Mustafa Varank

Two journalists were sentenced to two years in prison on April 28 for republishing in their columns a cover of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo featuring an image of the Prophet Muhammad. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an?s press office has categorically denied claims about the extravagant cost of an iftar dinner where the head of the state hosted former and incumbent officials from Turkey?s Directorate General of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), suggesting that such claims were aspects of ?black propaganda.?

Two suspects who were allegedly involved in wiretapping then-prime minister President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and were caught in Romania in February denied all claims against them at a hearing in Ankara on May 4. 

Turkey's Parliament is likely to hit a record high in the number of women deputies after the June 7 elections, as the lists of women MP candidates for all four parties currently represented at parliament show an unprecedented increase. 

Turkish President Erdo?an?s son-in-law, lawyer, speechwriter, advisor, advisor?s cousin, coordinator?s father, chief of staff?s wife and official singer are all on the election candidates list of the ruling AKP.

The third hearing into the case of illegal wiretapping at the offices of former prime minister, now President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, has revealed that a senior adviser for Erdo?an at the time prevented his security staff from accompanying a search by intelligence officials.