Turkey

In October, Syrian Kurds plan to launch a constitution for northern Syria, according to Kurdish politician Hadiya Yousef, quoted by Reuters in early September. She said that the political developments would take place despite Turkey’s anti-Kurdish incursions into northern Syria that began on 24 August.

In early September, the continuing crackdown inside Turkey itself led to the dismissal of 24 Kurdish mayors in the southeast, and the suspension of 1,151 Kurdish teachers.
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On 23 September, Index on Censorship and English PEN, another freedom of expression group, held a vigil outside the Turkish embassy in London in support of art teacher Ayse Çelik and others currently persecuted for speaking out in Turkey.

As we went to press, Çelik was awaiting a new trial date, accused of ‘promoting terrorist organisation propaganda’ after she called in…

As US-led economic sanctions tighten around its economy, the Iranian government is once again indicating its willingness to negotiate a compromise over its nuclear programme.

On 12 October, foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast said: 'Iran is ready to show flexibility to remove concerns within a legal framework' - he added: 'but such measures should be reciprocal'. 

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