TURKEY: Condemning Israeli Strike & more – 16th Sep 2025

Merhaba from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 16th of September twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

On Tuesday the 9th, Turkey condemned an Israeli airstrike in Doha that killed Hamas representatives. Officials said the strike violated international law and targeted Qatari sovereignty. The government expressed support for Qatar and repeated its backing for the Palestinian cause. The attack deepened regional tensions as Israel expanded operations beyond Gaza. Turkey framed the move as a dangerous escalation and warned of wider conflict.

Diplomats suggested Turkey might push for an emergency United Nations session with Arab and Muslim allies.

On Sunday the 14th, tens of thousands gathered in Ankara to protest against the possible annulment of the Republican People’s Party or CHP’s congress from twenty twenty-three, and the risk of removing its leader. Demonstrators called it an attack on democracy and vowed to resist political pressure. Security forces kept a heavy presence but allowed the march to proceed.

Opposition figures said the turnout showed public frustration with the erosion of democratic protections.

The protest added tension before key municipal elections expected next year.

On the following day, Turkey’s financial markets rallied after a court delayed ruling on whether to annul the opposition twenty twenty-three CHP Congress, where they elected Özgür Özel as the new party leader.

Investors had feared a quick decision could shake political stability. However, the delay worked in the country’s favor: the BİST, Turkey’s stock market, rose and the lira steadied.

Analysts said the delay buys time but uncertainty remains, as a future ruling could still reshape the opposition. Business groups urged for political clarity, warning that prolonged legal battles hurt investment sentiment.

Going back to the opposition, on Tuesday the 16th, Tunç Soyer, the former Mayor of İzmir, announced that on Friday the 19th, he will make his first defense statement in court after nearly eighty days in pre-trial detention. The hearing will take place at the High Security Prison in İzmir’s Aliağa district where he is currently held.

The police arrested Soyer following investigations into municipal tenders and projects. They accused him of misconduct in office and bid rigging. He has since denied wrongdoing and described his detention as punishment turned into a sentence before trial.

Soyer said he hopes the trial will end his detention and allow him to regain his freedom.

In similar news, on Saturday the 13th, authorities sent forty-eight people, including the mayor of the CHP-run Bayrampaşa municipality in Istanbul, to court after a corruption investigation into the municipality. Prosecutors accused them of bribery, fraud, abuse of office, and rigging tenders. Police carried out coordinated raids, and all detainees underwent health checks before being taken to court.

The CHP’s Bayrampaşa District President spoke against the detentions outside the municipality, saying the party and local residents would stand firm. He stressed that, despite pressure, they would defend the Bayrampaşa municipality they recently won from the Justice and Development Party, the ruling party for the past thirty years, and resist any attempts to hand it back. He also urged neighbors to support the mayor and officials, and to defend their votes, describing the investigation as part of a wider political struggle.

Meanwhile, on Thursday the 11th, prosecutors seized control of Can Holding, a major conglomerate that owns well-known TV stations such as HaberTürk and prominent schools like Doğa College and Bilgi University. They detained ten executives on charges of fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering. Authorities handed management to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund.

The seizure shocked the media sector and raised new concerns over press freedom and state control of private broadcasters. Business groups warned that more seizures could undermine investor confidence in Turkey’s economy.

On an unrelated note, during the week, the government signed contracts for fifteen billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas from suppliers in the United States, Qatar, and Nigeria. The move strengthens Turkey’s push to diversify away from Russian energy and boosts long-term supply security. The deal is worth several billion dollars and aims to stabilize domestic markets.

Officials said the contracts will cover peak winter demand and lower risks of shortages.

Turkey has been trying to reduce its reliance on Russia, which still supplies almost 40% of its gas needs.

Speaking of energy sources, on Wednesday the 10th, Italian firm Saipem secured a 1.5 billion dollar contract to develop Turkey’s largest offshore gas field in the Black Sea. The project includes drilling new wells, installing platforms, and expanding pipelines to bring gas onshore. Officials said production could start in twenty twenty-seven and cover nearly a third of Turkey’s annual demand.

The contract signals growing foreign investment in the energy sector, despite inflation and political risks.

Analysts said the project could cut Turkey’s import bill and improve its trade balance.

Throughout the week, many districts in Istanbul faced major water cuts due to maintenance and repairs. Outages hit both European and Anatolian sides, including Beşiktaş and Kadıköy. Residents struggled with hours-long interruptions that disrupted homes and businesses.

However, the cuts don’t seem to be over just yet. Authorities urge citizens to check outage schedules online and store water in advance. Social media saw frustration and complaints about timing and lack of alternatives. Officials said the cuts were necessary to modernize infrastructure.

To know about water cuts in your area, follow the link in the show notes!

With the beginning of the academic year last week, parents in several districts raised concerns about school conditions during utility cuts, but the Education Ministry announced no new policies. Families worried about water and power outages disrupting children’s classes, especially in Istanbul, yet officials said that the school year would continue without changes. While some hoped for flexible measures, such as adjusted school hours, the ministry said schools must adapt locally.

In other news, on Tuesday the 16th, Evrensel news outlet reported that a leaked document showed that the Middle East Technical University blacklisted students who joined a twenty twenty-one event called History of Societies and Capitalism. The security unit wrote a report identifying the students after the event and presented it to the rectorate, which added the information to the students records. One student discovered the document only this year when leaving the dorms, saying it included their name among ten others.

The document carried signatures from vice rectors and dorm officials, sparking concerns about surveillance and limits on free expression.

Between Thursday the 11th and Sunday 14th, Hakan Fidan, the Foreign Minister, carried out an intense diplomatic tour. In Rome, he met Italy’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister to discuss trade and regional security. In Doha, he participated in a joint Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League summit, where he pushed for mediation in Gaza and regional stability.

The government framed the trip as proof of its active role in global diplomacy, seeking to balance regional crises with international cooperation.

On Monday the 15th, Alamos Gold, a Canadian mining company, announced that it had sold all its Turkish assets, including the Kirazlı, Ağı Mountain, and Çamyurt gold projects, to Turkish company Nurol Holding for 470 million dollars.

The deal will be paid in three installments: 160 million at closing, another 160 million a year later, and 150 million in the second year. Alamos Gold said the money will fund high-return projects in North America and help reduce debt. Nurol’s subsidiary, Tümad Mining, already runs two gold and silver mines in Turkey and will take over operations.

Alamos had faced environmental concerns at Kirazlı, including deforestation and water pollution in the northwestern Kaz Mountains, which had previously drawn public criticism and halted operations. The sale ends a longstanding dispute over these issues.

And to wrap up this edition, biodiversity and environmental protection experts warned that recent forest and stubble fires in the country are harming wildlife, especially migratory birds. Two key routes—from the northwest and northeast of the country to the southern city of Hatay—have lost crucial resting, feeding, and nesting areas. Birds, particularly juveniles, struggle to complete migrations.

Experts stressed urgent action to protect habitats and Turkey’s biodiversity before further damage occurs.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

Don’t forget that we do many other updates. We’ve got country and non-country updates, including the Arctic, Ocean, and Multilateral shows.

Check the full list with the link in the show notes.

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