About: authoritarian regime
Erdogan says he will consider referendum on Turkey’s EU bid
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday (4 October) he would consider putting Turkey's long-stalled bid to join the European Union to a referendum, signalling exasperation with a process he says has been waylaid by prejudice against Muslims.
Turkey reboots with masterplan for Erdogan one-man rule until 2028
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will be sworn in for a second term today (9 July), wielding hefty new constitutional powers as he oversees a radically different system of government.
Chilly Western reactions to Erdogan’s win
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday (26 June) celebrated winning sweeping new powers in a decisive election victory, as his main rival accepted the outcome despite complaints over an unequal campaign that alarmed the EU.
EU, rights activists express outrage over police brutality, arrests in Russia
Foreign governments and rights activists on Sunday (6 May) expressed outrage over mass arrests in Russia and the brutality with which protests were broken up on the eve of Vladimir Putin's inauguration.
Turkey vows to launch new cross-border military operations
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday (6 May) said Turkey would launch cross-border offensives, like previous military operations in Syria, in the "new era" after snap polls on 24 June.
Erdogan: Austria will ‘pay a price’ for banning Turkish campaigning
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Saturday (21 April) criticised Austria for planning to ban any possible campaigning for the June elections, saying that countries attempting to undermine his country's democratic struggle would "pay a price".
Armenian president calls for dialogue as opposition chants ‘Say no to Serzh’
Armenian President Armen Sargsyan on Thursday (19 April) called for dialogue, as thousands continued to protest on the streets against the appointment of the new prime minister, who was president for 10 years before switching jobs this month.
Erdogan calls early elections under state of emergency, new purges underway
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday (18 April) called snap elections for 24 June, saying economic challenges and the war in Syria meant Turkey must switch quickly to the powerful executive presidency that goes into effect after the vote. The...
Hahn: Turkey taking ‘huge strides’ away from EU
Turkey is moving rapidly away from the path of European Union membership, the top EU official in charge of negotiations said on Tuesday (17 April), as Brussels delivered its harshest criticism yet of what it sees as Ankara's shift towards authoritarianism.
Thousands protest Sargsyan’s PM bid in Armenia, several hurt in scuffles
Around 6,000 gathered in Armenia's capital on Monday (16 April) in protest at what the opposition calls a power grab by former president Serzh Sargsyan and several people were injured in scuffles with police.
Philippines bars EU party official critical of Duterte
The Philippines has barred entry to an EU party official critical of President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal drugs crackdown, in a move denounced by critics Monday (16 April) as a gag on dissent.
Dozens arrested as Belarus opposition marks ‘Freedom Day’
Belarusian authorities on Sunday (25 March) arrested around 30 protesters in Minsk ahead of a banned opposition march while detaining activists across the country, human rights group Viasna said.
Erdogan comes to leaders meeting with footage exposing ‘EU terrorism support’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrives in the Bulgarian port city of Varna today (26 March) equipped with video footage that allegedly illustrates Ankara’s claim that EU countries host terrorists and do nothing to fight them.
Russia’s Navalny detained as protesters point to poll fraud threat
Russian police wrestled opposition leader Alexei Navalny into a patrol wagon on Sunday (28 January) moments after he appeared at a rally to urge voters to boycott what he said would be a rigged presidential election in March.
Turkey tells EU to back their anti-Kurd campaign in Syria
Turkey's European affairs ministers told the EU yesterday (25 January) to side with Ankara in its campaign against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria.
Turkey detains dozens more in ‘terror propaganda’ clampdown
Turkish security forces yesterday (23 January) detained dozens more people nationwide on accusations of spreading propaganda for "terror" groups, in a major clampdown as Ankara presses its new offensive inside Syria.
Turkish courts reject jailed journalists’ request to be released
Turkish penal courts decided to keep two jailed journalists in detention, state-run news agency Anadolu said yesterday (11 January), hours after a top court had requested they be released because their rights had been violated while in custody.
WSJ says Turkey reporter convicted of ‘terror propaganda’
The Wall Street Journal said one of its reporters has been convicted in Turkey and jailed in absentia on charges of publishing "terror propaganda" in a 2015 article on clashes between the Turkish army and outlawed Kurdish militants.
Turkish asylum applications in Germany jump 55% this year, many rejected
The number of Turks seeking asylum in Germany is up sharply this year and has been rising steadily since last year's failed military coup in Turkey, German government data showed on Monday (18 September).
Merkel attacks Turkey’s ‘misuse’ of Interpol warrants
German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised Turkey's use of an Interpol arrest warrant to detain a German writer in Spain, telling an election town hall event yesterday (20 August) that this amounted to abuse of the international police agency.
Germany says EU aid to Turkey could be halted over arrests
Germany raised the possibility on Wednesday (19 July) of suspending European Union aid payments to Turkey after summoning Ankara's ambassador to Berlin to protest over the arrest of six human rights activists including a German citizen.
Erdogan hits out at EU, promises to ‘rip heads’
A defiant President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday (16 July) stepped up his attack on the European Union, saying Turkey had to go its own way and vowing to bring back the death penalty if parliament passes it.
Turkey detains 10 at human rights meeting, EU, US concerned
Turkish police have detained 10 people, including the local director of Amnesty International and other rights activists, on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organisation, Amnesty said yesterday (6 July) in what it called a "grotesque abuse of power".