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ONE OF TURKEY’S main trade union confederations has joined protests against the government, after another night of clashes between police and protesters in Istanbul and Ankara.
Turkey’s Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK) has called a two-day strike from today to protest against the police crackdown on demonstrators.
“The state terror implemented against entirely peaceful protests is continuing in a way that threatens civilians’ life safety,” the KESK said Monday in a statement on its website.
The police crackdown showed the Islamist-rooted government’s “enmity to democracy”, it said. The left-leaning confederation has some 240,000 members in 11 unions and the action will likely affect schools, universities and public offices across the country.
Turkish police and anti-government protesters clashed again in Istanbul earlier today , as the reported death toll from nationwide protests rose to two.
Riot police fired tear gas at protestors who burned cars, hurled stones and bellowed angry slogans into the early hours. Similar scenes played out in the capital Ankara.
Earlier, as white fumes hung in the air in surrounding streets, thousands of other protestors gathered on Taksim Square, the symbolic heart of the protests.
“Tayyip, resign!” they yelled, waving red flags and banners and whistling. AFP reporters saw many demonstrators being carried away by medics.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had already left on a trip to Morocco, had insisted on Monday the situation was calming down. He rejected talk of a “Turkish Spring” uprising by Turks who accuse him of trying to impose Islamic reforms on the secular state.
The clashes, which have rocked scores of cities across Turkey, have now entered a fifth day. Erdogan has blamed the protests on “extremists” and “dissidents” among his opponents and on Monday insisted the situation was calming down.
“The Republican People’s Party and other dissidents have a hand in these events,” he said, referring to the main Turkish opposition.
A medics’ union earlier Monday said a man had been killed when a car ploughed into protestors in Istanbul on Sunday and earlier today, private television station NTV reported that a 22-year-old man had died after being shot in the head in Hatay province, in the south of the country.
The wave of protests began on Friday after police cracked down on a peaceful protest in Istanbul against plans to build over Gezi Park, a rare green spot adjoining Taksim Square.
That generated wider anti-government protests in Istanbul, Ankara and dozens of other cities. Rights groups and doctors said more than a thousand people had been injured in clashes in Istanbul and 700 in Ankara.
The government’s latest estimate on Sunday put the figure at 58 civilians and 115 security forces injured, with clashes in 67 cities. It also said more than 1,700 people had been arrested across the country but that many had since been released.
Deputy Premier Bulent Arinc, who is standing in for Erdogan during his absence from the country, is due to speak to journalists about the unrest at 0900 GMT , the Anatolia news agency reported.
The Istanbul stock exchange closed 10 percent lower on Monday and the Turkish lira fell against the euro and the dollar.
Since coming to power in 2002, Erdogan has passed contested reforms on religious education and a recent law curbing the sale of alcohol. In 2004 he backed down on a proposed adultery law.
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Let’s hope Adrian Bayley will get a taste of his own medicine while inside. Karma is a wonderful thing. :)
I see the trolls ‘ red thumb brigade’ are out again. Bloody morons!!!
He raises a pertinent question though, what the hell point is there having a maximum sentence if it’s not going to be imposed.
With this guy’s previous history and then this case on top, if he didn’t warrant it I shudder, shudder to thing what actually would.
My heart poors for this guy and i agree he was let down by the justice system …. but maybe not something that should be a headline in this country …. rape carries 15 years in Oz.? Try 15 weeks over here
This man had already raped 8 women prior to murdering Jill and only served 10 years altogether. He also broke someone jaw whilst out on parole for rape. Australian justice system is a joke, too focused on the offender as opposed to the community.
These types of yokes should not be getting let out of jail after a set number of years, they should be kept inside if they’re not safe. And most of them don’t even look for help inside but they still get let out.. our own “beast of the east” LM got let out and he’s free now to prey on potential victims. These fiends should stay locked up in my opinion.
They should be locked up for life if they cannot be rehabilitated. Right now we gather the worst in society and throw them into a building where they are expected to be kept for a number of years. Then they’re just thrown back into the world after an arbitrary number of years has been fulfilled. It’s no wonder the western world has such high rates of reoffending with a system like that.
Exactly Jason, that’s what I’m saying, these types shouldn’t get a release date while they’re still a danger..
Was nearly in tears watching this chap on the news. I hope he takes a civil action and sues the a*** off them
A lot of red thumbs again tonight in response to what decent people are expressing. If one has any compassion for Gill, her husband and family what is their problem with decent people expressing their views. All I can say some sickos trolling the journal and in support obviously of vile rapists and murderers. Sad but very true! Lets see how many ref thumbs?
Heartbreaking interview. At least some justice has been served. RIP
He should never be allowed out of prison as long as he draws breath. I don’t know why he can’t get life. And I mean real ‘life’- not like this country. We should also take notice in this country of letter sex offenders out on parole. They’re monsters who will offend again!
I think Tom Meagher is right about the remorse. I’m sure Bayley’s lawyer pointed out to him that if he showed some remorse he’d get a few years off his sentence. Crocodile tears. The man shouldn’t have been out on bail and now he should have a whole-life sentence with no possibility of his ever getting out.
It’s heartbreaking, that poor man
God damn judges are the same all over the world. They play gods and seem to enjoy showing mercy to monsters. Judges should be replaced by a software driven logic.
I agree Mary. Predators such as these, do not have the capacity to experience remorse, let alone understand its meaning. It’s a foreign concept to them, like a foreign language is to us.
Sadly the shit will be on a secure wing, which will be hard to access by any one other than staff.
It is so sad and the family is so brave.
I am ashamed of the Australian Legal System.
RIP
Unfortunately here in Ireland rapists get off lightly too. The kind of sentence given in the article below is an absolute disgrace and sends out the complete wrong message.
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