Turkey’s bid for INTERPOL presidency reignites scrutiny of its rights record and notice abuses
Turkey, widely criticized for abusing INTERPOL’s notice system to target political opponents abroad, has emerged as a frontrunner for the organization’s presidency, raising concerns...
More children separated from parents as Turkish government’s crackdown on Gülen movement continues
Two more children were left to the care of a relative due to the incarceration of their parents for alleged links to the Gülen...
Turkey’s interior minister denies strip-search claims, brands rights advocate MP a ‘terrorist’: report
Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu denied recent claims made by pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu that police strip-search detainees, accusing...
Turkish gov’t has detained a third of pro-Kurdish HDP members over last 3 years
The Turkish government led by autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has detained about a third of all pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) members since...
Turkey continues to suppress free speech, trying 1,696 people in 12 months: report
Freedom of the press and freedom of expression have continued to deteriorate in Turkey over the past year, with 1,696 people put on trial...
Turkey’s top court removes freeze on funds allocated to pro-Kurdish party
Turkey’s Constitutional Court has removed a freeze on state funds allocated to the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) as the country heads toward presidential...
Report: 409 women killed, 387 children sexually abused in Turkey in 2017
A total of 409 women were killed and 387 children sexually abused in Turkey in 2017, according to data compiled by the “We Will...
Zühtü Arslan, president of Turkey’s top court, criticized for bowing to Erdoğan
The president of Turkey’s Constitutional Court (AYM), Zühtü Arslan, has been criticized on social media for bowing to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a...
Former teacher fired during Turkey’s post-coup purge dies after workplace accident
A former teacher dismissed during a purge following a coup attempt in Turkey in 2016 died on Friday from injuries sustained in a workplace...
Environmentalists warn the mishandling of earthquake debris poses threat to environment and public health
The Chamber of Environmental Engineers has warned that the incredible amount of debris from thousands of buildings that were demolished in earthquakes that struck...
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...