey’s reality and weakens the point you’re trying to make. ++
April 27, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I’m glad the New York Times is highlighting the Turkish people’s fight for democracy, but this editorial — like a few others lately — misses the mark: stop viewing Erdoğan through an outdated Islamist lens. It distorts Turkey’s reality and weakens the point you’re trying to make. ++
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
11 people, including TV actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, reportedly detained in Turkey for publicly supporting a student-led economic boycott yesterday to protest the arrests of their peers during political demonstrations.
Boykot çağrısına destek veren dizi oyuncusu Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu'nun da aralarında bulunduğu 11 kişi gözaltına alındı.
Boykota destek veren dizi oyuncusu gözaltında
İstanbul Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığının başlattığı soruşturma nedeniyle 16 kişi hakkında gözaltı kararı verildi. Aralarında Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu'nun da olduğu 11 kişi gözaltına alındı.
bianet.org
April 3, 2025 at 8:26 AM
11 people, including TV actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, reportedly detained in Turkey for publicly supporting a student-led economic boycott yesterday to protest the arrests of their peers during political demonstrations.
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
It is also an effective way to keep the resistance mobilised and engaged without losing momentum or relying solely on mass protests!
April 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
It is also an effective way to keep the resistance mobilised and engaged without losing momentum or relying solely on mass protests!
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Erdogan & co. are up in arms about the boycott, calling it treason and threatening legal action--a sign of panic.
Boycott is effective b/c pro-AKP businesses rely on urban middle class consumers whom the govt is busy beating up, jailing and alienating.
The logic is simple: hit'em where it hurts!
Boycott is effective b/c pro-AKP businesses rely on urban middle class consumers whom the govt is busy beating up, jailing and alienating.
The logic is simple: hit'em where it hurts!
April 2, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Erdogan & co. are up in arms about the boycott, calling it treason and threatening legal action--a sign of panic.
Boycott is effective b/c pro-AKP businesses rely on urban middle class consumers whom the govt is busy beating up, jailing and alienating.
The logic is simple: hit'em where it hurts!
Boycott is effective b/c pro-AKP businesses rely on urban middle class consumers whom the govt is busy beating up, jailing and alienating.
The logic is simple: hit'em where it hurts!
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
There's a countrywide boycott of government-aligned businesses in 🇹🇷 -- and it's working! Intense social media campaign for Muse to postpone its Istanbul concert, organised by an AKP-linked entertainment company, has just born fruit.
April 2, 2025 at 3:14 PM
There's a countrywide boycott of government-aligned businesses in 🇹🇷 -- and it's working! Intense social media campaign for Muse to postpone its Istanbul concert, organised by an AKP-linked entertainment company, has just born fruit.
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Muse postpones İstanbul concert amid anti-government boycott bianet.org/haber/muse-p...
Muse postpones İstanbul concert amid anti-government boycott
The organizer of the Muse concert scheduled for June came under fire after labeling the ongoing boycott campaign as "treason," which resulted in their inclusion in the campaign as well.
bianet.org
April 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Muse postpones İstanbul concert amid anti-government boycott bianet.org/haber/muse-p...
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
CHP ends nightly protests outside İstanbul city hall: ‘We thwarted a coup’ bianet.org/haber/chp-en...
CHP ends nightly protests outside İstanbul city hall: ‘We thwarted a coup’
Özel said the protests prevented the government from installing a trustee in the city administration following İmamoğlu’s arrest.
bianet.org
March 26, 2025 at 9:21 AM
CHP ends nightly protests outside İstanbul city hall: ‘We thwarted a coup’ bianet.org/haber/chp-en...
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Today, on the 6th day of protests, CHP leader took a step ahead from simply calling for protests night after night. He has just read out a boycott list of Turkish businesses, brands and medias, known to be close to president Erdogan's government. Many had been wondering, what could be the next move.
March 24, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Today, on the 6th day of protests, CHP leader took a step ahead from simply calling for protests night after night. He has just read out a boycott list of Turkish businesses, brands and medias, known to be close to president Erdogan's government. Many had been wondering, what could be the next move.
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
This morning's police raids targeted 106 suspects but the focus, of course, is on the man who is Turkey's most recognisable politician after Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Where now for Ekrem İmamoğlu, President Erdoğan and Turkey?
A thread after a tumultuous 24 hours.
Where now for Ekrem İmamoğlu, President Erdoğan and Turkey?
A thread after a tumultuous 24 hours.
March 19, 2025 at 3:12 PM
This morning's police raids targeted 106 suspects but the focus, of course, is on the man who is Turkey's most recognisable politician after Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Where now for Ekrem İmamoğlu, President Erdoğan and Turkey?
A thread after a tumultuous 24 hours.
Where now for Ekrem İmamoğlu, President Erdoğan and Turkey?
A thread after a tumultuous 24 hours.
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
What geopolitics? 1. Trump in power gives autocrats room for suppression without reprimand, 2. Knows Europe needs Turkey more than ever for security and won't speak up, 3. Syria strengthened his hand, forced Kurds into truce, effectively dividing & paralysing domestic opposition.
March 19, 2025 at 7:38 AM
What geopolitics? 1. Trump in power gives autocrats room for suppression without reprimand, 2. Knows Europe needs Turkey more than ever for security and won't speak up, 3. Syria strengthened his hand, forced Kurds into truce, effectively dividing & paralysing domestic opposition.
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
A self-coup happening in Turkey! Istanbul mayor and the man to beat Erdoğan--Ekrem İmamoğlu--is arrested. Social media restrictions and ban on demonstrations in place... Threatened by surging opposition, Erdoğan is taking advantage of geopolitics & going full authoritarian! 1/2
March 19, 2025 at 7:38 AM
A self-coup happening in Turkey! Istanbul mayor and the man to beat Erdoğan--Ekrem İmamoğlu--is arrested. Social media restrictions and ban on demonstrations in place... Threatened by surging opposition, Erdoğan is taking advantage of geopolitics & going full authoritarian! 1/2
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Follow our feed for live updates bianet.org/haber/istanb...
İstanbul's İmamoğlu detained in sweeping investigation
İmamoğlu and dozens of municipal officials and CHP members have been taken into custody.
bianet.org
March 19, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Follow our feed for live updates bianet.org/haber/istanb...
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, others detained in sweeping investigation
İmamoğlu is accused of "leading a criminal group" and terrorism-related activities bianet.org/haber/istanb...
İmamoğlu is accused of "leading a criminal group" and terrorism-related activities bianet.org/haber/istanb...
İstanbul's İmamoğlu detained in sweeping investigation
İmamoğlu and dozens of CHP members have been taken into custody.
bianet.org
March 19, 2025 at 7:00 AM
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, others detained in sweeping investigation
İmamoğlu is accused of "leading a criminal group" and terrorism-related activities bianet.org/haber/istanb...
İmamoğlu is accused of "leading a criminal group" and terrorism-related activities bianet.org/haber/istanb...
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Turkey is the key player in the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue, but Ankara has to overcome a contradiction : believing that normalisation with Armenia will make 🇹🇷a stronger player in the Caucasus, but not wanting to act without the backing of Baku, its major partner.
carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
Armenia and Azerbaijan’s Major Step Forward
After decades of conflict, the two moved closer to a peace deal. But outside support, especially from Ankara, is critical to maintain momentum.
carnegieendowment.org
March 18, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Turkey is the key player in the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue, but Ankara has to overcome a contradiction : believing that normalisation with Armenia will make 🇹🇷a stronger player in the Caucasus, but not wanting to act without the backing of Baku, its major partner.
carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
A call heard across Turkey, Syria and northern Iraq: Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdish militant leader imprisoned on a remote island south of Istanbul called on the PKK to lay down arms and then dissolve, signalling a potential end to four decades of insurgency.
My piece for @theguardian.com
My piece for @theguardian.com
Jailed Kurdish leader calls for PKK to disarm – in shift that could shake up region
Abdullah Öcalan’s message, which follows four decades of guerrilla warfare, will have far-reaching implications
www.theguardian.com
February 27, 2025 at 5:15 PM
A call heard across Turkey, Syria and northern Iraq: Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdish militant leader imprisoned on a remote island south of Istanbul called on the PKK to lay down arms and then dissolve, signalling a potential end to four decades of insurgency.
My piece for @theguardian.com
My piece for @theguardian.com
Brilliant read on Trump’s second coming: ‘From Comedy to Brutality’ by Fintan O’Toole @fotoole.bsky.social in the March 13 edition of the New York Review of Books
February 23, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Brilliant read on Trump’s second coming: ‘From Comedy to Brutality’ by Fintan O’Toole @fotoole.bsky.social in the March 13 edition of the New York Review of Books
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Turkey arrests dozens of politicians, journalists, public figures in broad crackdown
Investigations target individuals from a wide range of the political spectrum, from the İstanbul mayor to pro-Kurdish and anti-immigrant politicians. bianet.org/haber/turkey...
Investigations target individuals from a wide range of the political spectrum, from the İstanbul mayor to pro-Kurdish and anti-immigrant politicians. bianet.org/haber/turkey...
Turkey arrests dozens of politicians, journalists, public figures in broad crackdown
Investigations target individuals from a wide range of the political spectrum, from the İstanbul mayor to pro-Kurdish and anti-immigrant politicians.
bianet.org
January 30, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Turkey arrests dozens of politicians, journalists, public figures in broad crackdown
Investigations target individuals from a wide range of the political spectrum, from the İstanbul mayor to pro-Kurdish and anti-immigrant politicians. bianet.org/haber/turkey...
Investigations target individuals from a wide range of the political spectrum, from the İstanbul mayor to pro-Kurdish and anti-immigrant politicians. bianet.org/haber/turkey...
Reposted by Joost Lagendijk
Long Reuters piece on the negotiations over how to deal with the SDF’s reintegration in a new Syria, by Maya Gebeily, Jonathan Spicer, and Tuvan Gumrukcu.
@jonathanspicer.bsky.social
@tuvangumrukcu.bsky.social
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Negotiators zero in on potential deal to disarm Syria's last battleground
They are looking to resolve one of the most explosive questions looming over Syria: the fate of Kurdish forces that the U.S. considers key allies against Islamic State and that Turkey regards as a national security threat.
www.reuters.com
January 19, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Long Reuters piece on the negotiations over how to deal with the SDF’s reintegration in a new Syria, by Maya Gebeily, Jonathan Spicer, and Tuvan Gumrukcu.
@jonathanspicer.bsky.social
@tuvangumrukcu.bsky.social
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
18 years ago Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was killed. Today, at the commemorative event in Istanbul, it was clear that he won’t be forgotten and the struggle for freedom and democracy in Turkey continues.
January 19, 2025 at 3:47 PM
18 years ago Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was killed. Today, at the commemorative event in Istanbul, it was clear that he won’t be forgotten and the struggle for freedom and democracy in Turkey continues.