Freedom of expression is a very problematic issue in contemporary Turkey. The country may be in accession negotiations with the European Union, yet the lack of freedom of expression -caused by specific laws of the Turkish penal code that undermine it- poses a very big obstacle, and is regularly criticised by the annual European Commission’s [...]

Commenting on the Gaza War taking place in January 2009, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan declared that Israel was committing “a crime against humanity”. It was an unexpected reaction considering Turkey’s close strategic friendship with Israel as well as the Turkish mediation efforts between Israel and Syria. Erdogan’s comment did not only upset Israel but also [...]