The Frontline Club

It is just over a year since protests to save Istanbul’s Gezi Park escalated after being met by an uncompromising stance from the government and a police crackdown. What started as an environmental movement became a wider protest against the perceived increased authoritarianism of the country’s leader.

As the protests continue and with the country due to vote in the first round of the presidential elections in early August, we will be bringing together a panel to gauge the political climate. With accusations of cronyism and mass corruption inside the government, we will explore what the protestors are fighting for and how much support they have across the country.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced large-scale criticism following his reaction to the industrial disaster that killed over 300 miners. We will be asking how much support he still maintains in the country and if he is to contest and win the election what does this mean for Turkey?

Chaired by Murat Nisancioglu, the head of Turkish Service at BBC Global News.

The panel:

Alexander Christie-Miller is a freelance journalist and Turkey correspondent for Newsweek, The Times, and the Christian Science Monitor. He has lived and worked in Istanbul for the past four years.

Fadi Hakura is an associate fellow at the Europe programme, Chatham House.

Sir David Reddaway was British Ambassador to Turkey from 2009 until January 2014. His other posts include Ambassador to Ireland, High Commissioner to Canada, Charge d’Affaires in Iran and UK Special Representative for Afghanistan.

Karabekir Akkoyunlu has recently completed a PhD in comparative politics at the LSE, where he researched political change in Iran and Turkey and taught classes on democratisation and Middle East politics. He was also a research associate at the Southeast European Studies at Oxford (SEESOX) working on Turkish foreign policy.

It is just over a year since protests to save Istanbul’s Gezi Park escalated after being met by an uncompromising stance from the government and a police crackdown. What started as an environmental movement became a wider protest against the perceived increased authoritarianism of the country’s leader.

As the protests continue and with the country due to vote in the first round of the presidential elections in early August, we will be bringing together a panel to gauge the political climate. With accusations of cronyism and mass corruption inside the government, we will explore what the protestors are fighting for and how much support they have across the country.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced large-scale criticism following his reaction to the industrial disaster that killed over 300 miners. We will be asking how much support he still maintains in the country and if he is to contest and win the election what does this mean for Turkey?

Chaired by Murat Nisancioglu, the head of Turkish Service at BBC Global News.

The panel:

Alexander Christie-Miller is a freelance journalist and Turkey correspondent for Newsweek, The Times, and the Christian Science Monitor. He has lived and worked in Istanbul for the past four years.

Fadi Hakura is an associate fellow at the Europe programme, Chatham House.

Sir David Reddaway was British Ambassador to Turkey from 2009 until January 2014. His other posts include Ambassador to Ireland, High Commissioner to Canada, Charge d’Affaires in Iran and UK Special Representative for Afghanistan.

Karabekir Akkoyunlu has recently completed a PhD in comparative politics at the LSE, where he researched political change in Iran and Turkey and taught classes on democratisation and Middle East politics. He was also a research associate at the Southeast European Studies at Oxford (SEESOX) working on Turkish foreign policy.

aq is on the brink following the takeover of Mosul and other cities by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). Leaders from across the region and internationally are now faced with the challenge of how to halt the advancement of ISIS and steer the region away from sectarian conflict.

With a panel of experts we will take a view of events on the ground and the measures being taken by Iraq, its neighbours and the international community. Asking how ISIS has been able advance so quickly and what can be done to prevent further escalation of sectarian polarisation. We will also be looking at the new alliances that might be formed in this new front on the fight against extremism.

Chaired by Ian Black, The Guardian‘s Middle East editor.

The panel:

Hayder al-Khoei, associate fellow at the Middle East and North Africa programme, Chatham House.

Zuhair al-Naher, a spokesman for Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Dawa party.

Dominic Asquith, has 30 years of Middle East experience earned in the British Diplomatic Service. He was deputy special representative and then deputy head of mission in Iraq in 2004, director of the Iraq Directorate at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2004–06 and Ambassador to Iraq 2006–7.

Zaid Al-Ali (via Skype), is a senior adviser on constitutional building for International IDEA and author of The Struggle for Iraq’s Future: How Corruption, Incompetence and Sectarianism Have Undermined Democracy. He was a legal adviser to the United Nations in Iraq from 2005 to 2010.

aq is on the brink following the takeover of Mosul and other cities by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). Leaders from across the region and internationally are now faced with the challenge of how to halt the advancement of ISIS and steer the region away from sectarian conflict.

With a panel of experts we will take a view of events on the ground and the measures being taken by Iraq, its neighbours and the international community. Asking how ISIS has been able advance so quickly and what can be done to prevent further escalation of sectarian polarisation. We will also be looking at the new alliances that might be formed in this new front on the fight against extremism.

Chaired by Ian Black, The Guardian‘s Middle East editor.

The panel:

Hayder al-Khoei, associate fellow at the Middle East and North Africa programme, Chatham House.

Zuhair al-Naher, a spokesman for Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Dawa party.

Dominic Asquith, has 30 years of Middle East experience earned in the British Diplomatic Service. He was deputy special representative and then deputy head of mission in Iraq in 2004, director of the Iraq Directorate at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2004–06 and Ambassador to Iraq 2006–7.

Zaid Al-Ali (via Skype), is a senior adviser on constitutional building for International IDEA and author of The Struggle for Iraq’s Future: How Corruption, Incompetence and Sectarianism Have Undermined Democracy. He was a legal adviser to the United Nations in Iraq from 2005 to 2010.

The court in Cairo is expected to reach a verdict on the Al Jazeera English journalists accused of aiding and abetting terrorism on Monday 23 June. The case has provoked worldwide condemnation as a trial of the free press in Egypt. Journalism itself has been on trial. Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed will have been incarcerated for 177 days on their next day in court. Four other Al Jazeera journalists are also being tried in absentia.

Former hostages Terry Waite and Alan Johnston will join Amnesty’s Egypt expert Nicholas Piachaud at the Frontline Club on Friday 20 June at 11:00 AM to call for the Al Jazeera English journalists to be found not guilty of all the charges and sent home to their families.

Terry Waite was held captive for over 1,700 days in Lebanon after attempting to negotiate the release of other prisoners in the 1980s. He is a towering figure in conflict resolution and inter-cultural relations but, after spending 24 hours a day chained to a radiator, he also understands the effects of prolonged captivity.

BBC journalist Alan Johnston was kidnapped in Gaza City in 2007 and held for 114 days. He was aware, in captivity, of the worldwide campaign the BBC had launched to free him, a campaign that helped him through his ordeal.

Amnesty’s Nicholas Piachaud believes that the trial of Al Jazeera’s journalists has sent a clear message to both the international and domestic media that Egypt does not tolerate dissent.

For further queries or crewing requirements please call Ruchi Patel from Al Jazeera on 07811 392 474 or Millicent Teasdale at the Frontline Club on 0207 4798940.

The court in Cairo is expected to reach a verdict on the Al Jazeera English journalists accused of aiding and abetting terrorism on Monday 23 June. The case has provoked worldwide condemnation as a trial of the free press in Egypt. Journalism itself has been on trial. Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed will have been incarcerated for 177 days on their next day in court. Four other Al Jazeera journalists are also being tried in absentia.

Former hostages Terry Waite and Alan Johnston will join Amnesty’s Egypt expert Nicholas Piachaud at the Frontline Club on Friday 20 June at 11:00 AM to call for the Al Jazeera English journalists to be found not guilty of all the charges and sent home to their families.

Terry Waite was held captive for over 1,700 days in Lebanon after attempting to negotiate the release of other prisoners in the 1980s. He is a towering figure in conflict resolution and inter-cultural relations but, after spending 24 hours a day chained to a radiator, he also understands the effects of prolonged captivity.

BBC journalist Alan Johnston was kidnapped in Gaza City in 2007 and held for 114 days. He was aware, in captivity, of the worldwide campaign the BBC had launched to free him, a campaign that helped him through his ordeal.

Amnesty’s Nicholas Piachaud believes that the trial of Al Jazeera’s journalists has sent a clear message to both the international and domestic media that Egypt does not tolerate dissent.

For further queries or crewing requirements please call Ruchi Patel from Al Jazeera on 07811 392 474 or Millicent Teasdale at the Frontline Club on 0207 4798940.

The court in Cairo is expected to reach a verdict on the Al Jazeera English journalists accused of aiding and abetting terrorism on Monday 23 June. The case has provoked worldwide condemnation as a trial of the free press in Egypt. Journalism itself has been on trial. Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed will have been incarcerated for 177 days on their next day in court. Four other Al Jazeera journalists are also being tried in absentia.

Former hostages Terry Waite and Alan Johnston will join Amnesty’s Egypt expert Nicholas Piachaud at the Frontline Club on Friday 20 June at 11:00 AM to call for the Al Jazeera English journalists to be found not guilty of all the charges and sent home to their families.

Terry Waite was held captive for over 1,700 days in Lebanon after attempting to negotiate the release of other prisoners in the 1980s. He is a towering figure in conflict resolution and inter-cultural relations but, after spending 24 hours a day chained to a radiator, he also understands the effects of prolonged captivity.

BBC journalist Alan Johnston was kidnapped in Gaza City in 2007 and held for 114 days. He was aware, in captivity, of the worldwide campaign the BBC had launched to free him, a campaign that helped him through his ordeal.

Amnesty’s Nicholas Piachaud believes that the trial of Al Jazeera’s journalists has sent a clear message to both the international and domestic media that Egypt does not tolerate dissent.

For further queries or crewing requirements please call Ruchi Patel from Al Jazeera on 07811 392 474 or Millicent Teasdale at the Frontline Club on 0207 4798940.

Following months of unrest, Ukraine has a new leader. Known as the Chocolate King, Petro Poroshenko is tasked with restoring law and order, and steering the country away from conflict.

As fighting in the east continues, we will be looking at the challenges that lie ahead for Poroshenko and asking how he will unite the country.

Central to the battle in Ukraine has been the use of disinformation and propaganda in an information war. With a panel of journalist who have been covering the crisis, we will look at how the facts have been distorted and to what end.

Chaired by Bridget Kendall, diplomatic correspondent, BBC News.

The panel:

Katya Gorchinskaya is deputy editor of the Kyiv Post, a position she has held since 2008. She belongs to a group of journalists who investigate documents found in Mezhyhirya (YanukovychLeaks).

Dmitry Linnik is the head of the London bureau for Voice of Russia. He began his career in 1973 working for the English-language service of Radio Moscow, he went on to work for BBC World Service, initially in Moscow and then in London before moving to Voice of Russia.

Yevhen Fedchenko is director of the Mohyla School of Journalism and head of their PhD programme in mass communication. He is one of the founders of stopfake.org, a watchdog of Russian disinformation regarding Ukraine.

Victor Balagadde is the editor of Kommersant UK, a position he has held since 2009. He has also written for New Style, a Russian language magazine published in London and the Ukrainian Kharkovsky Courier.

Photograph: Getty Images

Following months of unrest, Ukraine has a new leader. Known as the Chocolate King, Petro Poroshenko is tasked with restoring law and order, and steering the country away from conflict.

As fighting in the east continues, we will be looking at the challenges that lie ahead for Poroshenko and asking how he will unite the country.

Central to the battle in Ukraine has been the use of disinformation and propaganda in an information war. With a panel of journalist who have been covering the crisis, we will look at how the facts have been distorted and to what end.

Chaired by Bridget Kendall, diplomatic correspondent, BBC News.

The panel:

Katya Gorchinskaya is deputy editor of the Kyiv Post, a position she has held since 2008. She belongs to a group of journalists who investigate documents found in Mezhyhirya (YanukovychLeaks).

Dmitry Linnik is the head of the London bureau for Voice of Russia. He began his career in 1973 working for the English-language service of Radio Moscow, he went on to work for BBC World Service, initially in Moscow and then in London before moving to Voice of Russia.

Yevhen Fedchenko is director of the Mohyla School of Journalism and head of their PhD programme in mass communication. He is one of the founders of stopfake.org, a watchdog of Russian disinformation regarding Ukraine.

Victor Balagadde is the editor of Kommersant UK, a position he has held since 2009. He has also written for New Style, a Russian language magazine published in London and the Ukrainian Kharkovsky Courier.

Photograph: Getty Images

Following months of unrest, Ukraine has a new leader. Known as the Chocolate King, Petro Poroshenko is tasked with restoring law and order, and steering the country away from conflict.

As fighting in the east continues, we will be looking at the challenges that lie ahead for Poroshenko and asking how he will unite the country.

Central to the battle in Ukraine has been the use of disinformation and propaganda in an information war. With a panel of journalist who have been covering the crisis, we will look at how the facts have been distorted and to what end.

Chaired by Bridget Kendall, diplomatic correspondent, BBC News.

The panel:

Katya Gorchinskaya is deputy editor of the Kyiv Post, a position she has held since 2008. She belongs to a group of journalists who investigate documents found in Mezhyhirya (YanukovychLeaks).

Dmitry Linnik is the head of the London bureau for Voice of Russia. He began his career in 1973 working for the English-language service of Radio Moscow, he went on to work for BBC World Service, initially in Moscow and then in London before moving to Voice of Russia.

Yevhen Fedchenko is director of the Mohyla School of Journalism and head of their PhD programme in mass communication. He is one of the founders of stopfake.org, a watchdog of Russian disinformation regarding Ukraine.

Victor Balagadde is the editor of Kommersant UK, a position he has held since 2009. He has also written for New Style, a Russian language magazine published in London and the Ukrainian Kharkovsky Courier.

Photograph: Getty Images