Erinç Sağkan

Thousands of lawyers are set to convene in the capital Ankara on April 27 for a major "defense rally" to call for the elevation of standards and quality in their profession and to put an end to the escalating violence against their colleagues.

An Ankara court rejected the release demand of jailed Turkish educators who have been on hunger strikes for 108 days.

Teacher Semih Özakça and academic Nuriye Gülmen started their hunger strike demanding that they be returned to their positions, after they were removed with a state of emergency decree law.