Author: Senada Sokollu

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Screenshot of the caricature on the front of the most recent edition of the Turkish satirical magazine "Cafcaf" bearing the statement "No, nothing has been forgiven!"

Islamic satirical magazine "Cafcaf" from Istanbul

"No, nothing has been forgiven!"

The Islamic satirical magazine "Cafcaf" has distanced itself from the worldwide "Je suis Charlie" movement. The magazine's Turkish caricaturists regard their own art as being respectful towards Islam and criticise the portrayal of their religion in the West. By Senada Sokollu in IstanbulMore

Interview with the cartoonist Khalil: "There is nothing that can justify this sort of violence"The Lebanese satirical magazine "Ad-Dabbour": Hornets' nest in BeirutCreative protest against Syria's regime: The puppet rebellionPortrait of the Egyptian TV satirist Bassem Youssef: Fighting over the ''Pantie Revolution''
Recep Tayyip Erdogan (photo: Reuters)

Turkey's secret service

Erdogan paves way for Turkish surveillance state

Turkey's government has submitted a bill to parliament in a bid to strengthen the position of the country's intelligence service and make it more independent of the judiciary. Critics say this will turn Turkey into a surveillance state. By Senada SokolluMore

Erdogan and the Turkish presidential election: His toughest challenge yet?Interview with Elif Shafak: "There is a lack of democratic culture in Turkey"Local elections in Turkey: An erosion of Erdogan's legitimacy
A woman photographs one of Istanbul's new rainbow steps (photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Art and protest in Turkey

Poking fun at the sultan

For about a year now, Turkey has been experiencing one of its worst ever political crises. It is a situation that has given the country's art scene a chance to flourish and to exercise its creativity in protest. However, such activity often entails the risk of serious consequences. By Senada Sokollu in IstanbulMore

The Piano Man of Taksim Square: Playing for PeaceThe Turkish music collective Bandista: "Every resistance movement has its own voice"Culture in Turkey before and after Gezi: The end of Cool Istanbul
Turkey's Europe Minister Egemen Bagis (l.) and EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Füle (photo: Georges Gobet/AFP/Getty Images)

EU Accession Negotiations with Turkey

A Lack of Perspective

After a break of many months, the EU has resumed membership talks with Turkey and extended them to address a further issue. But despite the new momentum for negotiations, the erstwhile euphoria over Europe on the Bosphorus has long dissipated. Senada Sokollu reports from IstanbulMore

Interview with Egemen Bağış: "We Perceive Europe as a Union of Values" Interview with Ruprecht Polenz: "Turkey Belongs in the EU!"Essay by Hüseyin Bagci: Turkey Will Not Be Lost to the West
A branch of the Bank Asya in Istanbul (photo: picture alliance/Tone Koene)

Turkey

Growing Popularity of Islamic Banks

Can religious faith, God and money ever be brought into a harmonious co-existence? Yes, they can, say the acolytes of Islamic banking. Islamic banks are becoming ever more popular in Turkey, even if not everyone is particularly enthusiastic about the development.More

Vanessa Steinmayer: "Islamic Financial System Is Not a Serious Alternative"Islamic Banking: Growing Confidence in the Islamic Banking SystemIslamic Banking: Investing as Pleases God