BİA will celebrate its 10th anniversary at the coming weekend. BİA started off as a project lead by the principle of "Journalism for rights, freedom for journalists". The 10-year's struggle for an independent media includes the news site, training sessions, books, international forums and thousands of voluntary contributions.

Journalist Fuat Doğansoy disclaimed the news about himself published in Vakit newspaper saying that "he was caught with drugs in Finland". Doğansoy believes to be targeted.

This year's national Children's Day celebrated in Turkey on 23 April was shadowed by recent incidents of violence against children, abuse, rape and death besides punishments against children decreed by courts.

"This pain is our pain, his mourning is the mourning of all of us" was written on the banner on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the deportation of Armenians. More than 500 people gathered around the banner in Taksim/Istanbul for a silent commemoration.

Reporters without Borders claimed to leave aside the prosecution of authors Şener and Göktaş, who drew attention to the state's responsibiltiy in the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink in their books. Instead, the ones responsible for the assassination should be revealed, RSF said.

Radikal newspaper journalist Saymaz will stand trial on 29 April for his critical news items concerned with "Ergenekon" defendant Şahin. At the same time, Star newspaper writer Tayyar was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment.

After three days of constitutional sessions, amendments on collective bargaining, the right to strike and lockout, closure of political parties, public autidorship, loss of membership of the parliament and regulations regarding the General Administrative Board passed through parliament.

Primary school students in Siirt were abused and raped by school staff throughout the last two years. The Teachers' Union Eğitim-Sen said that everybody who helped to conceal this crime against humanity bears a joint guilt.

The European Court of Human Rights convicted Turkey based on extrajudicial killings by the police. Turkey was sentenced to a € 103,000 fine for "violating the right to life" regarding the killing of an innocent bystander during a police raid of a private home.

The Armenian coalition government decided to take the approval of the protocols between Turkey and Armenia off the parliament's agenda until Turkey refrains from preconditions regarding the approval. The protocols envisage the development of diplomatic relations.

17 members of the "Peace Groups" that came from Iraq to Turkey in 2009 are facing trial for "propaganda for an illegal organization". The defendants dismiss the charges and refer to their freedom of thought. Another 30 trials are filed against each adult of both groups.

After two sessions, the Turkish Parliament passed five clauses of the constitutional reform package on equality, secrecy of private life, freedom of movement, labour union rights and protection of children's rights. The reservations on the Convention on Children's Rights were not lifted though.

The Trabzon 2nd Magistrate Court decided against merging the file concerned with the prosecution of eight gendarmerie officers accused of negligence in the murder of journalist Dink with the file in Istanbul. Moreover, four informants from the Trabzon Gendarmerie will not be heard.

The Constitutional Reform Package passed through the Constitutional Commission in Parliament. Read here a summary of the second part of the amendments.

Sönmez from the Pacifist Group stated that exemption from military service by payment will not be put on Turkey's agenda because the General Staff opposes the idea. Sönmez demanded Turkey's recognition of the right to conscientious objection.

Energy Minister Yıldız was punched in his face at a funeral. A court in Kayseri decided to detain the attacker pending trial. The Ministry of the Interior appointed two inspectors to investigate the incident. PM Erdoğan said that the background of the attack will be revealed.

Primary school teacher F.N. was suspended after she had kicked a six-year-old student in class. The teachers' union demands a thorough investigation of the general situation at the school in southern Turkey and emphasized that the resignation of one or two people is not enough.

According to the Turkish Human Rights Foundation, seven people died in detention in the first quarter of 2009 and another five in extra-judicial executions by the police and the gendarmerie. Two people died in detention in April, one was severely injured by police bullets.

Hautala from the European Parliament urged Turkey to act on the improvement of freedom of speech. EFJ President König said that recent reports on press freedom were not very promising. Türmen: "Press freedom means informing people and not criticizing the government".

The Platform for a Peaceful and Democratic Solution filed a criminal complaint against Governor Güzeloğlu from Samsun. The platform holds Güzeloğlu responsible for the attack on Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk and demands his resignation.