At least 2,335 people died in Turkey in the first 11 months of 2025 due to right-to-life violations, human rights groups said, warning of a sharp deterioration in the country’s overall rights record.
In a joint statement marking Human Rights Day on December 10, the Human Rights Association (İHD) and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) reported widespread restrictions on fundamental freedoms and thousands of preventable deaths, from femicides to workplace accidents and a surge in custodial abuses, including torture, mistreatment and deprivation of prisoners’ basic rights.
The groups said 1,956 people lost their lives in workplace accidents, 271 women were murdered, 60 minors were killed and 26 military conscripts died due to accidents, suicide or suspicious circumstances.
The groups also warned of a renewed rise in enforced disappearances since 2016, calling the trend “deeply alarming.” The İHD said it received 37 complaints related to abductions or attempted forced recruitment by security-linked actors.
The İHD and TİHV also reported a continued government crackdown on opposition-run municipalities. During the year, 38 elected local officials, including 22 mayors or co-mayors, were detained and 21 were arrested. Two provinces and three district municipalities were placed under government-appointed trustees, while another 17 mayors were removed from office.
Authorities also targeted civil society groups, detaining at least 131 members or executives of associations, unions or professional bodies and arresting 60 of them.
Police intervention in peaceful demonstrations remained routine. Security forces detained 2,345 people during protests, injuring at least 131, and a further 1,165 were detained in home raids. Demonstrations focusing on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights were also targeted, with 377 people detained at 25 banned or dispersed gatherings.
Turkey’s prison population had reached a record 433,543 inmates as of December 2, marking a sevenfold increase over the past two decades, while another 460,921 people were subjected to judicial supervision. The groups said longstanding concerns over due process and the erosion of legal safeguards since a post-2016 state of emergency remain key drivers of mass imprisonment and worsening conditions.
At least 16 inmates died in custody due to illness, suicide or other causes, the groups reported. Another 321 prisoners were subjected to torture or ill-treatment. The İHD and TİHV also documented 1,412 sick prisoners, including 335 in serious condition.
The report further noted that Turkey holds 5,094 minors in prison, including 3,407 in pretrial detention.
On freedom of expression, the groups said government pressure and control over the media, which sharply intensified during the state of emergency declared in 2016, remained at alarming levels in 2025. At least 101 journalists and media workers were detained and 52 were jailed this year. One journalist was killed and seven others were injured in attacks.
Authorities blocked access to 28,900 pieces of online content and 71 websites, while the social media accounts of 19 journalists were restricted. Legal action was also taken against at least 60 artists and writers, along with several content creators.
Turkey’s ongoing restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms have been criticized by international organizations, such as the UN, the EU and the Council of Europe and human rights groups, urging the government to cease violating international human rights standards and to restore key safeguards.
