Wrath of Mom

wrath links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 25 October 2011)

In Pendik, Istanbul, Kemal Yıldız (47), a construction contractor who is married
and has a child, started living apart from his wife seven years ago. Yıldız
subsequently fell in love with Mübetcan Tıngır (27) and has lived with her for
the past seven years, telling Mübetcan that he would divorce his wife and marry
her. But when Yıldız didn't get divorced and marry her daughter, Meryem Tıngır
(55), whose flat was given to her by Yıldız who now wants it back, got angry.

Meryem Tıngır had argued with Yıldız quite often and she summoned him to
a cafe yesterday morning in Pendik to talk things over. Predictably, another
argumen arose so Meryem took out a pistol and shot Yıldız who was hit four
times. He died at the scene. Meryem Tıngır was taken into custody and
interrogated at the Pendik Security Bureau. In her statement, she said that
'He's been with my daughter for a long time. He said he'd divorce his wife
and marry Mübetcan. But he wouldn't get divorced and he even took out
credit in my daughter's name from the bank, leaving her in debt. When
gossip increased in the neighborhood I wanted to head it off.'

'Fugitive' Lives On After Courthouse TV Fiasco

tv escape links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 24 October 2011)

The Istanbul Bakırköy Courthouse was the scene of a real escape during the
filming of a TV show 'I Loved a Child'. The handcuffed suspect was brought into
the courthouse via the personnel entrance by plainclothes policemen but escaped
by mixing in with the TV actors who were dressed in police and Gendarmerie
uniforms on a set in the building's entrance area.

The comic, if bewildering, escape incident occurred on Sunday, 16 October, in
the morning hours when filming of the TV show had begun in the large area
where courthouse personnel enter and exit. Although it was a weekend and the
building was quiet, the TV show set was crowded. At 11 AM the handcuffed
suspect, accompanied by three plainclothes policemen, entered through the
personnel entrance. As the policemen were trying to comprehend what was
happening, with all the actors in police and Gendarmerie uniforms standing
around, the suspect took advantage of their momentary distraction and plunged
in among the actors.

By the time the real police figured out what had happened, the suspect was
headed for the door. As the police pursued they yelled 'catch him' but the
policemen at the door, thinking it was all part of the TV show they'd been
watching all morning, opened the door for the suspect who screamed 'I'm
one of the TV actors!'.

After making it outside the suspect disappeared and the TV filming started
up again following the commotion. A record was made of the 'escape
caused by confusion' and an inquiry initiated.




 

Visa Problem in UK Clouds May-December Romance

cradlesnatch links to original artcile

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 22 October 2011)

Julie Haycocks (53) is fighting to prevent her Turkish boyfriend, Cihat
Hacıvelioğulları (19), from being deported from England because his visa has
expired. The Turkish youth, who goes by the nickname 'Alex' and works in
a kebab restaurant in the town of Shropshire, is currently being held at the
Dungavel Immigrant Transfer Center in Scotland.

The women explained that she first met Cihat three years ago when he was
working as a cashier at Tesco and that it was love at first sight. She poured
out her troubles, saying 'he proposed to me six months after we met. How
stupid was I to say that we needed more time.'

Haycocks is a widow with three chidren, aged 30, 28 and 26. She is now
running a signature campaign called 'Residency Rights for Alex' but Cihat's
fate is in the hands of the immigration officials in West Midlands. A decision
is expected within four weeks as to whether or not he can stay in England.
Cihat works at his uncle's Five Star kebab restaurant and said that 'my
family behaved with prejudice about my relationship with Julie but I know
our love is real.'

Luxury Hookers Controlled from Siberia

pool links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 22 October 2011)

Istanbul police started trailing a prostitution gang four months ago and
conducted simultaneous raids in Beşiktaş, Kemerburgaz and Etiler on Tuesday,
hitting 48 sites with 200 policemen. In the raid, 17 of the gang's board of
directors, including 10 women, were arrested. The gang is headed by
Russian Maria L. who lives in Siberia.

Some 50 women who provide prostitution services for 1,000 Euro per night
were taken into custody during the raid. It was determined that the suspects
sent women to sex parties at 5-star hotels, homes, rented luxury villas and pools,
based on their customers' requests. All this was done via an internet site the
gang set up. Police also seized four taxis used to take the women to customers.

Police determined that the gang members used coded words to avoid detection,
such as saying 'going for treatment' to mean prostitution. A Turkish woman,
one of the suspects, tried to hide her identity while speaking with customers over
the internet by telling them she was Russian and writing in broken Turkish to try
to convince them of this.

Czech It Out: Stutter-Step Robbery

stutter links to original article

(Vatan Newspaper, 23 October 2011)

Businessman U.Ö. (40), who has an office in the Istanbul Mineral Goods Dealers
(IMES) Industrial Estate in the Ümraniye section of Istanbul, parked his car in
front of a bank in the estate on 17 October in order to withdraw money. As he
was leaving the scene after withdrawing 220,000TL another car hit his. The two
people who got out of the car tried to apologize but couldn't stop stuttering.
Actually, they were trying to distract U.Ö.

Seeing that there was only minor damage to his car and not being able to
understand the two stutterers anyway, U.Ö. left the area. Soon afterwards,
though, he noticed that the bag containing the 220,000TL was missing so he
went to the police. Upon reviewing security camera images from the area,
police determined that the suspects used two foreign-made cars, one of which
was stopped at the Kapıkule border gate. Czech citizens Zurap A. (41) and
Roini U. (48) were taken into custody, along with about 40,000TL in their
possession.

Chicken and Pig Take Human Revenge

revenge links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 October 2011)

In Yeni Yörük village of Bursa's Inegöl district, Oğuzhan Demirtaş (20)
wanted to cut up one of the chickens in his yard so he started to run after
the chicken with a knife. However, Demirtaş's leg caught on something and
he lost his balance, falling on top of the knife himself. He was stabbed in the
chest and rushed to a hospital but, despite all efforts, could not be saved.

pig links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 20 October 2011)

Mustafa Mercan was travelling in his car near Pınarbaşı district of Kayseri
province when he struck a wild boar and killed it. Another car then hit the
pig carcass, went out of control and hit an electric pole, toppling it. When
Mercan went to help the injured other driver he was electrocuted by the
fallen electric pole.

In the incident, which occurred at about 0130 at night at the Büyükgümüşün
village location, Mercan was driving his car with plate number 38 VN 277
on his way to Kahramanmaraş when the wild boar jumped in front of his car
and he killed it. Mercan emerged without injury but a vehicle driven by
Bünyamin Şahin bearing plate number 06 AF 2396 then struck the pig
carcass, causing Şahin to lose control of his car and knock over the electric
pole. Mercan went to help Şahin but was electrocuted by the overturned
electric pole and died.

Mercan's body underwent an autopsy at Pınarbaşı State Hospital and then
turned over to his family. Şahin was released after giving a statement.

Baby's Naming Sets In-Laws on Each Other

name links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 October 2011)

Emrah Y., who lives in Eyüp, Istanbul, wanted to bestow a name of his own
choosing on his newborn son his but he claimed in a complaint to the public
prosecutor that when he attempted this his mother-in-law Melek A. and
sister-in-law Filiz D. attacked him.

Emrah and Duygu Y. brought their first child into the world in October
2010. Emrah wanted to name the baby 'Furkan' but 'my mother-in-law
said the name should be 'Yusuf'. When I stated that 'the child is mine and
I'll give him whatever name I want' my mother-in-law and sister-in-law
attacked me.' In her statement to the prosecutor, Filiz D. rejected the
charge and asserted that when they asked Emrah what he was going to
name the baby he shouted 'don't interfere!' and walked threateningly
toward her mother.

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor completed an investigation and prepared
an indictment against Melek A. and Filiz D. for the crime of 'injuring' and
asked for a sentence of up to two years.

Long Arm of Turkish Army Snares RIM CEO

draft dodger links to related article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 18 October 2011)

The creator of the Blackberry smart phone, Mike Lazaridis, is said to be
trying to find a solution that will exempt him from military service in Turkey.
Lazaridis is the CEO and president of RIM and with assets of 1.3 million
USD ranks 51st among Canada's wealthiest citizens. RIM officials are due
in Turkey this week for talks on important projects but RIM's other CEO,
Jim Balsillie, will represent the company because a solution to Lazaridis's
military service problem has not yet been found.

Lazaridis was born to a Greek family in Pangaltı, Istanbul, in March 1961.
He and his family emigrated to Canada in 1967, where he attended
Waterloo University but, like many other famous people in the technology
world, left school in his last year. Lazridis founded RIM in 1984.

Turkish Slumlord in Philly Becomes Hero

slumlord links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 October 2011)

Former NCO Turgut Gözleveli (71) has lived in Philadelphia USA for 47
years. He bought three apartments in the city with money he made as an
electrician. Last week he went to one of his apartment buildings in
connection with cleaning issues and to talk with his tenants. What he found
in the furnace room were four Americans who had been kept there without
food or water for a week.

The mentally-challenged captives were chained and a dog was guarding
them. Their captor turned out to be the mother of one of the tenants. The
woman, Linda Ann Weston (51), had years before locked her daughter's
boyfriend Bernardo Ramos (25) in a bathroom where he died from lack
of food and water. She was found guilty of third-degree murder in that
incident and served time in prison.

It was determined that Weston's boyfriend Gregory Thomas (47) and one
Eddie Wright (50) participated in her ugly game. All the suspects were
arrested by police on Sunday and put in jail. On Monday they were brought
before a judge where bail was set at 2.5 million USD. The suspects then
went to prison.

Weston had in her possession a file with the social security numbers of 50
people, which was seized. An investigation will determine when she used
them and the money she collected. According to a statement from the FBI,
one of the people chained in the furnace room was Tamara Breeden (29),
who was reported missing by her family n 2005. The other three victims
were aged 31, 35 and 41 and one of their names is Herbert Knowles.

Big Brother's Fib Turns Sibling's Life Upside Down

big brother links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 19 October 2011)

Celal Topçu is a 32 year-old bus driver in Kocaeli Gebze. His older brother
Cemal Topçu (50), who lives in Ardahan, was stopped by police on the
night of 27 January and found to have an alcohol level of 0.75 promil. Police
wanted to seize Cemal's license but he said that he left both it and his identity
card at home and gave the police Celal's license number instead. The two
policemen processed Celal's number by attaching an absentee penalty
against his license for using a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

A week later, without any knowledge of this, Celal was taking passengers
to Istanbul when his license was confiscated by police at a checkpoint.
Although he said there had been a mistake it was all in vain and Celal, who
has been a driver for 14 years, lost his job because his license was seized.
Subsequently, when he couldn't pay his debts his house was foreclosed.

When Celal, the father of two children, learned what had happened he
filed a complaint with the Ardahan Public Prosecutor against his brother
and the two policemen. The prosecutor determined that there was no
cause to penalize the police for the charge of 'falsifying an official document'.
However, a suit was filed agains Cemal Topçu for 'putting traffic safety
in jeopardy' and 'lying during the completion of an official document.'

With the prosecutor's decision the monetary fine against Celal was lifted
but as long as the suit continues Celal cannot reclaim his license. Celal
stated that his life has been turned upside down because of the lack of
responsibility shown by the police. Continuing, Celal said that 'my older
brother doesn't have a license so he got scared and gave my number.
The police penalized my license based on a false statement. Even though
I'm innocent I've lost my job. I've been jobless for eight months. Sanctions
have been brought on me because of my debts. I don't have money to
buy a house.'
 

'Professor' Pinched by Prints on Plastic

professor links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 October 2011)

A 26 year-old woman named E.E. filed a complaint with police, saying that
a person who introduced himself over the internet as a professor had put
out an add for an assistant. E.E. applied for the position but 'the person I
interviewed with wanted my cellphone and credit card. He flashed a gun
and threatened me.'

Police went into action to capture this individual, who was using a false
identity, and two more women complained to them, asserting that 'this
person who identified himself as a professor took our cellphones and
credit cards giving excuses like 'I forgot my cellphone at the office' or
'my credit card doesn't work'. Then he disappeared.'

Police determined three addresses where the suspect might live and they
took finger prints off a plastic bottle left at the door of one of them. The
prints turned out to belong to Mehmet A. who was on file with the police.
Mehmet A. was taken into custody and identified by E.E. and the two
women whose cellphones and credit cards he had taken.

Mystery Brit of Many Names Really a Turk

fake brit links to original article

(Vatan Newspaper, 16 October 2011)

Identifying himself as an English citizen, Alex Winter used fake identities
to marry two women but his ruse was exposed by his latest wife, Fatma D.

On 4 August 2010 Winter married Fatma D. at the Beylikdüzü Marriage
Bureau. However, after the marriage Winter claimed that he had to go to
England often for work because he was a BBC television correspondent.
He also claimed that because of his reports he had received death threats
and, with government permission, used various identities to avoid danger.
A while later Winter said that he was having financial difficulties and asked
Fatma D. to establish a line of credit for him from her bank. Not being one
to deny anything to her spouse, Fatma D. set up a 20,000TL credit line
for Winter.

After this development, though, Fatma D. got suspicious about Winter's
odd behavior and started to look into his background. Following his trail
like a detective, Fatma D. came face to face with some unexpected
realities. She researched the names Mark Scott and Ian Francis, which
Winter had told her he had used, and found out that Scott had married
a woman named Eda C. in Mersin in 2006 and that they had a child. Fatma
D. sent photographs to the Mersin marriage bureau and determined that
Alex Winter and Ian Francis were the same person. A bewildered Fatma D.
also learned that Winter had another child from a relationship with a woman
in Çanakkale.

Fatma D. found out that Winter, using the name Mark Scott, had defrauded
young people in Mersin, promising to send them abroad, and that an arrest
warrant had been issued for him. At this point, Fatma D. filed a divorce suit
in the Büyükçekmece Family Court through lawyer Şenol Caner. She also
filed a complaint about Winter for the crime of fraud.

Fatma D. explained what she had gone through to Vatan, saying that 'in
2009 I met him through a family friend. He told me that he was a BBC
correspondent and that because of this he was in danger so he was given
different identities by the English government. I knew him as Mark Scott,
but I married him as Alex Winter. It seems he thought I had money. I took
20,000TL from the bank and gave it to him to help him. He never showed
me an identity card, just passports and I saw that he had come and gone
here and there. When I got suspicious I decided to track him but when he
found out he threatened me and told me to stop, otherwise he couldn't
be responsible for what might happen.'

This person who identifies himself as Alex Winter was actually born in
Kahramanmaraş and lived there until he was 20, according to Fatma D.
'after doing his military service he got asylum in England and then returned
to Turkey after living in England for ten years. I learned that he was involved
with construction work. Now I want this man arrested as soon as possible
and punished.'

Holy Man Defrocked, Literally

holy man links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 16 October 2011)

In Antalya, a retired imam who works in real estate, H.K.(56), filed a
complaint with police about two women who he said were blackmailing
him for 200,000TL with naked photos and video images in their possession.
H.K. explained that the two women called him about selling a house. While
chatting with them he drank some cola and then passed out.

When he awoke the women were gone but H.K. stated that a day later
they called him and said they had the naked photos and videos. He said
he then gave them 2,000TL. The next day they called H.K. again but
demanded 200,000TL this time. So the police gave H.K. marked bills,
which he then passed to Neşe T. (45) and Ebru K. (35). H.K. then left
the scene and the women were caught red-handed. The two were taken
into custody and their home computers were seized, as well.

Crazed Drivers Torch City Hall

minibus links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 October 2011)

In Adıyaman's Kahta district, when ten new minibuses went into service
the already-working minibus drivers protested. The drivers brought their
vehicles in front of the three-story municipal building yesterday, closing the
road to traffic. One of the drivers set fire to his minibus by pouring gasoline
over it and the flaming vehicle rolled toward the municipal building where
it crashed.

The flames rose up to the building's third floor and created quite a panic.
People inside made for the windows and screamed for help. Firefighting
teams put out the fire quickly. 31 individuals, among them Kahta District
Chief for the AK Party, Reşat Turanlı, were treated for smoke inhalation
at the hospital. The police took 10 people into custody in connection with
the incident.

Demon Weed Very Much in Moda

weed links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 14 October 2011)

In Istanbul, a gang that delivered drugs to homes and night clubs via taxis
has been busted. One of the gang members raised hemp in her garden in
the Moda section of the city. After drying, mariuana was obtained.

Ayşe Maina turned her garden in Moda into a mariuana greenhouse. She
was among a 21-person drug gang that was busted during simultaneous
raids on 5 October.  Police received a tip five months ago that a drug
gang was delivering narcotics to homes and night clubs, using commercial
taxis. In the investigation, gang leader Ilyas Kanbay, who was being sought
for eight crimes, including narcotics trafficking, was also arrested.

It was determined that hemp plants were being grown in Maina's Moda
home and then turned into mariuana after being dried. Ten persons who
were customers of the gang, including Şule Karabacak, who finished first
on the TV show 'Yemekteyiz' (We're Having Dinner), were also arrested.
There were university students among the gang members and customers.
Additionally, the gang was raising hemp at a farm home in Keşan
in Edirne province and bringing it to Istanbul for sale.

'Empty Grave' Gang Sets New Low

death links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 12 October 2011)

Antalya police started work in connection with a gang that defrauded the
relatives of dead people by monitoring death notices. Teams took five
persons into custody yesterday during 'Operation Empty Grave'. The five
were alleged to have conned 51 people out of 120,000TL over 2 months.

The modus operandi of the gang, whose leader is Mustafa Arslan (35), was
brought to light: the suspects examined death notices appearing in
newspapers and on TV and the internet to learn the deceased person's
identity and address information. Sometimes the gang members would
attend funerals and collect detailed information. A week or two later the
gang members would call the deceased's relatives and identify themselves
as attorneys, pretending not to know of the deceased's death but claiming
that the individual had shopped at their store. The gang would explain that
they had to apply interest on the shopper's debt but would forego it if the
debt was paid.

Gang leader Arslan used a number of false identities and was being sought
for four separate crimes. It was determined that Arslan had money
transferred to accounts he opened at various banks in the names of four
gang members, two of whom are women. The gang member who
accumulated the most money was paid a premium.

Best Little Whorehouse in Bursa

bursa links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 October 2011)

In Bursa, Semra Tarla (25) put an add entitled 'Alo Dansöz' (bellydancer),
with a picture of herself wearing the appropriate outfit, in the local paper,
promising to dance on special nights. However, Semra was arrested for
prostitution in the home of Nalan M. (55) who let Semra use her house
after Semra promised Nalan that she would 'get treatment for you', in
connection with Nalan's lung cancer and brain tumor.

Nalan was brought under duress to the police station, where she was
charged with 'providing a location for prostitution', although Nalan denied
the accusation. She explained that 'when the police came I was sleeping
because I'm ill. Semra came to the house now and then with her friends
but I didn't know they were engaged in prostitution. She would bring
things I needed in the kitchen and my medicines. Semra told me 'I'll
get you treated and ensure a comfortable life for you' and she gave me
50TL each time she came.'

Semra was arraigned in court for 'enabling prostitution' and arrested.
Nalan was released pending trial.

These Bees Smoke Way Too Much

smokebees links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 10 October 2011)

In Adana, police got a tip about a truck carrying contraband cigarettes and
stopped a vehicle driven by Hamdi Ö. at the northern entrance to the city.
The police wanted to search the truck, which was laden with bee hives, but
when Salih Ş., the owner of the hives, climbed onto the bed of the truck and
opened the hives' lids the erupting bees attacked the police who had started
searching.

The honey bees stung 15 policemen and the search was suspended while
the truck was brought to the Special Operations Directorate yard. The
police then donned masked bee-handling suits purchased by their bosses
and searched each of the hives. A total of 32,500 contraband packs of
cigarettes were seized. During the operation truck driver Hamdi Ö. and
SalihŞ. and Mücahit Ş., who were determined to be the owners of the
hives, were taken into custody. The three suspects were transported to
court, where they paid an administrative fine, and then released, pending
trial.

Pumpkin Surfeit Brings Down the House

pumpkinhead links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 October 2011)

Nurettin Parlakkılıç, a 62 year-old fruit wholesaler who lives in Zeytinburnu,
Istanbul, brought 12 tons of pumpkins to Istanbul from Adapazarı two
weeks ago to market. Finding them difficult to sell and having no place else 
to put the pumpkins, which weigh 10 or 12 kilograms each, Parlakkılıç piled
them into his house where he's lived for 40 years. He lined the pumpkins up
in rooms and on stairs and put the rest on the roof. However, when the
roof's wall cracked Parlakkılıç feared that the wall would collapse so he
started to move the pumpkins to an open area on the roof.

At this point the wall did collapse and both Parlakkılıç and the pumpkins
fell 2.5 meters down. Nearby neighbors took Parlakkılıç to the hospital
where his broken arm was put in a cast. Parlakkılıç explained that 'when
there was no place left in the house I had to put them on the roof. Thinking
that I couldn't fit them all in I started to line them up at the base of the roof
wall. When a cracking sound came from the wall I was afraid it would
collapse so I wanted to put them in the open area. As I was moving the
pumpkins I suddenly found myself down below. Evidently, the wall
collapsed because of the pressure. By the grace of God I didn't die.'

Misunderstood Deviant and His Dangling Cellphone

cellphone links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 October 2011)

In Fatih, Istanbul, E.K. (33), an advertising man, allegedly took pictures of
two women living in the apartment below his by tying a string to his
cellphone and letting it hang parallel to the women's bathroom. E.K. has
been charged with the crime of 'violating the sanctity of personal life',which
carries a two year sentence.

According to the claim, Azerbaijani citizen T.M. (27) noticed the cellphone,
grabbed it and found pictures of herself and her brother's wife, S.M.(25),
while they were entering and exiting the bath. Claiming his intentions were
misunderstood, E.K. explained that 'I used the cellphone to light the air
passage when I was trying to reach antenna cables.'

Turkish Delight Costly for Mass. Town

delight links to related article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 October 2011)

The U.S. state of Massachussetts is roiling in the aftermath of the sexual
harrassment of a Turkish woman that has come to light. Fulya G.Capanelli,
who worked as a secretary for the municipality in the town of Mathuen,
complained to the municipality in 2005, claiming that the town's prosecutor,
Maurice Lariviere, who worked in the same building, was sexually
harrassing her. By 2007 the town had not taken the complaint seriously
so Fulya filed suit against both the municipality and the individual.

The suit was settled out of court by both parties the day before yesterday.
In accordance with the deal, Prosecutor Lavriviere agreed to pay an
unspecified amount of compensation to Capanelli, who withdrew her suit
against the town by shaking hands for a 250,000USD settlement.
Nevertheless, the town's residents are quite upset about the matter. In a
village where the average income is well below that of other American
towns, the residents have reacted against town officials. The cost of the
four-year legal battle to the town has been 489,961USD. Some said
'Where are our taxes going? We're expecting services, why should we
pay for your mistakes?'. These reactions are all over the internet and
show no sign of stopping. The town's population is 43,786.

The Mathuen police chief Joseph Solomon and his deputy Joseph Alaimo
put a hidden camera in the prosecutor's office and watched the sexual
harrassment from the mayor's office, which is in the same building. When
the prosecutor kissed Fulya and then started to go further, plainclothes
policemen hiding in the corridor restroom immediately entered the room
and arrested Lariviere. The prosecutor resigned after the incident. Fulya
took 14 weeks leave but when she didn't return she lost her job in the
municipality

On the day of the incident, Fulya's fiance, Anthony Capanelli, was in
prison for armed robbery. When he got out he and Fulya were married.

You Gotta Play Rough to Win Lotto

lotto links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 October 2011)

In Sultangazi, Istanbul, on 19 August Zeliha K. invited her 'elti' (wife of
her husband's brother) Sultan K. to her house, saying she wanted to teach
her how to cook. As the women were sitting down two people entered the
house, grabbed Sultan K.'s bracelet and cellphone and fled. The two
women then reported the incident to the police.

The police, however, noticed contradictions in Zeliha K.'s statement and
had her followed. When it was realized that Zeliha K. had planned the
theft with her uncle Cemil S. an operation was begun. Zeliha K. and
Cemil S., along with Suat H., to whom they sold the bracelets, were all
taken into custody.

Zeliha K. rejected the accusation that she had planned the theft but she
admitted that she knew that one of the robbers was her uncle. She said
that she couldn't do anything because she was afraid.  Police found
4,000TL in Cemil S.'s house, together with the stolen cellphone and
3,500 lottery tickets purchased the week after the robbery.

Imagine What They Call Us...

animal farm links to original article

//ed. note: our editorial board is in full agreement with the sentiments
expressed by Sedat Vural  in the following item - no kidding!//

(Sabah Newspaper, 4 October 2011)

Sedat Vural, a lawyer from the Ankara Bar has brought the matter of people
addressing others usıng animal names in unpleasant circumstances to the
European Human Rights Court (EHRC), arguing that this amounts to an
insult to animals and that these epithets are contrary to the 'Universal
Communique on Animal Rights'.

In the petition he made to the EHRC, Vural states that when humans use
animal names like ox, bear, donkey, dog, cat and goat in regard to crude
acts and remarks made by people they're just shifting the blame,
whereas all these ugly actions have been created by people and are all
peculiar to humans. Vural added that using animal names in this regard lays
the ground for violence against animals, is an insult to animals, belittles and
degrades them. He noted that such remarks and actions were in violation
of the 'Animal Rights Communique' accepted by UNESCO on
15 October 1978 and the 'Universal Proclimation of Animal Rights',
accepted and promulgated in 1990.

Vural noted that the suit he filed in Ankara's 8th Minor Court to establish
these violations had been rejected so, having exhausted all domestic legal
avenues, he has applied to the EHRC.  He stated that 'the defense of animal
rights is an honor for humans. Animal rights are human rights' and added
that in Turkey when one person calls another person an animal name its
taken as an insult, with such names having become cliches used to address
people who do crude things.

Lawyer Vural enunciated these views in his petition as follows: 'although
the acts and expressions that are the subject of criticism have been
committed by humans they are attributed to animals not at all involved in
the said acts and expressions. Consequently, while these acts and
expressions that invite criticism have been perpetrated by humans the names
serve to degrade animals. The result is that these epithets have been
legitimized within the community and are considered appropriate.'

Vural has requested that the Ankara court's rejection be declared contrary
to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Universal Communique
on Animal Rights, the European Agreement on the Defense of Animals
and the European Human Rights Agreement.

Locked Pier Leaves Ferry Passengers Afloat

//ed.note: link to related article not available//

(Habertürk Newspaper, 2 October 2011)

Hundreds of passengers set out from Kabataş in the morning at 10:50
aboard a fast sea ferry run by IDO. The ferry's route took it to Burgazada,
Heybeliada and Büyükada and as it reached Büyükada the passengers
were discharged. However, since the exit door at the pier had been locked
by the worker there the passengers couldn't get out. The ferry's captain
took note of  the situation and waited for the door to be opened so the
passengers could leave. When this didn't happen he made an announcement
for the passengers to re-board the ferry.

The passengers were then discharged at the Heybeliada pier and the captain
announced that they could board a conventional ferry to go to Büyükada.
But the conventional ferry's captain didn't want to bring the stranded
passengers on to his craft without paying the requisite fee, which sparked
an argument between the passengers and the crew. Ultimately, the
passengers were allowed to board the conventional ferry for free and
arrived at Büyükada an hour late.

IDO spokesman Tolga Uyar confirmed that the incident had occurred and
that some of the passengers had made contact on the matter with IDO
officials. Uyar explained that 'the assigned person who had not opened the
pier doors on time said in his statement that the confusion stemmed from
the change to the winter schedule last week. In such a situation, the unit
chiefs terminated the worker for not fulfilling the responsibilities of his job.'

Just Wanted to Defray Wedding Expenses

expenses links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 September 2011)

In Bursa, Robbery Bureau teams from the Public Security Directorate took
action in connection with the theft of nearly two kilograms of gold from 15
houses over the past month in the Işıklar and Ertuğrulgazi neighborhoods of
Central Yıldırım district. Ramazan Büyük (23), Ercan Can Katar (25),
Halil Efe(40) and Harun Efe (23) were taken into custody at their homes
while Harun Efe's father, Kemal Efe (58), was arrested as he left the
mosque after morning prayers.

The gang members acknowledged their guilt during questioning but said that
they had given the gold to Harun Efe, who will be getting married in 20 days,
so he could buy household appliances and pin some of the gold on his
intended bride. Ramazan Büyük, Ercan Can Katar, Halil Efe and Harun Efe,
who broke into the building housing the Yıldırım District Administrative
Headquarters and the Security Directorate to steal a television, were charged
with 'robbery'. Kemal Efe was charged with 'hiding and selling stolen goods.'
They were all transported to jail.