Turkey must be encouraged to reject its brutal dark side

"This peaceful Turkish demonstration in favour of women's rights was smashed as if it were a bloodthirsty band of anarchists equipped with petrol bombs. The scenes, from Istanbul this week, invariably raise questions about whether the country is fit to join the European Union. The EU has already expressed its shock at the "disproportionate force" used against the demonstrators."

"Turkey is the Islamic world's first and most succesful secular democracy. Despite the violence of police in Istanbul, it is very different from the brutal stereotype of Alan Parker's film Midnight Express, where a young American is tortured and raped in prison after attempting to smuggle cannabis out of the country."

"The family is at the centre of national culture. In common with other traditional societies, they place a higher value on friendship, loyalty and honour."

"Enlightened commentators within Turkey this week suggested the police were particularly brutal because their traditional right to behave as they like will be severely curtailed under the new code. They feel the wind of change and they dislike it enormously."
Turkey must be encouraged to reject its brutal dark side -The Herald