Turkish gov’t moves to contain backlash over alleged discrimination against school shooting victim
Facing mounting condemnation from opposition politicians, journalists and civil society figures, Turkish government officials have contacted and visited the family of a school shooting...
Dozens detained in Turkey ahead of May 1 celebrations
Nearly 40 people, including journalists, labor union members and opposition figures, were detained on Tuesday in İstanbul ahead of International Workers’ Day, celebrated on...
HRW criticizes Turkey over jailing of environmental activist ahead of COP31
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday criticized Turkey’s detention of an environmental activist, warning it raises concerns about whether the country will uphold the...
8 face prison over video allegedly mocking police during İstanbul attack
Turkish prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of up to five years for eight people accused of insulting police officers during a deadly attack outside the Israeli...
European institutions raise alarm over local democracy in Turkey in joint letter
Representatives from several major European institutions have sent a rare joint letter to Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, expressing concern over the state of local democracy,...
Most people in Turkey censor themselves in phone calls and online, fearing surveillance and...
More than half of people in Turkey say they have faced legal action for expressing their views, according to a recent survey that points...
UN rapporteurs raise concerns over Turkey’s use of terrorism laws against rights defenders
United Nations special rapporteurs have raised serious concerns about Turkey’s use of counterterrorism laws to judicially harass and criminalize human rights defenders and lawyers,...
Death of dismissed teacher highlights hardships faced by victims of a post-coup purge in...
The death of a dismissed teacher in Ankara has drawn renewed attention to the hardships faced by individuals and families affected by a sweeping...
Turkey blocks probe into officials for alleged negligence in 2025 wildfire that killed 10
Turkish authorities have declined to authorize an investigation into 36 public officials over alleged negligence in a wildfire that killed 10 people in 2025,...
Turkey’s top court rejects appeal in 2015 Ankara bombing case
Turkey’s Constitutional Court has rejected an appeal filed on behalf of victims of the 2015 Ankara train station bombing, ruling the application inadmissible in...
Latest Reports
Human Rights in Turkey: 2025 in Review
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This report highlights the most important developments in the area of human rights in Turkey in 2025, a year marked by continued democratic...
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...
Family Punishment in Turkey: How Erdoğan Uses the Nazi Practice of Sippenhaft
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This report focuses on how the Turkish government, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has used family punishment against his opponents.
Sippenhaft, also known as...
Human Rights in Turkey: 2023 in Review
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This report highlights the most important developments in the area of human rights in Turkey during the year 2023.
The May 2023 re-election of...
Hate speech and hate crimes against Syrian refugees in Turkey
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This report focuses on the inflammatory rhetoric and illegal acts motivated by prejudice faced by refugees who fled the civil war in Syria...