May 2018

Turkey’s constitutional referendum ‘sham election’

2018-05-24 09:07 BST
Posted in:
Domestic Politics
English

On 23 May 2018, an article was published in Foreign Policy in which it was claimed that Turkey’s April 2017 was a ‘sham election’.

“While many Western observers were busy condemning sham elections in Turkey and Russia, Trump picked up the phone and congratulated both leaders,” the article read, apparently referring to the constitutional referendum of Turkey held on 16 April 2017.

Factual mistakes and incomplete information in Foreign Policy article

2018-05-15 03:14 BST
Posted in:
Domestic Politics
English

On 11 May 2018, an article penned by ex-CIA official Henri Barkey which included factual mistakes and provided incomplete information was published in Foreign Policy.

Firstly, alleging that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can “cheat if it becomes necessary,” the article called the unstamped ballots in Turkey's April 2017 constitutional referendum ‘illegal’.

Is freedom of assembly suspended in Turkey under state of emergency?

2018-05-10 01:28 BST
Posted in:
Authoritarianism
English

On 9 May 2018, The Independent published an article about the upcoming visit of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the United Kingdom. Giving a brief summary about the political developments in Turkey and the snap general elections on June 24, the article claimed that the elections will be held during a state of emergency in which the assembly of large groups is suspended.

Claim: Alcohol sales restricted in Turkey to ‘Islamize’ society

2018-05-05 01:05 BST
Posted in:
Social Issues
English

On 27 April 2018, an article titled “Vente d'alcool restreinte en Turquie : ‘Ça fait partie de leur volonté d'islamiser la société’” (Alcohol sales restricted in Turkey: ‘it makes part of their will to Islamize the society’) was published in Liberation. Quoting a shopkeeper, the article claims that the government put an alcohol sale ban on grocery stores after 10 pm to “target the seculars.”

Claim: Turkey 'jails journalists'

2018-05-03 02:22 BST
Posted in:
Press Freedom
English

May 3 is celebrated as the World Press Freedom Day. During this day, several media outlets used expressions like Turkey “jails” or “oppresses” journalists. However when the names and the crimes of the imprisoned journalists are examined, it can be seen that these persons were not imprisoned for their journalism, but because of the evidence showing their criminal acts which are different than their journalism activities.

As Fact-Checking Turkey, we prepared a short list of some of the accusations brought against jailed “journalists” in Turkey.

Can Dundar

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