GÖZDE KAZAZ

Police violence once again arrives on the silver screen with the documentary ‘Article 16: Right to Life’. Co-director Yılmaz Kılıç says, “We did not shoot this documentary, it’s all the work of the police. All we did was to transmit their work.”

We received an e-mail the other day: “Hi, it’s Lobna. A lot of people have called me for interviews, but I want to talk to AGOS as well.” So, computers were switched on in Berlin and Istanbul; and we talked about the two years that have passed since the police shot Lobna with a gas cannister during the Gezi resistance, the election results and her roots.

Armenian civilian society organizations have rolled up their sleeves to find a solution for the shelter problem of the 15 thousand Syrian refugees in the country. The #RootsForRefugees campaign that will begin in the 2nd week of June will provide rent support for refugees trying to rebuild their lives in cities. Campaign organizers have called on Diaspora Armenians to contribute to the campaign.

The findings of the CRRC-Armenia/TESEV joint survey on public perception in Armenia on the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations have been published. According to the survey, issues of trust regarding normalization persist, however, especeially the opening of the border and economic relations may constitute an important step in normalization.

We bid farewell to Sarkis Seropyan. His life of 80 years became more visible during his funeral ceremony, as tens of his friends accompanied Baron Seropyan on his final journey.

The ‘Internal Security Package’ to be discussed in Parliament next week has once again opened the debate on the boundaries of authority to be transferred to law enforcement. Departing from the security package that has become the focus of criticism, we have examined what the new regulations bring, the path followed by such regulations aiming to protect the ‘continuity of the State’ and the background of the criticized stance of the police force.

Executive director of HRW Middle East and North Africa Division Sarah Leah Whitson will be visiting Istanbul on April 24 as part of the ‘Project 2015’ group to take part in the Armenian Genocide 100th Anniversary Commemoration. We interviewed Whitson in Istanbul, where she held meetings with civilian society organizations in Turkey, which will participate in the organization of the commemoration event; and asked her about Turkey’s position in 2015, the Diaspora’s expectations and the impact of Armenian identity on her life.

A new stay of execution verdict has been issued for the continuing construction project at the site of the historical Emek Movie Theatre. On the other hand, the State Council ruled for the launching of an investigation involving four persons including Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan on the grounds that they had not taken “necessary precautions during the construction”.

Armenian activist group ArtAct carries out creative actions against violence and harassment. The ArtAct group is trying to develop new methods beyond traditional activism in order to reach more people, and could inspire similar groups in Turkey.

Arson, not an accident, was the cause of the fire that broke out on the night of December 7, Sunday, at the building that is home to KKBD (Holy Bible Society) and KUT (Kadıköy International Community Church). According to Pam Ohanyan of KUT, thousands of Holy Books and CDs were destroyed in the fire that broke out on the floor where the library of the church was also located.