Latest news with #Erdogan
Leader Live
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Turkey's Erdogan appoints legal team to draft new constitution
Mr Erdogan, who has led Turkey as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, has advocated for a new constitution arguing that the current one, which was drafted following a military coup in 1980, is outdated and retains elements of military influence even though it was amended several times. 'As of yesterday, I have assigned 10 legal experts to begin their work, and with this effort, we will proceed with the preparations for the new constitution,' Mr Erdogan told his ruling party's local administrators in a speech. 'For 23 years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our sincere intention to crown our democracy with a new civilian and libertarian constitution.' Under the current constitution, Mr Erdogan cannot run again unless early elections are called or the legal framework is changed. Critics see the push for a new constitution as a possible path for re-election, allowing legal changes that would bypass the constitutional term limits. Mr Erdogan, who has grown increasingly authoritarian over the years, has denied seeking a new constitution in order to remain in power, saying last week, 'we want the new constitution not for ourselves, but our country'. Mr Erdogan's ruling party and its nationalist allies lack the votes needed to usher in a new constitution. Some analysts believe the government's recent effort to end the decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, is part of a strategy to gain the support of a pro-Kurdish party in parliament for the new charter. The effort to introduce a new constitution comes months after Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular mayor of Istanbul and a key Erdogan rival, was arrested and jailed on corruption charges. His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated, although the government insists Turkey's judiciary is independent and free of political influence. It triggered widespread demonstrations calling for his release and an end to Turkey's democratic backsliding under Mr Erdogan.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Britain risks 'reintroducing a blasphemy law' by prosecuting man, 50, who allegedly shouted 'f*** Islam' as he burned Koran outside Turkish consulate, court hears
The prosecution of a man who allegedly burned a Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London risks 'reintroducing a blasphemy law' in the UK, a court heard today. Hamit Coskun, 50, allegedly shouted 'f*** Islam', 'Islam is religion of terrorism' and Koran is burning' as he held the flaming Muslim holy book aloft in Rutland Gardens, Knightsbridge, on February 13. He pleaded not guilty to a religiously aggravated public order offence of using disorderly behaviour motivated by 'hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam' and also denied an alternative charge of using disorderly behaviour. Turkey-born Coskun, who is half Kurdish and half Armenian, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today for his trial wearing a charcoal hoodie, dark trousers and white trainers. He travelled from his home in the Midlands on February 13 and set fire to the Koran at around 2pm, the court heard. He allegedly shouted 'f*** Islam', 'Islam is religion of terrorism' and Koran is burning' as he held the flaming Muslim holy book aloft in Rutland Gardens, Knightsbridge, on February 13. Coskun had posted on social media that he was protesting against the 'Islamist government' of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan who the defendant allegedly said 'has made Turkey a base for radical Islamists and is trying to establish a sharia regime'. Katy Thorne KC, defending, said: 'The prosecution, in bringing this prosecution at all, is seeking to introduce a law unknown to this land, namely blasphemy in relation to Islam.' Blasphemy laws were abolished in England and Wales in 2008 and in Scotland in 2021. Ms Thorne said that burning the Koran 'cannot be a criminal offence' and accused the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of an abuse of process in its decision to bring the case against Coskun. She said in her written argument: 'To render such an act a criminal offence is tantamount to reintroducing a blasphemy law in relation to Islam, rendering the Koran a specially protected object in the UK, where a flag or another book would not be, and rendering trenchant or offensive criticism of Islam a criminal offence, is also akin to reinstating an offence of blasphemy. 'People must be free to exercise their religious or non-religious beliefs and to manifest those beliefs in whatever non-violent way they choose, and any curtailing by the state of that freedom must be absolutely necessary in a democratic society.' Ms Thorne said that Coskun 'did not exhort hate' but voiced his dislike and frustration with a religion. She added: 'He expressed nothing to suggest that he was hostile to those who followed Islam. 'He did so outside the Turkish Consulate, a political institution, which provides further evidence he was not seeking to persuade others to dislike Islam, but express his personal criticism of Turkey and its stance on Islam. 'His protest was specifically political and thus, it is submitted, requires the highest protection of freedom of speech.' Prosecutor Philip McGhee said that Coskun was not being prosecuted simply for the burning of the Koran, but for 'disorderly conduct'. Mr McGhee said of Ms Thorne's argument: 'There is simply no misconduct in this case.' District Judge John McGarva ruled that there was no abuse of process and dismissed the application. Mr McGhee added that the decision to prosecute does not affect the ability of others to criticise religion. The prosecutor had earlier said that Coskun had deliberately chosen the time and location of his demonstration. 'His actions gave rise to a very clear threat to public order and went beyond a legitimate expression of protest, crossing the line to pose a threat to public order,' he told the court. But Coskun, who is an atheist, believes that he protested peacefully and burning the amounted to freedom of expression. Ahead of his trial, in a quote released through the Free Speech Union, he said: 'Encountering such treatment in a country like England, which I truly believed to be a place where freedom prevailed, was a real shock to me.' His legal fees are being paid for by the Free Speech Union and the National Secular Society (NSS). The Free Speech Union said it is defending him 'not because we're anti-Islam, but because we believe no one should be compelled to observe the blasphemy codes of any religion, whether Christian or Muslim'. It said Coskun is an asylum seeker who fled Turkey, having been a political prisoner for almost a decade, who 'thought he was coming to a democratic country where he would be free to peacefully protest about a particular religion'. Lord Young of Acton, general secretary of the organisation, added: 'The rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression are sacrosanct and should not be disregarded because of fears about inflaming community tensions in a multicultural society.' Stephen Evans, chief executive of the NSS said: 'A successful prosecution in this case could represent the effective criminalisation of damaging a Koran in public, edging us dangerously close to a prohibition on blasphemy. 'The case also highlights the alarming use of public order laws to curtail our collective right to protest and free speech based on the subjective reactions of others. 'Establishing a right not to be offended threatens the very foundation of free expression.' A spokesperson for Humanists UK said that a successful prosecution would 'effectively resurrect the crime of blasphemy in England and Wales - 17 years after its abolition'. They added: 'This reintroduction of blasphemy by the back door would have profound consequences, not only for free expression in the UK but for the safety and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of so-called 'apostates' in the UK and their right to freedom of thought and conscience.' The trial, which is due to last one-day, continues.
India.com
16 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Nuclear bomb, dream of becoming Muslim world leader, India exposed Turkey's thorium plan, Erdogan angry due to...
Nuclear bomb, dream of becoming Muslim world leader, India exposed Turkey's thorium plan, Erdogan angry due to... Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dreams of becoming the Caliph of the Islamic world and he wants to make Turkey a nuclear power. For this, he needs nuclear technology but he has been able to get it neither from US nor from Russia. In such a situation, Erdogan looked towards India and sought it's help in running a peaceful nuclear program to get this technology. Turkey has limited options to meet its energy needs and it wanted to meet its energy needs by acquiring thorium-based technology from India and wanted to reach the nuclear bomb through this route. Erdogan also visited Delhi in 2008, 2017 and 2018 for this, but India, sensing his intentions, refused to share the technology of generating electricity from thorium. Turkey has 381,000 tonnes of thorium but not the technology that India has. Thorium reserves in Kerala Uranium is generally considered the best option for making nuclear bombs and peaceful use of nuclear energy. India's great scientist and father of the nuclear program, Homi Jhangir Bhabha, knew very well that the world's top uranium producing countries are countries like Kazakhstan, Canada, Namibia, Australia and Russia, from where it is not easy to get uranium and it is very expensive to buy it. Therefore, Bhabha amazed the world by making thorium, which is available in abundant quantities in India, as an alternative. India's nuclear program is based on a strategy to develop nuclear energy by Homi Jhangir Bhabha, which focuses on the judicious use of the limited uranium resources and huge thorium reserves available in the country. It was prepared by Dr. Homi Bhabha to meet India's long-term energy needs and ensure self-sufficiency. Thorium deposits are present in the coastal areas of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha in India. Thorium-232 can be converted into uranium-233 with the help of neutrons, which is a fissile fuel. This fuel can be used to generate electricity in nuclear reactors. Atomic bombs cannot be made directly from Thorium-232. It can be converted into Uranium-233 to make bombs. Thorium is a very promising and safe nuclear fuel. Its main use is energy production, but it is also used in industry and research. Promoting its peaceful uses can be part of the solution to the energy crisis in the future. Turkey does not have its own oil and gas. That is why it wanted to prepare to generate nuclear power because Thorium is present there in the same way as it is found in Kerala. Turkiye has huge energy needs, eyes on thorium Turkey is an energy importing country with more than half of its energy needs met by imported fuel. Like other countries, energy is essential for economic and social development and a better quality of life in Turkey. Turkey uses many energy resources, but it is an energy importing country because these resources are limited. More than half of the country's primary energy consumption is met by imports and the import share is increasing every year. Turkey has a large and growing manufacturing base that requires an increasing amount of electricity generation. Economic and population growth in Turkey is increasing the demand for energy and natural resources. Turkey's coastal ports, important for global trade, are facing energy challenges that can be addressed by nuclear energy. Turkey imports three-quarters of its energy, including half coal and almost all oil and gas, and its energy policy prioritises reducing imports. Oil meets more than a quarter of Turkey's energy needs. Since Turkey produces very little oil, it is almost entirely dependent on imports of oil and oil products such as petrol and diesel, more than half of which are consumed by the country's vehicles. This is a problem for its economy. There is currently a strong opposition to Erdogan in Turkey as it is struggling with an economic recession. With India's help, he could not only make his country prosperous but could also become the hero of the Islamic world by becoming a nuclear power. This is the reason why Erdogan hates India and does not shy away from helping India's poor enemy Pakistan.
India.com
16 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
After getting punished by Operation Sindoor, Pakistan, Turkey now planning new conspiracy against India, Shehbaz, Erdogan join hands to…
Pak PM Shehbaz and Turkish President Erdogan- File image- Arab News India vs Turkey: India recently conducted Operation Sindoor, killing more than a hundred terrorists across nine terror camps in Pakistan. To everyone's surprise, countries like Azerbaijan and Turkey came to Pakistan's support and started to help it with its military technology. However, recent reports have indicated that Turkey is not only helping Pakistan militarily but also ideologically. Reports have indicated that Turkey has been actively supporting Pakistan in its anti-India narrative through its state-run channels and NGOs which are spread across the world. As per a report by Navbharat Times, through Turkey's coverage during conflicts like Operation Sindoor from its state channels, Turkey is helping Pakistan propagate anti-India sentiments, particularly on the Kashmir issue and the recent India-Pakistan tensions. The report also said that the Erdogan government, via NGOs like TUGVA and other social and media channels are spreading anti-India campaigns run by Hamas and Pakistan. Moreover, in order to spread the fake narrative, a seminar supporting Pakistan's stance on Kashmir was recently held in Istanbul. Therefore, after being shamelessly defeated in Operation Sindoor, Turkey and Pakistan are starting a new ideological propaganda warfare against India. BSF releases video of 'Op Sindoor', says 'fully prepared' to prevent Pak infiltration In a significant show of its strength, the Border Security Force (BSF), which played a critical role in 'Operation Sindoor' alongside the Indian armed forces released new visuals of the military action undertaken on May 7 against nine high-value terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). The offensive was launched in direct response to the brutal April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where four heavily armed terrorists from The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) affiliate, killed 26 innocent and unarmed people, mostly tourists from India. The Indian armed forces, through multiple Press briefings, have kept the public informed about 'Operation Sindoor'. (With inputs from agencies)
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Turkey's Erdogan appoints legal team to draft new constitution
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he has appointed a team of legal experts to start working on a new constitution, which critics say could allow him to remain in power beyond his current term. Mr Erdogan, who has led Turkey as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, has advocated for a new constitution arguing that the current one, which was drafted following a military coup in 1980, is outdated and retains elements of military influence even though it was amended several times. 'As of yesterday, I have assigned 10 legal experts to begin their work, and with this effort, we will proceed with the preparations for the new constitution,' Mr Erdogan told his ruling party's local administrators in a speech. 'For 23 years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our sincere intention to crown our democracy with a new civilian and libertarian constitution.' Under the current constitution, Mr Erdogan cannot run again unless early elections are called or the legal framework is changed. Critics see the push for a new constitution as a possible path for re-election, allowing legal changes that would bypass the constitutional term limits. Mr Erdogan, who has grown increasingly authoritarian over the years, has denied seeking a new constitution in order to remain in power, saying last week, 'we want the new constitution not for ourselves, but our country'. Mr Erdogan's ruling party and its nationalist allies lack the votes needed to usher in a new constitution. Some analysts believe the government's recent effort to end the decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, is part of a strategy to gain the support of a pro-Kurdish party in parliament for the new charter. The effort to introduce a new constitution comes months after Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular mayor of Istanbul and a key Erdogan rival, was arrested and jailed on corruption charges. His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated, although the government insists Turkey's judiciary is independent and free of political influence. It triggered widespread demonstrations calling for his release and an end to Turkey's democratic backsliding under Mr Erdogan.
