Turkish pensioner questioned by police for ‘insulting’ Erdoğan in street interview
A retired man in Turkey has been summoned by police for questioning after criticizing the government in a street interview, with authorities accusing him...
Turkish businessman hit with travel ban over Ramadan email controversy
A leading Turkish businessman was barred from travelling abroad on Sunday a day after being detained over an internal mail prosecutors alleged was limiting...
Turkey neared authoritarianism as democratic decline continued in 2024: report
Turkey’s democratic decline continued in 2024, with the country ranking 103rd out of 167 countries according to the Democracy Index 2024 published by the...
European legal body condemns Turkey’s crackdown on İstanbul Bar Association
The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) on Thursday condemned judicial proceedings against the İstanbul Bar Association, its president İbrahim Kaboğlu...
Turkish defense ministry to sue main opposition leader over criticism of military leadership
Turkey’s Ministry of Defense said Wednesday it would pursue legal action against Özgür Özel, chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), following his accusations...
HRW urges Turkey to use Öcalan’s call as ‘catalyst’ to end rights abuses
Human Rights Watch has called on Turkey to use a landmark call from a jailed militant leader telling his organization to lay down its arms as...
Öcalan calls on PKK to lay down arms, disband, in historic statement
Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed founder and leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), on Thursday called for his Kurdish militant group to lay...
İstanbul mayor to appear in court in June for ‘targeting’ expert witness
İstanbul’s popular Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is set to appear in court in June after an indictment filed against him for allegedly targeting an expert...
Gov’t proposes law restricting gender transition, criminalizing expression of LGBTQ+ identity
Turkey’s Justice Ministry is proposing sweeping legal changes that would restrict gender transition procedures and criminalize public expression of LGBTQ+ identity, according to a...
Rights group reports widespread abuses in Turkish prisons in 2024
Prisoners in Turkey’s northwest Marmara region endured alleged mistreatment, severe overcrowding and medical neglect in 2024, according to a new report published by the...
Latest Reports
Torture, Ill-treatment and Prison Conditions in Turkey: 2025 in Review
Turkey's record on torture and ill-treatment continued to deteriorate in 2025, despite its commitments under international human rights conventions.
Throughout the year human rights organizations...
Turkey’s Transnational Repression: 2025 in Review
Turkey's campaign of transnational repression against critics abroad continued throughout 2025. Since a coup attempt in July 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s long arm...
Turkey’s Crackdown on the Gülen Movement: 2025 in Review
During the year Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continued to relentlessly pursue anyone with alleged links with the faith-based Gülen movement, which he described...
Women’s rights in Turkey: 2025 in Review
The state of women’s rights in Turkey showed no meaningful improvement in 2025, as longstanding problems persisted and new challenges emerged. Femicides, institutional failures...
Weaponized Diplomacy: How Erdoğan Uses Turkish Missions for Transnational Repression
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This report reveals how the Turkish government has transformed its embassies and consulates into instruments of repression over the past decade. Once seen...
The Forgotten Victims: Children of Turkey’s Post-Coup Purge
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This report examines how children from families targeted in Turkey’s unprecedented post-coup purge have endured the devastating consequences of persecution, social exclusion and...
Human Rights in Turkey: 2024 in Review
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This report highlights the most important developments in the area of human rights in Turkey during the year 2024.
Throughout the year Turkey continued...
Dehumanizing a Legacy: How Fethullah Gülen’s Death Triggered a Campaign of Hate Speech in...
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This report examines the surge of hate speech following the death of Fethullah Gülen, a US-based cleric whose followers have been systematically persecuted...