İsrafil Özkan
Why the Arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Changes Everything—for Turkey and Europe
Turkey (Brussels Morning Newspaper) Istanbul woke up to a gut-punch on March 19th: Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu—the man who…
State-Funded vs. Privately-Funded NGOs: Efficiency, Challenges, and Solutions
Türkiye (Brussels Morning) Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a critical role in civil society, addressing social, economic, and political…
Trump’s USAID shutdown: A blow to global aid
Turkey (Brussels Morning) - In a move that has sent shockwaves through the international development community, the Trump…
Can Free-Market Environmentalism solve the climate crisis?
Turkey (Brussels Morning) - The fight against climate change has reached a critical point, forcing governments, businesses, and…
Turkey’s War on Tobacco, Alcohol, and E-Cigarettes: A Losing Battle
Turkey (Brussels Morning Newspaper) - In 2024, Turkey’s crackdown on the illicit trade of alcohol, tobacco, and electronic…
Turkey’s Foreign Agent Law: Echoes of Georgia’s Struggle for Freedom
(Turkey) Brussels Morning, In a move reminiscent of Georgia’s controversial “Foreign Influence Transparency Law,” Turkey’s ruling Justice and…
The Economic and Legal Implications of Turkey’s Instagram Ban
Turkey (Brussels Morning Newspaper) - In a move that has garnered significant attention and controversy, the Turkish government…
2024 Local Elections: The Future of LGBT+ Rights Under Turkey’s Political Alliances
During the recent elections in Turkey, there was a lot of hate speech about the LGBT+ community. This…
Attention for Sale: The Hidden Democratic Price of Surveillance Capitalism
Surveillance capitalism, a term coined by Shoshana Zuboff, refers to the monetization of personal data collected through digital…
Spicing Up Policy: Kokoreç, Snus and the EU’s Cultural Dilemma
However, the EU has invested considerable time and effort in avoiding learning from the Swedish case. Let's go…
The Dilan Polat Case: A Spotlight on Turkey’s Struggle with the FATF Grey List
Polat, along with her husband, sister, father-in-law, and others, faces accusations ranging from tax evasion to money laundering.…
A mob boss sets the political agenda in Turkey
Ankara (Brussels Morning) Sedat Peker, who has had an Interpol red notice issued about him on the grounds of…
Turkey’s alcohol ban falls outside the law
Turkey’s creeping alcohol restrictions are disproportionate and lacks legal grounds, writes Israfil Ozkan. Istanbul (Brussels Morning) It’s well-known…
The bells toll for Turkish civil society
Turkey's new laws could spell disaster for the country's civil society, writes İsrafil Özkan. Istanbul (Brussels Morning) The proposal…