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...
Kurdish journalist gets suspended sentence for social media posts
A Turkish court has handed down a suspended sentence of one year, six months to journalist Mahmut Altıntaş on conviction of “spreading terrorist propaganda”...
Amnesty welcomes acquittal of former Turkey chair, laments new crackdown on rights activists
Amnesty International has welcomed the acquittal of Taner Kılıç, a prominent Turkish human rights defender and former chair of Amnesty International’s Turkey branch, after...
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...