TURKEY: Öcalan’s Call for Disarmament & more – 4th Mar 2025

Merhaba from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 4th of March twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

On Thursday the 27th, the Öcalan delegation from the pro-Kurdish Democracy and Equality Party announced that Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK, called for the group's disarmament and dissolution, saying he took historical responsibility. A delegation member later said Öcalan believed disarmament required legal steps, possibly a government deal like an amnesty, though this wasn’t in his official statement.

On Saturday the 1st, the PKK declared a ceasefire. Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, supported Öcalan’s call, urging all PKK factions to comply. However, the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Syrian branch of the PKK, said the message didn’t apply to its forces in Syria.

On a related note, Hasan Toktaş, the deputy for the city of Bursa and the head of organization for the nationalist opposition, the Good Party, said growing opposition to the government’s dialogue with Öcalan had driven more people to join the party. He noted that former members of the ruling Justice and Development Party, and its ally, the Nationalist Movement Party, had recently switched allegiances.

Toktaş criticized the government’s engagement with Abdullah Öcalan, calling it an attempt to undermine the republic’s founding values. He argued that the administration, which once condemned negotiations with terrorists, now openly pursued dialogue.

Monday the 3rd was a busy day for Istanbul Municipality. The police seized a computer from Media INC, Istanbul Municipality’s media company, as part of an ongoing investigation. Prosecutors said the case involves companies that won municipal tenders from Medya Inc and confirmed that officers took a computer from the accounting department under a search warrant. Authorities haven’t shared further details, citing confidentiality.

On the same day, a court ordered the arrest of Alaattin Köseler, the mayor of İstanbul’s Beykoz district from the Republican People’s Party or CHP, along with twelve others on charges of bid rigging, aiding a criminal organization, and abuse of office. Police had detained Köseler and twenty-two others on Tuesday the 27th. Köseler denied the accusations and said political motives influenced witness statements.

This marks the third arrest of a CHP mayor in Istanbul, increasing scrutiny of opposition-led municipalities amid ongoing corruption probes.

On Friday the 28th, millions of Muslims worldwide marked the start of Ramadan, which is the holy month of fasting. As the night turned to Saturday the 1st, many observed sahur, the pre-dawn meal, which provides sustenance before the fast begins. Ramadan is a time for self-discipline, spiritual reflection, and devotion to prayer, with fasting from dawn until sunset being one of its key practices.

After a day of fasting, the evening, known as iftar, becomes a time for families and communities to gather and break their fast together, with special meals marking the event. Ramadan lasts for a month, with a three-day Ramadan Fest marking the end of it.

Speaking of Ramadan, on Wednesday the 28th, Cem Köksal, the CEO of Zorlu Holding, emailed employees stating the company only recognized Ramadan Fest and the Feast of Sacrifice as official holidays. He emphasized Zorlu’s secular stance, saying religious messages shouldn’t be shared institutionally. His email followed a Ramadan greeting from the CEO of one of Zorlu’s subsidiaries.

After the message spread, Istanbul prosecutors launched an investigation, and law enforcement detained Köksal for allegedly restricting religious freedom.

On Saturday the 1st, Zorlu Holding announced Köksal’s resignation, citing the controversy and reaffirming its commitment to religious and national values.

On the other hand, on Saturday the 1st, the Education Directorate in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district instructed Kadıköy Vocational High School to encourage students to fast during Ramadan and track those who do. The directive also included organizing Quran recitations and decorating schools with stars and crescents.

The law secretary of the Education Workers’ Union’s local branch said parents opposed the directive, calling it an imposition. He noted similar orders in other districts and linked them to broader efforts to expand religious influence in schools.

In some economic news, on Monday the 3rd, the Turkish Statistical Institute reported that Turkey’s annual inflation dropped below 40% in February, the lowest in twenty months. Prices rose by 2% compared to January, while the twelve-month average inflation stood at 54%.

Education saw the sharpest annual increase at 95%, followed by housing at 70%. Monthly price hikes were also the highest in education, rising by 10% in February. The Finance Minister said inflation was expected to keep falling thanks to government policies and improving economic conditions.

Also on Monday, Lebanon's Ministry of Finance announced the seizure of 2.5 million dollars in cash from an individual arriving from Turkey. Three sources told Reuters that the money was allegedly meant for Hezbollah.

The Ministry of Finance stated that it would hand over the individual and the money to Lebanon’s General Security Directorate. However, it didn’t mention anything about Hezbollah in the statement. The seizure follows recent tensions, including accusations by Israel's UN ambassador that Hezbollah, with Iran's support, is attempting to rearm. Israel also recently accused Iran of using civilian flights to send cash to Beirut. However, Hezbollah denied the accusations.

In other news, a hotel in southern Alanya canceled the reservation of two men, citing a policy that bars single men or groups of men from staying without a female companion. The men, who had already paid, filed a complaint with the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey or TİHEK.

The hotel defended its decision, saying that the rule prevents disturbances, implying men disturbing women staying at the hotel. TİHEK ruled the policy discriminatory, stating it lacked any objective justification. After reviewing documents and phone records, the institution fined the hotel 142 thousand liras, which is four thousand dollars.

Despite similar penalties, many hotels continue enforcing this rule, restricting single men from booking rooms unless accompanied by women.

In previous shows we mentioned İmamoğlu’s diploma and now we’ve got some updates. The Istanbul University announced receiving official requests from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Council of Higher Education regarding an investigation into the allegations that Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s mayor, has a fake university diploma. The prosecutor’s office asked the university to verify its authenticity and ensure any related administrative actions comply with the law.

İmamoğlu dismissed the allegations, saying he could gather classmates for a rally, while others, —meaning President Erdoğan, whose diploma has also been a topic of discussion — would struggle to find a backgammon partner. The university stated it would conduct an internal review and share findings with authorities and the public.

However, on Monday the 3rd, İmamoğlu filed a complaint against fourteen people, including Nedim Şener, a columnist for Hürriyet newspaper, in response to reports about his diploma. The news suggested that the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office had requested the revocation of his university degree. Murat Ongun, İmamoğlu’s advisor, denied the allegations and said that the source of the false report was Şener’s article in the Hürriyet.

Closing this edition, on Sunday the 2nd, miners protesting the privatization of the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and Mine in Ankara locked themselves underground, two days before the scheduled tender.

Workers had been protesting the privatization since November twenty twenty-four, staging vigils and demonstrations. As the tender approached, fifty miners descended 800 meters or 2,600 feet below ground to continue their resistance. The Turkish Mine Workers’ Union shared a video from inside the mine, where workers vowed to stay until they achieved a favorable outcome.

The Mayor of Ankara voiced support, saying ignoring the demands of miners, especially during Ramadan, was unjust. He called on authorities not to sacrifice labor for stubbornness.

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

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