Op-Eds

Daily political commentary and critical views on current events.

In Trabzon, football is far more than 90 minutes played at the weekend. It is part of everyday life — discussed in cafés, workplaces, streets and, of course, in the stands. Trabzonspor is not merely a football club; it is part of the city’s collective identity. That is why appointing...
03.09.2026
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Universality was once regarded as the common standard of morality, law and human values. Today, however, it seems that theft and plunder have also been turned into a kind of universal order. The looters in our country recognize no status or boundaries; they transfer the wealth they have accumulated to...
02.09.2026
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Can justice truly exist when people are forced to take turns guarding for water in a village whose fountain has run dry? Kemal Tahir once said, “They say justice is the foundation of the state; that is true. But when justice serves the powerful, the state begins to rot.” At...
31.08.2026
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Some dates are more than numbers on a calendar. They become deeply rooted in a nation’s memory, conscience, and identity. August 30, 1922, is one of those days. It was the day a nation’s long and difficult struggle, fought against overwhelming odds, was crowned with victory. It was the day...
30.08.2026
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For some, the pursuit of justice in these lands is a futile endeavor. They reinforce this hopelessness with examples. I know that this is how things are in this part of the world. Nevertheless, if we continue to speak of justice, law, and democracy with friends like you, while preserving...
20.08.2026
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Sabahattin Ali once said: “There are some people who fit themselves into every mold and turn with every wind. They have no character of their own; they have only their interests.” A corrupt regime has destroyed these values as well. Anyone who stands against a corrupt system, and defends freedom,...
17.08.2026
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HOW DID THE JOURNEY TO A QUARTER CENTURY UNFOLD? Seeing the AK Party’s “quarter-century” campaign brought a particular story from mythology to mind. A dervish breaks a bird’s wing. When the bird is asked, “Why didn’t you fly? Why did they break your wing?”, the bird gives a striking answer:...
14.08.2026
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THINKING BEFORE THE FALL? Reading Stefan Zweig’s essay An Evening in Vienna led me to realize that the writings of Osman Aydoğan Pasha—whose work I have long admired—continue to illuminate the present through the lessons of the past. It also prompted a question in my mind: Can unquestioning belief extinguish...
03.08.2026
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The government is not speaking openly about the policy it is pursuing under the banner of the so-called “solution process.” Instead of clearly saying “general amnesty,” “amnesty for the PKK,” or “conditional amnesty,” it hides behind terms such as “peace process” and “dissolved organization.” The issue is not being expressed...
24.07.2026
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A quest is, in its simplest meaning, the pursuit of something or the determination to reach a goal. It can carry many meanings, but in our time it primarily represents the search for liberation from misrule, injustice, oppression, lawlessness, and countless other forms of wrongdoing. I once visited a relative...
22.07.2026
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After July 15, 2016, hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs and their futures overnight. Nearly 10 years have passed since this period of lawlessness. Families were devastated, lives were lost. Some were branded as “terrorists” through mere profiling, while others were stigmatized without concrete evidence—based solely on suspicion....
16.07.2026
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WHO BENEFITED FROM JULY 15? In the light of praise and condemnation, when will this nation finally learn the truth behind these secrets? Will there ever be justice that reveals both the victims and those who have become arrogant with power? If there had been constitutional governance, the rule of...
15.07.2026
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