ISTANBUL, July 28 (Reuters) – - Dozens of Turkish
journalists writing for the Tutuklu Gazete newspaper have very
personal reasons to be concerned about media freedom in their
EU-candidate country. They are all in jail.

From prison cells across Turkey, they contributed articles
to a special edition protesting against restrictions on freedom
of expression which have drawn criticism from the United States
and Europe.

ISTANBUL, Jul (Reuters) – Libya’s former central bank governor Farhat Bengdara said on Saturday a newly formed association of Libyan bankers was preparing recommendations to support the country’s rebel leaders in raising finance.

The unofficial International Association of Libyan Bankers met in Istanbul on Saturday, a day after the United States and other world powers recognized the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) as Libya’s government.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A Turkish court jailed the coach and deputy chairman of Istanbul club Besiktas pending trial on Wednesday in a match-fixing investigation which has overshadowed preparations for the new soccer season, media reports said.

The Istanbul court has already jailed 26 people including the chairman of champions Fenerbahce, who feature highly in the probe, and the latest ruling targeted a second of the city’s “Big Three” clubs which dominate Turkish football.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish police detained the chairman of Trabzonspor on Monday, broadcasters said, widening a match-fixing investigation which has already put 26 people in jail pending trial and left Turkish football in disarray.

The major nationwide investigation has plunged preparations for the new season into chaos less than a month before kick-off and could result in champions Fenerbahce being stripped of their title.

ISTANBUL, July 11 (Reuters) – Turkish police detained the
chairman of Trabzonspor on Monday, broadcasters said, widening a
match-fixing investigation which has already put 26 people in
jail pending trial and left Turkish football in disarray.

The major nationwide investigation has plunged preparations
for the new season into chaos less than a month before kick-off
and could result in champions Fenerbahce being stripped of their
title.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A Turkish prosecutor requested a court jail the chairman of league champions Fenerbahce pending trial on charges of match-fixing on Friday, TV reports said, in an investigation which could result in the club being stripped of its title.

The court was expected to rule on the request to imprison Aziz Yildirim later on Friday. If jailed, he will join 25 people already remanded in custody on charges of manipulation in 19 matches, which Turkey’s prime minister said has stained Turkey’s image.

ISTANBUL, July 8 (Reuters) – A Turkish prosecutor requested
a court jail the chairman of league champions Fenerbahce pending
trial on charges of match-fixing on Friday, TV reports said, in
an investigation which could result in the club being stripped
of its title.

The court was expected to rule on the request to imprison
Aziz Yildirim later on Friday. If jailed, he will join 25 people
already remanded in custody on charges of manipulation in 19
matches, which Turkey’s prime minister said has stained Turkey’s
image.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A jailed Kurdish militant leader has agreed with Turkish officials to set up a “peace council” aimed at ending a separatist conflict that has lasted 27 years, a news agency close to the rebels reported on Friday.

Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan said through his lawyers that the “peace council” must be established within the next month, Firat news agency said. It was unclear what form the council might take.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A Turkish court jailed 15 more people, including top football club executives, pending trial on Thursday as part of a major match-fixing investigation which the prime minister said is staining the country’s image.

Three executives of champions Fenerbahce, the chairman of Sivasspor and coach of Eskisehirspor were among the 15 sent to jail on the orders of an Istanbul court, state-run Anatolian news agency reported.

ISTANBUL, July 7 (Reuters) – A Turkish court jailed 15 more
people, including top soccer club executives, pending trial on
Thursday as part of a major match-fixing investigation which the
prime minister said is staining the country’s image.

Three executives of champions Fenerbahce, the chairman of
Sivasspor and coach of Eskisehirspor were among the 15 sent to
jail on the orders of an Istanbul court, state-run Anatolian
news agency reported.