🎡 Syria massacres, megaphone diplomacy

The anti-LGBTI+ tactic of populist regimes

In recent years, right-wing populist governments, which also feed on religious elements to consolidate their supporters, have preferred to antagonize and oppress LGBTI+ persons. Russia is one of these countries. If the legal amendment proposal whose details have been leaked in fact is being prepared, it means that the AK Party has decided to board the train of Russia and join LGBTI+'s further marginalization and antagonization.

Written by: Serkan Köybaşı

The declaration of 2025 as the “year of the family” in Turkey was not good news for women and LGBTI+ individuals from the very beginning. Because the concept of “family” has become a code word for conservative moralist governments to increase the pressure on women and LGBTI+ individuals almost everywhere in the world today.

There has already been incredible pressure on these two groups for years. As a matter of fact, an environment of conservative, moralist oppression has been going on de facto for years with the overnight and unlawful withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, the inability to prevent violence against women but violently preventing March 8 marches every year, the banning of the LGBTI+ Pride March every year in complete violation of the constitution, the punishment of TV series and movies with LGBTI+ content by the broadcast oversight board RTÜK without any legal basis, and other unlawful restrictions that cannot be counted.

The new law proposal uncovered by KaosGL seems to have been prepared to put this de facto oppressive environment into legal cover against LGBTI+ individuals.

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•  After the call: The PKK has announced its intention to comply with a directive from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to lay down arms and end its decades-long insurgency against Turkey.

• Driving the news: While the announcement was broadcast in Kurdish-majority cities, affiliated groups, such as Syria’s YPG, signaled that Ocalan’s call might not extend to them.
• Recommended read: Öcalan urges PKK to disarm in historic call | Aposto World

•  İmamoğlu launches campaign: Following CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's announcement during his visit to the European Parliament in Brussels that they will nominate Ekrem İmamoğlu as the presidential candidate after the primary election, İmamoğlu unofficially announced his candidacy with a video he shared on his social media account.

•  Red Flag exercise: It has been reported that Turkey will participate in the Red Flag-2025 Mixed Air Operations exercise, which will be held in the US between March 10-21 this year, for the first time since 2016.

•  Press Freedom Report: The Council of Europe's European Press Freedom Report 2024 points to a worrying increase in pressure on journalists and ranks Turkey among the countries where press freedom is most restricted.

• Zoom out: Turkey ranked fourth after Belarus, Azerbaijan and Russia, the countries with the highest number of journalists in prison, and just behind Russia in the list of countries where journalists are most often targeted by violence. The report identified Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Serbia, Georgia, Turkey, Serbia and Georgia as countries with systematic restrictions on press freedom.

^{Hundreds of demonstrators have gathered in Syria's capital with signs and placards to protest the ongoing violence | Reuters}

•  Violence erupts in Syria: Syria has witnessed its bloodiest days since Bashar al-Assad's ousting. On Thursday, 11 security personnel were killed in an attack by armed groups allegedly affiliated with the former regime, followed by numerous armed attacks and looting targeting Alawite civilians in and around Latakia on Friday and Saturday in the name of “revenge”.

• What happened? The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that 745 Alawite civilians were killed by the interim government's security forces and affiliated groups in 30 separate massacres in coastal and mountainous areas of Latakia governorate. The SOHR also reported 273 deaths among government and anti-government armed groups, bringing the total death toll to 1,018.
• The Quote: Syria's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said that an "independent committee" had been formed to "investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them".

• What they're saying: The UN says it's received "extremely disturbing" reports of whole families being killed, and has called on the interim authorities to take "swift actions to protect Syrians" while the US says the Syrian leadership must hold the perpetrators accountable. France has also condemned the violence targeting "civilians because of their faith" as well as prisoners.

•  Gaza's electricity cut off: Israel cut off the electricity supply to Gaza, officials said Sunday, affecting a desalination plant producing drinking water for part of the arid territory. Hamas called it part of Israel’s “starvation policy.”

• A step back: Israel last week suspended supplies of goods to the territory of more than 2 million Palestinians, an echo of the siege it imposed in the earliest days of the war.

• Zoom out: Israel is pressing the militant group to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire. That phase ended last weekend. Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas instead wants to start negotiations on the ceasefire’s more difficult second phase, which would see the release of remaining hostages from Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a lasting peace.

•  Egypt's Gaza plan: Leaders from Arab countries met at a summit in Cairo on Tuesday and adopted a $53 billion plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip without displacing Palestinians.

• What they're saying: The White House argued that the proposal “ignores the reality that Gaza is now uninhabitable,” while the Israeli Foreign Ministry criticized the plan as “based on outdated perspectives.” Leading European nations have said they support an Arab-backed plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that would cost $53 billion and avoid displacing Palestinians from the territory.

•  Trump's Gaza threat: In a social media post, US President Donald Trump called on Hamas to immediately release all hostages, dead or alive.

• The Quote: “I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say,” Trump said, calling on the organization's leadership to leave Gaza. He also threatened the people of Gaza, saying: “Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!”
• Reaction: Hamas has accused Trump of emboldening Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to break the Gaza ceasefire and intensify restrictions on the enclave.

•  Hostage protests: Relatives of hostages in Gaza protested in Tel Aviv on Thursday, blaming Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for the deaths of 37 hostages and calling on US President Trump not to cooperate with Netanyahu.

• Demands: The hostage relatives are demanding that Trump force Netanyahu to make a deal to release all of the hostages.

•  Israel, Russia, and Turkey: Israel is actively lobbying the US to support a fragmented and weakened Syria, advocating for Russia’s continued military presence in the country, Reuters reports.

• Perspective: Israeli officials argue that maintaining Russia’s naval base in Tartus and air base in Latakia could curb Turkish influence, a claim that surprised some US officials.

•  Reformist resignation in Iran: Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif, who has long faced criticism from Iran's hardliners and opponents of the West, has resigned.

• Zoom out: Zarif, 65, who served as Foreign Minister from 2013-2021 during Hassan Rouhani's presidency, had been vice president to current President Masoud Pezeshkian since August 1, 2024.

^{House Democrat Green, who interrupted Trump's speech, was removed from the hall | ABC News}

•  Trump's Congress speech: In the longest presidential speech to lawmakers on record, Trump outlined his vision for his second term, as Republicans applauded a high-octane six weeks that has reshaped domestic and foreign policy.

• Other perspectives: Trump was heckled by Democrats and he goaded them in turn during the rowdy primetime address, during which he said his administration was "just getting started".

•  US trade deficit: The US trade deficit jumped 34% month-on-month to $131.4 billion in January, hitting an all-time high.

• Furthermore: The number of first-time applicants for unemployment benefits in the country fell to 221,000 in the week ending March 1, below market expectations. However, according to February data, layoffs in the country were 3.5 times higher than the previous month and 2 times higher than the same period of the previous year.

•  Tariffs take effect: The 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, announced by the US last month and temporarily suspended, went into effect on Tuesday.

• Furthermore: Trump said China's failure to act to stem the flow of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, into the US posed a threat to US national security, foreign policy and the economy, and raised the 10% tariffs on China to 20%.

•  Canada's new PM: Mark Carney, former Governor of Bank of England, was elected leader of the Liberal Party to succeed outgoing PM Justin Trudeau.

• Looking ahead: Carney is likely to announce a speedy general election, and although the gap is narrowing with the Conservative opposition, the polls show them still in the lead.

• The Quote: Carney, who will be sworn in as PM in the coming days, pledges retaliatory tariffs on US goods until "Americans show us respect".

^{Supporters of Călin Georgescu scuffle with police outside the central electoral bureau in Bucharest on Sunday after his candidacy for the rerun of the presidential ballot in May was rejected | George Calin/Reuters}

•  Romania bans presidential frontrunner: Romania has banned the far-right frontrunner in the country’s presidential vote from taking part in the election, in a move he denounced as “tyranny” and which came despite Trump administration warnings to respect voters’ wishes.

• What happened? The country’s electoral bureau said on Sunday it was invalidating Călin Georgescu’s candidacy after receiving objections alleging that he had violated laws against extremism.
• The Quote: Georgescu denounced what he said was “a direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide”. In a message posted on X, he added: “Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!”
• Looking ahead: The candidate now has 24 hours to lodge a complaint, which the constitutional court has a further 48 hours to assess, meaning the final decision on a ban is set to come by Wednesday evening at the latest.

• Recommended read: Romania's annulled elections: Putting democracy to test | Aposto World, Serkan Köybaşı

•  Romania's Russia scare: Romanian authorities have arrested six individuals accused of attempting to overthrow the government with alleged Russian support, prosecutors announced.

• Punchline: Among those targeted in the investigation is a 101-year-old former army major general, whose home was raided.

• A step back: The arrests coincided with Romania expelling the Russian embassy’s military attaché and his deputy for violating diplomatic protocols—a move to which Moscow vowed retaliation.

•  Clash in parliament: Serbian opposition lawmakers have thrown smoke grenades and tear gas inside parliament to protest against the government and support demonstrating students, with three legislator injured during the chaos.

•  Poland's military conscription: Poland's PM Donald Tusk said that work is under way to make all men in Poland undergo military training:

"We will try to have a model ready by the end of this year so that every adult male in Poland is trained in the event of war, so that this reserve is comparable and adequate to the potential threats."

•  Elon vs Poland: In a spat on X over Starlink's funding, billionaire and DOGE head Elon Musk has said to the Poland Foreign Minister "Be quiet, small man".

•  Talks in Saudi Arabia: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Saudi Arabia for a state visit, ahead of talks between US and Ukrainian officials on Tuesday.

• Important note: Neither Trump nor Zelensky will formally take part in the negotiations which begin tomorrow.

• Highlight: Secretary of State Marc Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz are optimistic that a peace deal might be reached, as a US state official says Ukraine is "ready to move forward".

•  Peaceful intentions: CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the US was restricting intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a decision that could hamper Kiev's ability to counter Russian forces, implying that the restriction was a way to “advance peace negotiations.”

• A step back: US suspended military aid to Ukraine last week.

•  Sanctions and trust: US President Donald Trump has said he is "strongly considering large-scale sanctions" and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace deal with Ukraine is reached.

• Furthermore: Trump said he was contemplating the move because "Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now".

• Punchline: Hours later, however, the US president told reporters he was "finding it more difficult to deal with Ukraine", and repeated that he trusted Putin.

^{At least two houses and a church were damaged during the incident | The New York Times}

•  Bomb mistake: At least 7 people were injured when a South Korean fighter jet mistakenly dropped 8 quarter-ton bombs outside the designated firing area north of Seoul during a live-fire exercise.

•  China retaliates: Following Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports, Beijing retaliated by targeting US agricultural exports and defense contractors.

• The Quote: In response to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods—raising total duties to 20%—spokesperson Lin Jian declared, “If the U.S. insists on a tariff war, trade war, or any other war, China will fight to the end.” 

•  Border clash: Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged gunfire last Tuesday at the Torkham border crossing, which has been closed for 11 days due to a dispute over Afghanistan’s construction of a new border post.

• What they're saying: Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry reported one Afghan security officer killed and another injured, blaming Pakistan for initiating the violence. A Pakistani official, speaking anonymously, claimed Taliban forces fired first, prompting retaliatory fire from Pakistani troops.

•  Panama canal: A Hong Kong-based conglomerate has agreed to sell its controlling stake in two Panama Canal ports to US and Swiss investors, following mounting pressure from the Trump administration over concerns about Chinese influence.

• The Quote: President Donald Trump, who has claimed—without evidence—that China controls the canal, celebrated the sale as a strategic win, stating, “We’re taking it back.”

•  US military in Mexico: During a conversation with Mexican leaders, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened military action if the government does not start fighting drug cartels, Wall Street Journal reported.

•  Argentina's IMF deal: Argentine President Javier Milei has signaled that a new deal with the International Monetary Fund is near, promising that the IMF agreement would help stabilize Argentina’s currency and attract investment.

• Behind the scenes: However, his reliance on executive orders to push reforms, bypassing a hostile Congress, has sparked accusations of authoritarian overreach.

• Looking ahead: Amid mounting controversies, including a cryptocurrency scandal, Milei’s ability to consolidate power in the 2025 midterm elections could determine the future of his aggressive economic agenda.

•  Pensioners vs police: Protesters opposed to Argentine President Milei's austerity measures, including subsidy cuts, layoffs and pension freezes, clashed with police in the country's capital Buenos Aires, demanding pension increases.

•  Pressure on Rwanda: Germany has announced it will withhold new development aid commitments to Rwanda due to Kigali’s backing of the M23 rebel group fighting in eastern DRC.

• What happened? The German government condemned the actions of M23 and the Rwandan military, including the capture of the provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu.
• Why is it important? With an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops operating in eastern Congo, Berlin is reviewing its existing cooperation with Rwanda and suspending high-level participation in development events.

• Big picture: Germany joins the UK, Canada, and the US in taking measures against Rwanda, with international pressure mounting for Kigali to withdraw its forces and end its support for the rebels.

•  Sudan's genocide case: The International Court of Justice announced that Sudan has filed a lawsuit against the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of violating the Genocide Convention through support for atrocities committed against the Masalit community in West Darfur.

• What they're saying: Sudan alleges that the UAE provided direct financial, political, and military backing to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias, enabling acts such as mass killings, forced displacement, and destruction of property.

• Looking ahead: In its request, Sudan has asked the ICJ to impose urgent provisional measures, compelling the UAE to halt any actions that could contribute to genocide and prevent armed groups under its influence from committing further crimes. The case will receive priority under Article 74 of the court’s rules, signaling the gravity of the allegations and the potential for legal action against the UAE.

•  "Megaphone diplomacy": The South African government has said it will not take part in "counterproductive megaphone diplomacy" following a fresh social media post by US President Donald Trump repeating his claim that Pretoria was confiscating land.

• A step back: Trump extended his invitation to relocate those seeking "to flee [South Africa] for reasons of safety" to all farmers and offered them citizenship.
• Zoom out: South Africa has previously said that Trump has misunderstood the country's new land expropriation act. But it has already led to the US president freezing financial aid to the country.

•  “Carbon footprint": According to Carbon Majors data, which includes historical emissions from 1854 to 2023, 180 companies are responsible for two-thirds of fossil fuel carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution. 

• What's really going on: Half of the current carbon emissions causing climate change come from just 36 fossil fuel companies, the study found. According to the report, 36 major fossil fuel producers, including Saudi Aramco, Coal India, ExxonMobil, Shell and several Chinese companies, emitted more than 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 2023.

•  OPEC+ begins production hike: Multinational oil production cartel OPEC+ announced that it will proceed with its planned oil production increase in April, following renewed pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower prices.

•  Gold record: Gold has reached an all-time high above $2,900 an ounce this month, marking a 12% increase since the start of the year and outperforming major stock indices. This follows a remarkable 27% rise in 2024, the sharpest increase in 14 years.

• Big picture: The surge is driven by inflation concerns, heightened geopolitical uncertainty under Trump’s presidency, and growing central bank purchases.

From previous issues:

• AK Party holds congress, showcases MP transfers
• Öcalan urges PKK to disarm in historic call

📱Finally: Make sure that you follow Aposto World on Instagram. Also, Aposto's culture and travel brand Soli just launched its monthly print-magazine. You can learn more about the English-and-Turkish magazine and order it here.