Turkey: Lost in Translation

Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) A Quiet Intergenerational Secular Shift in Turkey 🇹🇷 🕌 🗳️ A 2025 KONDA survey of 6,137 people, comparing results with 2008, reveals a clear generational shift in Turkey away from organized religiosit...

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) 🦩🎶❤️🦩 In Turkish folk culture, flamingos were long known as “allı turna” — literally, “the rosy crane.” The name comes not from biology but from appearance: long legs, graceful movement, and their str...

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) The most famous Allı Turna folk song was performed with the saz by the legendary folk poet Neset Ertaş, in a version believed to be closest to the original. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRb-61Weo...

The most famous Allı Turna folk song was performed with the saz by the legendary folk poet Neset Ertaş, in a version believed to be closest to the original.

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YouTube video by radaments Allı Turnam - Özer Atik

There’s also a modern rendition with Western instruments. And there are many more. Each versions are beautiful in their own way.

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Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"

“Gözaltına Alınıyorum”: How “I’m Being Detained” Became Turkey’s Phrase of the Year I joined Luke Sheehan on the Cassandra Voices podcast and wrote an accompanying article on Turkey’s role in building the West, and the growing danger facing its democracy today.

“Gözaltına Alınıyorum”: How “I’m Being Detained” Became Turkey’s Phrase of the Year

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The Spanish foreign policy perspective should become the guiding star of the entire EU policy.
All other statements are nothing but spineless declarations.

“Gözaltına Alınıyorum”: How “I’m Being Detained” Became Turkey’s Phrase of the Year I joined Luke Sheehan on the Cassandra Voices podcast and wrote an accompanying article on Turkey’s role in building the West, and the growing danger facing its democracy today.

“Gözaltına Alınıyorum”: How “I’m Being Detained” Became Turkey’s Phrase of the Year

open.substack.com/pub/turkeylo...

Cassandra Voices Podcast with Fatma Akman Lehmann – Turkey’s Phrase of the Year: Gözaltina aliniyorum | Cassandra Voices

Down With Tyranny, Long Live Freedom!

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) What a delusion for a “James” to believe that Constantinople has anything to do with him. And yet, every now and then, the Western left criticises the Turkish national history of thought. Even very re...

Western leftists mock Turkish history yet perform shallow symbolism: Germans lecture online, Americans obsess over identity theatrics, ignoring Western wars and distorted Anglo-Saxon histories that actually demand serious deconstruction instead.

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) I have encountered numerous articles with strikingly similar wording and arguments, almost always written by Pakistani Islamist commentators. This approach tends to be unfactual, non-scientific, and r...

Similar Islamist articles, often by Pakistani commentators, distort facts about Turkey, exaggerating Sharia support. Evidence shows extremism marginal. Coordinated, possibly Turkish-funded PR surged before 2023 elections across Muslim-majority countries globally.

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) İmamoğlu warns in Foreign Affairs that Turkey’s weakened institutions and erratic foreign policy are undermining the country at home and abroad, and argues that a democratic reset is essential for Tur...

İmamoğlu warns that weakened institutions and erratic foreign policy undermine Turkey. He calls for a democratic reset, stronger institutions, and renewed EU-NATO alignment to restore stability, credibility, and global influence.

substack.com/@turkeylosti...

Raising the Next Erdoğan: NGOs, EU Funds, and Turkey’s Next Conservative Elite Bilal Erdoğan oversees a vast network of well-funded NGOs aimed at cultivating an Islamist elite to sustain the ideology in power well into the post-Erdoğan era. Becoming more visible in politics..

Raising the Next Erdoğan: NGOs, EU Funds, and Turkey’s Next Conservative Elite

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Raising the Next Erdoğan: NGOs, EU Funds, and Turkey’s Next Conservative Elite Bilal Erdoğan oversees a vast network of well-funded NGOs aimed at cultivating an Islamist elite to sustain the ideology in power well into the post-Erdoğan era. Becoming more visible in politics..

Raising the Next Erdoğan: NGOs, EU Funds, and Turkey’s Next Conservative Elite

open.substack.com/pub/turkeylo...

Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) Turkey’s Press Freedom Decline in One Snapshot In 2002 which is the first year of the RSF global press freedom index, and the same year Erdoğan was first elected, Turkey ranked 99th in the world. By...

Turkey’s press freedom steadily eroded from its 99th rank in 2002, worsened through the 2000s, and plunged after the 2016 coup attempt, reaching 151st amid intensified repression and controls.

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) İmamoğlu warns in Foreign Affairs that Turkey’s weakened institutions and erratic foreign policy are undermining the country at home and abroad, and argues that a democratic reset is essential for Tur...

İmamoğlu warns that weakened institutions and erratic foreign policy undermine Turkey. He calls for a democratic reset, stronger institutions, and renewed EU-NATO alignment to restore stability, credibility, and global influence.

substack.com/@turkeylosti...

Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) There’s a saying in Turkish culture that refers to the myth of unrequited love, Leyla and Mecnun. The townspeople go to Mecnun and tell him, “Leyla isn’t even that beautiful.” Mecnun, mad with love, l...

There’s a saying in Turkish culture that refers to the myth of unrequited love, Leyla and Mecnun. The townspeople go to Mecnun and tell him, “Leyla isn’t even that beautiful.” Mecnun, mad with love, looks at them and replies:

“I know. I’m not blind, I’m in love.”

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) 📸⚖️ Journalist Fatih Altaylı Throws His Case Files in the Air After Receiving 4-Year Prison Sentence In a dramatic moment captured in court, journalist Fatih Altaylı threw his defense documents into ...

Journalist Fatih Altaylı received 4 years in prison for allegedly threatening the President, protested in court, and drew widespread criticism from press freedom groups. His remarks were disputed; lawyers plan to appeal.

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Reference to Ottoman Sultan “Strangled by the People” Leads to Arrest of Renowned Journalist Fatih Altayli "The Turkish people love the ballot box. This is a nation that, when displeased, has even strangled its own sultans — they’ve always wanted the power to remove those in charge."

Reference to Ottoman Sultan “Strangled by the People” Leads to Arrest of Renowned Journalist Fatih Altayli

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Reference to Ottoman Sultan “Strangled by the People” Leads to Arrest of Renowned Journalist Fatih Altayli "The Turkish people love the ballot box. This is a nation that, when displeased, has even strangled its own sultans — they’ve always wanted the power to remove those in charge."

Reference to Ottoman Sultan “Strangled by the People” Leads to Arrest of Renowned Journalist Fatih Altayli

open.substack.com/pub/turkeylo...

Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) 📸⚖️ Journalist Fatih Altaylı Throws His Case Files in the Air After Receiving 4-Year Prison Sentence In a dramatic moment captured in court, journalist Fatih Altaylı threw his defense documents into ...

Journalist Fatih Altaylı received 4 years in prison for allegedly threatening the President, protested in court, and drew widespread criticism from press freedom groups. His remarks were disputed; lawyers plan to appeal.

substack.com/@turkeylosti...

Hopeful Messages from Istanbul’s Imprisoned Mayor İmamoğlu as Kurdist DEM and the Ruling Coalition Target the Main Opposition CHP’s 39th Ordinary Congress, opposition candidate İmamoğlu responds to allegations, controversial visit to PKK’s imprisoned leader on İmralı Island, unsolicited advice from Kılıçdaroğlu, and so on..

Hopeful Messages from Istanbul’s Imprisoned Mayor İmamoğlu as Kurdist DEM and the Ruling Coalition Target the Main Opposition

open.substack.com/pub/turkeylo...

Hopeful Messages from Istanbul’s Imprisoned Mayor İmamoğlu as Kurdist DEM and the Ruling Coalition Target the Main Opposition CHP’s 39th Ordinary Congress, opposition candidate İmamoğlu responds to allegations, controversial visit to PKK’s imprisoned leader on İmralı Island, unsolicited advice from Kılıçdaroğlu, and so on..

Hopeful Messages from Istanbul’s Imprisoned Mayor İmamoğlu as Kurdist DEM and the Ruling Coalition Target the Main Opposition

open.substack.com/pub/turkeylo...

Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) From the Archives | 16 May 2013, Shortly Before the Gezi Park Protests: The Kılıçdaroğlu–Swoboda Crisis, Briefly Former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, during his remarks in Brussels, stated that he s...

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu likened Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to a dictator, prompting Hannes Swoboda to cancel their meeting after refusal to retract remarks, sparking a dispute over who ended talks between the parties at Brussels.

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) From the Archives | 16 May 2013, Shortly Before the Gezi Park Protests: The Kılıçdaroğlu–Swoboda Crisis, Briefly Former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, during his remarks in Brussels, stated that he s...

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu likened Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to a dictator, prompting Hannes Swoboda to cancel their meeting after refusal to retract remarks, sparking a dispute over who ended talks between the parties at Brussels.

substack.com/@turkeylosti...

İmamoğlu Reveals How His Political Journey Began with Kılıçdaroğlu Naming Him Başakşehir Mayoral Candidate "My candidacy wasn’t driven by personal ambition or hidden schemes. It came from the will of the people, party members, supporters, and leadership."

İmamoğlu Reveals How His Political Journey Began with Kılıçdaroğlu Naming Him Başakşehir Mayoral Candidate

My candidacy wasn’t driven by personal ambition or hidden schemes. It came from the will of the people, party members, supporters, and leadership.

open.substack.com/pub/turkeylo...

İmamoğlu Reveals How His Political Journey Began with Kılıçdaroğlu Naming Him Başakşehir Mayoral Candidate "My candidacy wasn’t driven by personal ambition or hidden schemes. It came from the will of the people, party members, supporters, and leadership."

İmamoğlu Reveals How His Political Journey Began with Kılıçdaroğlu Naming Him Başakşehir Mayoral Candidate

My candidacy wasn’t driven by personal ambition or hidden schemes. It came from the will of the people, party members, supporters, and leadership.

open.substack.com/pub/turkeylo...

Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) Full-Blown Turkish Culture Wars: Turkish Youth vs. Erdoğan 💫🏀 Alperen Şengün, the Houston Rockets’ rising star and Turkish national basketball team player, appeared on UNINTERRUPTED’s Off Day series,...

Alperen Şengün called rakı Turkey’s national drink in a viral video, sparking cultural debate as youth saw his comment as defying Erdoğan’s long-standing restrictions and promotion of ayran instead today.

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) A young CHP-member farmer from Denizli has added his voice to the nationwide protests that began after Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor and opposition candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on March 19. Wh...

A young CHP farmer from Denizli joins nationwide protests after İmamoğlu’s arrest, as individual acts of dissent complement CHP-organized demonstrations, highlighting quiet yet powerful resistance against Turkey’s growing authoritarian trajectory.

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Fatma Akman-Lehmann (@turkeylostintranslation) There’s a great Turkish expression: “kapı gıcırtısına oynamak.” Literally “to dance even at the sound of a squeaky door,” it describes people who can’t help but start dancing the moment they hear eve...

Belgian dancer Ed People’s Istanbul videos went viral as strangers joyfully joined him dancing to Ankara folk music, perfectly capturing the Turkish expression for dancing at even the faintest sound.

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