Turkish court sentences opposition politician for inciting hatred, but orders his release
ANKARA, Turkey, June 18, (AP): A Turkish court on Tuesday sentenced a far-right politician to more than two years in prison for inciting public hatred and hostility, but ordered his release because of time already served. Umit Ozdag, the leader of Turkey's Victory Party, was detained in January over accusations that he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with comments that he made during a party meeting.
A day later, Ozdag was formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for last year's anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central Turkish province of Kayseri, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked. Ozdag, a 64-year-old former academic, is an outspoken critic of Turkey's refugee policies, and has previously called for the repatriation of millions of Syrian refugees.
During his trial, Ozdag acknowledged advocating the return of refugees, but strongly denied that he had incited violence against them. He maintained that his imprisonment was politically motivated and aimed at silencing him. The court sentenced him to two years and four months in prison, but ordered his release, ruling that he has already served a sufficient portion of the sentence.
The trial took place amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition to Erdogan's Justice and Development Party. Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition - the Republican People's Party, or CHP - have faced waves of arrests this year. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, viewed as the main challenger to Erdogan's two-decade rule, was detained in March over allegations of corruption. Many people in Turkey consider the cases to be politically driven, according to opinion polls. However, Erdogan's government insists that the courts are impartial and free from political involvement.
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Arab Times
17 hours ago
- Arab Times
Iran Strikes At The Heart Of Israeli Scientific Might
REHOVOT, Israel (AP) — For years, Israel has targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, hoping to choke progress on Iran's nuclear program by striking at the brains behind it. Now, with Iran and Israel in an open-ended direct conflict, scientists in Israel have found themselves in the crosshairs after an Iranian missile struck a premier research institute known for its work in life sciences and physics, among other fields. While no one was killed in the strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday, it caused heavy damage to multiple labs on campus, snuffing out years of scientific research and sending a chilling message to Israeli scientists that they and their expertise are now targets in the escalating conflict with Iran. 'It's a moral victory' for Iran, said Oren Schuldiner, a professor in the department of molecular cell biology and the department of molecular neuroscience whose lab was obliterated in the strike. 'They managed to harm the crown jewel of science in Israel.' Iranian scientists were a prime target in a long shadow war During years of a shadow war between Israel and Iran that preceded the current conflict, Israel repeatedly targeted Iranian nuclear scientists with the aim of setting back Iran's nuclear program. Israel continued that tactic with its initial blow against Iran days ago, killing multiple nuclear scientists, along with top generals, as well as striking nuclear facilities and ballistic missile infrastructure. For its part, Iran has been accused of targeting at least one Weizmann scientist before. Last year, Israeli authorities said they busted an Iranian spy ring that devised a plot to follow and assassinate an Israeli nuclear scientist who worked and lived at the institute. Citing an indictment, Israeli media said the suspects, Palestinians from east Jerusalem, gathered information about the scientist and photographed the exterior of the Weizmann Institute but were arrested before they could proceed. With Iran's intelligence penetration into Israel far less successful than Israel's, those plots have not been seen through, making this week's strike on Weizmann that much more jarring. 'The Weizmann Institute has been in Iran's sights,' said Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. He stressed that he did not know for certain whether Iran intended to strike the institute but believed it did. While it is a multidisciplinary research institute, Weizmann, like other Israeli universities, has ties to Israel's defense establishment, including collaborations with industry leaders like Elbit Systems, which is why it may have been targeted. But Guzansky said the institute primarily symbolizes 'Israeli scientific progress' and the strike against it shows Iran's thinking: 'You harm our scientists, so we are also harming (your) scientific cadre.' 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A photo shared on X by one professor showed flames rising near a heavily damaged structure with debris scattered on the ground nearby. 'Several buildings were hit quite hard, meaning that some labs were literally decimated, really leaving nothing,' said Sarel Fleishman, a professor of biochemics who said he has visited the site since the strike. Life's work of many researchers is gone Many of those labs focus on the life sciences, whose projects are especially sensitive to physical damage, Fleishman said. The labs were studying areas like tissue generation, developmental biology or cancer, with much of their work now halted or severely set back by the damage. 'This was the life's work of many people,' he said, noting that years' or even decades' worth of research was destroyed. For Schuldiner, the damage means the lab he has worked at for 16 years 'is entirely gone. No trace. There is nothing to save.' In that once gleaming lab, he kept thousands of genetically modified flies used for research into the development of the human nervous system, which helped provide insights into autism and schizophrenia, he said. The lab housed equipment like sophisticated microscopes. Researchers from Israel and abroad joined hands in the study effort. 'All of our studies have stopped,' he said, estimating it would take years to rebuild and get the science work back on track. 'It's very significant damage to the science that we can create and to the contribution we can make to the world.'
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Power of diplomacy and the pain of war in Ukraine and ME
By Mykola Dzhydzhora Despite the ongoing full-scale war and daily air strikes against residential areas in Ukraine, we went to Istanbul earlier this month for a second round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. During these difficult negotiations, we have managed with the notable Turkish mediation to reach specific humanitarian agreements. One of the first practical results of these agreements was a new large-scale exchange of prisoners of war, which included individuals under the age of 25 and severely injured servicemen. This large-scale exchange is a crucial humanitarian act that has made it possible to release many of those who were previously considered missing. The repatriation of deceased Ukrainian citizens, including servicemen, took place also earlier this month. Ukraine received 6,057 bodies in accordance with the Istanbul Agreements. Identification is ongoing, and families are finally being given the opportunity to bid farewell to their loved ones with dignity. This is a moral obligation of the state towards those who paid the ultimate price for Ukraine's freedom. Another issue of moral importance is the issue of the Ukrainian children who were illegally deported or forcibly transferred from Ukraine to Russia. Ukraine has officially documented over 19,500 cases of the forcible removal of Ukrainian children, and insists on the return to Ukraine of all children in accordance with the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. As for the Palestine, Ukrainians deeply feel the pain of war and understand the suffering of civilians. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has repeatedly called on all parties to this conflict to strictly adhere to the international humanitarian law. Ukraine has always supported the two-state solution and advocates for the peaceful resolution of this conflict through political and diplomatic means. In the context of the humanitarian program 'Grain from Ukraine', in March 2025, 553 tons of wheat flour were delivered to Palestine. At the end of February 2025 , a shipment of 400 tons of wheat flour was delivered to Syria, which, according to the World Food Program, will provide bread for almost 60,000 Syrians for 6 months. As for Iran, Ukraine is closely following with concern the recent military confrontation. Aware of the risks of further destabilization of the entire region, we note that continued hostilities could have negative consequences for international security and global financial stability - particularly in oil markets. It is essential to avoid further destabilization of the region and prevent civilian casualties. We are convinced that restoring peace and stability in the Middle East serves the interest not only of this region but also the entire international community including Ukraine. Note: Mykola Dzhydzhora is the Charge d'Affaires of Ukraine to the State of Kuwait
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Fraudulent Kuwaiti Identity Exposed: Syrian Uncle Posed As Father
KUWAIT CITY, June 20: Kuwaiti security authorities have uncovered a complex case of dual-level citizenship fraud involving a Syrian national and his biological uncle, both of whom had falsely obtained Kuwaiti nationality. According to informed security sources, the investigation was triggered when the General Department of Nationality Affairs received intelligence suggesting a Kuwaiti citizen may have acquired his nationality through fraudulent means, and that his siblings, still residing in Kuwait, were Syrian nationals. Acting swiftly, authorities apprehended the Syrian siblings, including the main suspect, who was caught at Kuwait International Airport while attempting to flee the country. Upon interrogation, the suspect admitted to being illegally added to the nationality file of a Kuwaiti citizen. Further probing revealed that the person who had enabled the fraud — listed in official records as his father — was his biological uncle, who himself had obtained Kuwaiti citizenship fraudulently years earlier. Investigators are now working to gather complete legal documentation on the uncle's case in preparation for further legal action. Meanwhile, the Syrian national's forged citizenship file was submitted to the Supreme Committee for Nationality Affairs, which issued a formal revocation of his Kuwaiti nationality. It was further revealed that the accused has no children or other registered dependents, and that his Kuwaiti wife had no knowledge of his forged identity. DNA testing was used as part of the evidence in the case, and the man has since been referred to the Public Prosecution, along with his siblings, for legal proceedings. He is currently being held in the central prison as investigations continue.
