Even though this article is old, the topic is still interesting:

Here is an article from 2005:

Women´s Human Rights in Turkey - challenges and prospects

http://www.awid.org/eng/Issues-and-Analysis/Library/Women-s-human-rights-in-Turkey-challenges-and-prospects

and an another one, more recent:

In Turkey, Degrees of Change in Women´s Rights

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/europe/turkey/women.html

yeah thats  very intesting issue... i am not turkish but i am women.. women needs to have equal right about all things coz women have thier own mind to decide what they want to do..  even though you are married you can choose or have decision to your own.. i hear this once you married a turkish men you are not allow to go work you become a nanny to your husband you serve him thats the only thing married women can do... so i hope the law will change... women have the right lets have women power hehhe

I say the question should not be about pover...

............more about balance.....

power is nothing without control!

eh, what are we talking about here?

in response to post # 4.....

"..........women have the right lets have women power......."

A power balance is preferable...different spheres of influence

ok im being a hard headed lets have equal leaving....

A more subtle control?

Seriously speaking, there are issues of power, and there are issues of understanding, accepting, iproving and developping.

Unless zou prefer suffering and making suffer, of course

If a lady has to work outside of her home, professionally....Let her do so, by all means.

The lady writing above crap however, obviously has no idea of the pleasure, dignity and responsibility of being a real woman. What she really wants, but can not say openly, is sexual freedom. That is what she thinks being a woman is all about.

With all due respect, she has more idea of what BEING a woman is than you will ever know!  You talk about a "lady working outside of her home"!   Would you ever talk about a "gentleman having to work outside of his home"?

Sexual freedom and its limits should have nothing to do with gender! 

 Well she is a woman - we come in all varieties, just like men. While you keep referring to all woman as "ladies" you will continue to be disappointed when they do not live up to your antiquated expectations.

We woman, in paradox, have no such expectations of men..  we are more realistic

My comment was not on ladies in general.

It related to the writer of a certain paragraph, canim....

I´m in a time machine! Back in the 50s! Those strange people here say it´s indecent to kiss, wear shirts showing your knees and using make-up. Doing that you risk ending up as a spinster! Only decent girls who keep virginity till marriage and who know they should keep quiet until asked by dear husbands/fathers may enjoy freedom of choosing what to cook for dinner. Ocassionally they can also meet at a knitting support grup in the local church where they discuss how happy they are that they do not have to go to work unlike others less fortunate ladies

Get me out! Please!

wow! Since I watched Alpha´s journalistic-like work of exploration... I agree to his opinion. Sometimes it is the way you post something, what pics you post, what titles you associate. It is not about endangering freedom of rights, especially not those for which women lingeries were burned for, back in the 60´s , but it is a matter of... taste. Daydreamer, in my opinion you got over-reactive over the topic, and in the same time brought in front some issues on the situation of women, issues that  need a change, indeed.

You know I hate to say it, but I´ve recently been to Turkey.  I don´t care what the law says, it will be a long time before turkish women will have equal rights.  The glass ceiling there is just about as high as heaven. 

 Well Alpha, sorry to dissapoint you but I agree with her on that score (if that is truly what she is saying and you are not just having a dig ather), why should women not have sexual freedom?  We can and do enjoy the act as much as men...........

 Why is it that if a man enjoys it, he is a stud and enjoying something that is rightfully his to enjoy?  Even if he brags about his conquests, he is not seen as a bad person, or unfit as a man.  But when a woman enjoys it, she is made to feel like she is a whore or must hide the fact that she enjoys it.  God forbid she puts a picture of herself enjoying a kiss! 

 oh i see thats you who keeps the brain

 Well, it is a womans brain, so GG and I finally figured out that we only need half for each of us to be able to function in a man´s world.

 wheres gg? bed amrkian is always offline when i need her.

 She has left me in charge of the bed amerikan concerns for today...how can I help you?

A man who enjoys or knowingly allows himself be photographed with a lady in their intimate momenta, does not rate very high in my book either. That is not what being a "man"  is about at all....

I would say that photograph captures a pair of equivalent dignity, modesty and good taste...

Well... I think that this topic raised other issues that are interesting to be discussed over, too. What is freedom? Does taste mean anything in it? Do we follow some principles, having freedom or are we sometimes abusing freedom from an... at least esthetical point of view? Like do some performances, while public is diverted with abject things, even? Where are the borderlines?

And no, taking women rights, more correctly not giving them rights is not a good alternative. You cannot deprive a gender in order to keep "balance" in a society. And yes, there might have been times when some "priviledges" to wives, such as the obligation to take care of her financially were true reforms... but aren´t we glad we got over those times adding much more values ever since?

 FWIW....it was a pretty gross photo in my opinion. I wonder if the guy even knows his photo is on the Internet for all to "enjoy". Maybe he didn´t know he was photographed.

Someone had too much Freud to read, did you not get on to newer theories?

"The new year sees the start of a quiet revolution in Turkish society, when centuries of legally enshrined inequality between the sexes are brought to an end."

"Women are now legally allowed to take a job without first seeking their spouse´s permission, and their husbands no longer have the right to decide unilaterally where a couple will live.

But by far the most significant element of the new legislation is the provision that married women are entitled to an equal share of joint assets in the event of divorce"

OMG... I have no idea who wrote this article, but I have a feeling the title of it should be "Turkish women finally regarded as humans"! This is nowhere near equality, even having to make this kind of change shows how backwards gender relations in Turkey are.

thank you for posting my unforgettable and precious moment picture of me and bf.. i cant see nothing wrong about that pic.. thats is so passionable and i really proud of..  the issue here is about equal rights.. and beside i know how to have dignity i am a real women i think.. 

Rather a strong reaction and rather insulting to garie I thought.  Personally I didn´t ´enjoy´ the photo but I can see no harm in it.

 Don´t worry Garie, you will soon get used to the fact that if men on TC don´t agree with what you say they rarely come up with a counter argument but prefer instead to resort to personally insulting. 

I suppose it makes them feel better about themselves

 Ouh I see I should have also written "and some women" - yes they love to agree with these men at every opportunity, even if it means insulting other women. 

Again, I suppose it makes them feel better about themselves

a very good point!

I find it disingeneous of Alpha to post a profile pic in an attempt to make his point what he thinks about women.

I was not the first to post it....I promise to keep quiet, should you wish to post a similar one of yours...

 Well personally I find it a tad more tasteful than the "lounging around, pushing out my cleavage and pouting at the camera" type pictures we see so often here!

Maybe you find them more "ladylike" Alpha?

 Name a few you can recommend, dear....Quick!

You think?

No, I dont think so....

 I think you missed the hint of sarcasm here!! I dont think she is really thanking you.............

Since this forum topic got way off-topic, I was thinking to bring it back, before we definitely mix women rights with sarcastic comments on a pic, then on  those, who comment and so on... etc... etc... which is in a way related to the topic, on the other hand is pure defulation.

A picture I personally like, and a woman who must have had an interesting lifecourse and activity:

Duygu Asena

If anyone can provide more infos on Asena, or on her books - maybe even an e-book translation in English I surely would be thankful.

´The woman has no name´

Duygu Asena

"Escape the vicious circle. Fight for your equal rights, and get a job as a first step to make equal rights and freedom possible… We´ve come a long way but there´s still a long way to go." (Asena, 1994)

Duygu Asena (1946-2006) was born in Istanbul as the grandchild of Ataturk´s aide and CHP parliamentarian Ali Sevket Ondersev. She finished her studies in pedagogy at Istanbul University and became one of Turkey´s best known writers on women´s issues. In 1978, she became editor-in-chief of a publishing house. In this position she was responsible for the creation of several women´s magazines such as Kadinca.

In the 1980s Kadinca grew into a popular symbol of new attitudes to life. Asena saw it as a publication calling "on women to be daring and aggressively energetic, exhorting them to discover themselves, especially their feelings, capabilities and sexuality." It stressed women´s economic independence. It drew attention to feminist issues with headlines such as "Equal Rights in Marriage", "Women must become District Governors" or "A Ministry of Women´s Affairs must be established."

Asena´s first novel Kadinin Adi Yok ("Woman Has No Name"), published in 1987, was described by Sirin Tekeli as a "feminist manifesto". It is the story of a woman who fights to share the freedoms enjoyed by men in Turkish society as well as a bleak portrayal of marriage without love. It became a bestseller, but it was eventually banned at its 40th print run in 1998, found to be obscene and dangerous to the institution of marriage. After a two-year trial, the publication of her book was again permitted. The book was also made into a film. Asena died in July 2006. Her coffin was carried only by women.

(http://www.esiweb.org/index.php?lang=en&id=281&story_ID=15&slide_ID=9)

A Century of Feminism in Turkey - June 2007

The women´s movement in Turkey has its roots in the 19th century Ottoman society when educated urban women started to discuss and write about women´s rights. At the time Islamic law was the source of family law. Women and their status in society were central to the reform agenda of the Turkish Republic which emerged in 1923. At the same time, tensions arose between republican leaders and women activists. It took more than 40 years before a new grass roots women´s movement emerged again in Turkey. Led by academics and writers, the new movement of the 1980s was inspired by the experience of feminism in other countries.

PDF download 

Start picture story

(http://www.esiweb.org/index.php?lang=en&id=281&story_ID=15)

Duygu Asena benim guzel buldugum nadir feminstlerden biriydi. Tanri ruhunu sad etsin !

Bir TV programinda, "Nazim Hikmet bir kartpostal sairidir" demisti. Diger konusmacilardan merhum sair Can Yucel´in ona cevabi tarihe gecmistir, ama burada yazmaya terbiyem musait degil.

Program o noktada kesilmis ve her ikisi de salonu terketmek zorunda kalmislardi.

Duygu Asena was one of the rare feminists that I personally found attractve. May her soul rest in peace !

In a TV program, she had called Nazim Hikmet a post card poet.  The reply she got from poet Can Yucel (also deceased now) made history. Unfortunately, I am too decent to repeat it here.

The program was immediately interrupted at that point. When program had resumed, neither were present any longer.

 You may be the one missing the sarcasm...be aware!

 Is it possible to get the English version of this text? Thanks.

Did it for you Trudy. Check back my original post pls. 

AlphaF, köszönöm az információkat, Duygu Asenáról, még akkor is ha törökül! Végülis, ez egy török weboldal. És hát nem sok török jár erre infókat szotyogtatni a török feministákról...

AlphaF, thanks for the informations about Duygu Asena, even though they were provided in Turkish. After all, this is a Turkish site. And there are not many turkish here providing informations on Turkish feminists.

És akkor mi van? Ez egy török Sait. Köszönöm a tájékoztatást török feminista nők.

 O dear, it looks like we all need to learn Magyar as well....

 ...and could we have the English version of this too please?

nothing serious

 Sifahamu kiswahili, unasema kiingereza.....

ne deysin? swahilli bilmeymin goi

hm...  I will post it in my original message.

May I remind all members that the language of the forums is English.  (YES TRUDY AND AENIGMA THIS MEANS YOU!!!  )

wow... Femme, where did you get this from? I haven´t tried translators yet...

 Well, after Hungarian and Kiswahili I only wanted to know if we could also speak Japanese... <trembling lower lip>

thank you, they do nothing but break the rules

i know, im genius thank you

 Says who?  

LIR the admin (aka my mom) said so. she meant you and aenigma

Although this looks more like cheese in Swahili...

Bocs, azt hittem, hogy webodal

WOW!

This is perfect!

Can I have the website, plz.?

Could this be like translations on other sites?

Femme I´m a little bit worried that you think I´m your mother  - does this mean you´ll be expecting birthday/Christmas gifts and free holidays in Turkey now??

 Of course she does, so do I, dear sweat mommy....

Hm... If you would adopt me, too, I could give up the gifts...

more i want belated wedding gifts and you to take care of my children when i come to turkey.

i love you, mom

nooooo. then you start posting in aramaic or mongolian

 I was first, porto!

 Удаан уулзсангүй шүү

So I am third in the line? And what would you like from mummy?

 I´m a little scared now.....

But we are such nice kids!

[x] Lengthen the Life of Your Arrangement

A little extra care can make a big difference for any size flower arrangement or fresh flower bouquet. Most floral arrangements last 4-7 days or longer, depending on the flowers used and the care they receive, if tended to. Here are the three top tips for looking after your flowers:

• Water
• Food
• Temperature

Water

Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing the flower food we gave you. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with c a pint of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

Water

Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing the flower food we gave you. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with c a pint of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

Food

If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Be sure to use a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems. Immediately place the stems into solution. Be careful not to cut yourself!

Temperature

Keep flowers in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes flowers to dehydrate. Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

<[script]> function care_tab(id) { links = $(´care_instructions´.getElementsByTagName(´li´; for(i=0;i<links.length;i++) { links[i].className = ´´; } $(´care_link´+id).className = ´current´; $(´care_tab´.innerHTML = $(´care_tab´+id).innerHTML; } care_tab(1);

Quoting portokal

But we are such nice kids!

[x] Lengthen the Life of Your Arrangement

A little extra care can make a big difference for any size flower arrangement or fresh flower bouquet. Most floral arrangements last 4-7 days or longer, depending on the flowers used and the care they receive, if tended to. Here are the three top tips for looking after your flowers:

• Water
• Food
• Temperature

Water

Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing the flower food we gave you. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with c a pint of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

Water

Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing the flower food we gave you. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with c a pint of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

Food

If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Be sure to use a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems. Immediately place the stems into solution. Be careful not to cut yourself!

Temperature

Keep flowers in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes flowers to dehydrate. Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

<[script]> function care_tab(id) { links = $(´care_instructions´.getElementsByTagName(´li´; for(i=0;i<links.length;i++) { links[i].className = ´´; } $(´care_link´+id).className = ´current´; $(´care_tab´.innerHTML = $(´care_tab´+id).innerHTML; } care_tab(1);

I´m deepy moved by all this love but I really have enough kids already!  (however, thanks very much for the flowers - femme just sends me soup recipes and there´s only so much foot soup a person can eat/drink/chew)

 quoting your post I get the flowers and all the instructions on how to look after them too!  Very thoughtful.

 Your insincerity impresses me....  

 I have no idea what you mean....

As for me, I already have a mother.

The flowers - my pleasure. Hope they will resist!

(still having problems in posting from internet or pics... grrr)

OMG... what a 6-page conversation!!!

 Great isn´t it? 

she might have mean that you are stiffed but very nice, and you like elephants foot.

 hmmmm......vaguely possible, but somehow unlikely...need to go away and think about this

 I can understand why you might want to go away and think about it, but please, don´t have nightmares..............

Oh, please, don´t! - it was just an unfortunate presumption.

Zeynep Oral (b. 1946) Graduated from the Paris School of Journalism in 1967 and also attended the Sorbonne Theatre Institute. She has been working for the daily Milliyet since 1962 and is the editor of the Milliyet Sanat Dergisi (Milliyet Cultural Review). Major works: Konuþa Konuþa (Talking On and On/1983 -- a collection of interviews), Katmandu’dan Meksika’ya (From Kathmandu to Mexico/1984 -- a travelogue), Kadýn Olmak (On Being a Woman/1985), Bir Ses (A Voice/1986 -- an account of the military prison experiences of Reha Ýsvan during the Peace Trial), Leyla Gence/ Bir Tutkunun Romaný (Leyla Gencer/The Novel of a Passion/1992 -- a biography of the world-renowned Turkish opera singer Leyla Gencer). In 1991 Oral won the Human Rights Association Award for Accomplished Journalist.

A short story by Zeynep Oral

Five Minutes to Five

"A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets"
"A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets"
"A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets"
"A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets"
"A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets"
"A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets"
"A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets"

The woman tried to walk faster , with firm and quicker steps. At each step the voice she heard grew louder.: "A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets." As if everyone had consented, they were all shouting the same phrase in her face.

She looked at her watch. It was four in the morning

I have to walk faster. If I can´t get a taxi at this corner, I´m lost... There always used to be plenty of taxis here... What are you talking about! "Always!" As if you always walk down the street at four in the morning...

O.K., O.K. I got it! We all know: "A married woman does not stay out on the streets all night!" But I did! So what! I spent the night out with someone, somewhere, somehow. And now at four in the morning I´m going back home!

The sound of her footsteps on the pavement became sturdier , more self-assured. The click of her heels echoed on the wet and empty street. Yet it didn´t help to overcome the voice within her head

Her father, his eyes wide open with disillusionment rather than surprise, muttered, "You should know better my smart girl. How couldn´t you know that a married woman does not stay out on the streets all night..."

Her mother was moaning: "My God! We did not deserve this..."

Her teacher had summoned her to the blackboard : "Tell me the subject, the verb, the adjective and the adverb in the sentence ´ A married woman does not stay out on the streets all night... At that moment the headmaster entered the classroom : The adverb!" he roared, "Pay attention to the adverb!" I was never good at grammar. Which one was the adverb? "Night?" Oh , that word "night"! All my life I was in trouble with my nights, I mean with my adverbs!

"I am not asking you where or how you spent the night," would say her husband. "Only, you should know that a married woman..."

"This is too much," would say her friends. "A married woman..."

Come on! It´s not morning yet! One can´t say I´ve spent the whole night out or that I´ve arrived home in the morning. It´s still dark. I´ve arrived late at night, that´s all... What difference does it make: Twelve, two or four in the night...Why should a difference of two hours be so important...Let´s say it´s late at night ... Come on ! Stop fooling yourself. It´s four in the morning and that means that you´ve spent the night out. Whereas a married woman does not stay out all night on the streets...

To start with I wasn´t on the streets. I was at a meeting. An illegal one, no , no, a legal one... I mean mostly legal, almost illegal... No´ I will not say such things... I won´t give them any hint of where I was, with whom I was or what I was doing...

She looked at her watch. It was twelve after four. There was not a soul besides her on the streets. Everything, people, cars had vanished as if by magic. The high dark walls of the buildings made the narrow street appear even narrower. Was this a labyrinth? A trap? She had never imagined that it would take so long to walk home...

Five blocks... Five blocks more and I will arrive at the junction, near my house. Ten minutes at the most... I wish I hadn´t worn these high heels. It´s not that they are uncomfortable, it is the sound of the heels which scares me! Should I take them off? That´s just what I need now! "A woman does not walk barefoot on the streets" would be added to "A married woman does not stay out all night." Especially at four in the morning! No, no, my mother couldn´t stand this! O.K., I am married. I spent the night out. I´m returning home at four in the morning, no at four fifteen- plus barefoot! This is too much! Mother won´t be able to take it! My dear girl, if you don´t care about yourself, about us, please think of your children...

My children!

My God! My Children?... Do they also know that a married woman does not stay out on the streets all night... One is three and the other five... But they might know, someone might have taught them already... Mother, aren´t you ashamed! Don´t you know that a married woman... Shame on you mother, shame on you...

No, I am not ashamed, not at all... I mean, no, they would be asleep at this hour. All the children sleep at this hour... Nonsense! Nobody is sleeping. They are all waiting for you. The homecoming of a bad mother, of a married woman at four in the morning.

She looked at her watch. It was twenty past four. How on earth could her footsteps sound so loud? As they grew louder, the voices in her mind grew louder as well. She tried to tiptoe instead of walking on her heels. No use. This attempt slowed her down and increased her fear, anxiety and uneasiness... After all it´s not the end of the world she thought... It didn´t help ... Thousands of voices , shouting "a married woman does not stay all night on the streets" echoed this refrain.

I know it. Nobody is sleeping. They are all waiting for me. The house-hold , the neighbors, the whole street, the grocer at the corner, the pharmacist opposite and the butcher next door... None of them are sleeping. They will all be watching my return, watching to see a married woman returning home after spending the night out... Some are on their balconies, some at the windows, the very eager ones on the street... Some carry clubs in their hands. The butcher is guarding the entrance of the house with his huge knives. The grocer is ready to attack with tomatoes and eggs... They are all shouting "A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets."

Just a minute . Let me explain...

There is nothing to explain! Shut up! You have no right to open your mouth... We knew she´s no good... Her parents are respectable people. I´ve told them to keep an eye on their daughter. But who cares... And I... I´ve told her husband not to give her so much freedom... If you knew all that I know... (This last one to speak was our porter. I never liked him anyway.)

Please give me a chance to explain everything. If you can just keep quiet and liste , you´ll understand that...

It´s useless! They won´t hear me. They are angry. They feel offended.

One of them shouts :You´ll explain it to the judge, not to us! Let the court decide!

What do you mean...What court? What judge? I´m not guilty I haven´t done anything wrong.

The circle is narrowing around me. With their clubs, knives and weapons in their hands , other people from other streets are joining them . The whole city is joining the circle.

I have to run away. I must run away. Or else I´ll be lynched. No! I don´t want to be lynched! I haven´t done wrong! I must run! I must run away, very far away! I must run faster and faster, and faster, and faster, and faster...

"Stop!"
"Stop right where you are!"
The command slashed the dawn. It slashed the woman and her fear. She stopped. She was unaware how long she had been running. She stopped and looked around. She was at the junction close to her house. A military jeep was standing in front of her. Two soldiers with their guns pointed towards her were standing in front of the jeep.

She stopped.
Her eyes took in all of this. She was shocked. What were the soldiers doing here? Wasn´t it the job of the police to look after the morality of married women? Were all the duties of the police handed over to the military? Now she doesn´t even know before whom she must defend herself. A few minutes ago she had heard the words "a judge", "a court"... Were the soldiers going to hold a trial for her right here at this very junction, in the jeep... No, not in the jeep, on the street, in front of everybody...

I won´t speak. I´ll say nothing until my lawyer arrives. I have a right to do so... Bullshit! This jargon is valid only on the American serials you watch on television. It doesn´t work here! Maybe... Maybe this jeep, these soldiers are here to rescue me from being lynched... The military often speaks of saving the nation. Let the nation alone, why not save me?!

She was suddenly aware that all the voices shouting "A married woman does not stay out all night on the streets" had stopped. When she realized this , she felt like laughing, but she couldn´t.

The command was repeated: "Stop right where you are!" The came an other command: "Show us your identity cars!".

She gave them her I.D. And as she was handing it over, she wondered whether it showed her marital status or not... They looked over her idendiy card and gave it back. "Where are you going?"

"To my home."... She didn´t say that she was a married woman. Anyway they didn´t ask...

"Where is your home?"

"Right here, " she said and added, "I´m a married woman and I have two children."

"O.K. You may go," they said.

She began to walk very slowly. Her knees were trembling, ether from fear or from running. She didn´t know... She only knew that she no longer heard her footsteps. She could feel the eyes watching her walk away... I mustn´t look at my feet, she thought as she walked with her head straight up.. There were lights in the windows. Everyone seemed to be awake.

They must all be watching me. They must be whispering behind the curtains : We all know you spent the whole night out. You can´t fool us. We know everything... Now they´ll raise their angry voices and their angry fists... They´ll throw their anger out the . windows, to give her a good lesson...

She was walking toward her house. She did not quicken her steps. Her legs were trembling. Your anger is in vain I´ve been declared not guilty., just now, at the junction. The police, I mean the military, the two soldiers understood everything. I´m a married woman , I have two children, I told them and they let me go.

She was about to reach the door. The neighbors on the first floor waved to her. There were people at all the windows of all the houses on the street. They were signaling, waving to each other. They look worried but nobody seemed hostile to her. After all, they didn´t seem like they were going to lynch her.

She reached her front door. The porter met her with a wide grin on his face: "Good news my lady." And as she was climbing the stairs he called after her: "Thanks to Allah, we lived to see this day." Instead of wondering what the news was, oh how I hate him, she thought.

She didn´t need to search for her keys or ring the bell. The door was open. All the doors of all the apartments on her floor were open. There was noise in each and every one of them.

She walked strait into her living room. Her husband was there. He was looking at her, but he hadn´t moved from where he was seated, next to the radio.

"Look honey," she said, "I know that a married woman does not stay out all night, but last evening..."

He put his forefinger to his lips signaling her to hush. Then he seated her on his lap, holding her tight in his arms, lovingly.

A man´s deep voice on the radio was announcing:

"To the Honorable Turkish Nation... Under the circumstances, the Turkish Armed Forces have decided to carry out their duty to protect and save the Turkish Republic on behalf of the great Turkish Nation, and according to the military hierarchy, they have seized total power to govern the country.

The Parliament and the cabinet have been disbanded . The immunity of members of parliament has been abolished. All political parties have been banned. Martial law has been imposed throughout the country. Leaving the country has been prohibited. In order to assure the safety of the citizens, starting from five o´clock this morning a curfew has been impose. Nobody is allowed to be on the streets."

She looked at her watch: It was five minutes to five...