reports in RIGHTS category

Zaynab from Latakia: We just want to live in security and peace

Zaynab from Latakia: We just want to live in security and peace

“When we went downstairs, our blood ran cold at the sight we saw. My father-in-law was lying on the floor, covered in blood. My husband and his brothers were executed where they were sitting.”

21 March 2025 Vecih Cuzdan

Rights group calls for release of activist jailed for supporting ill prisoners

Rights group calls for release of activist jailed for supporting ill prisoners

Hatice Onaran, who is diagnosed with cancer, was jailed due to depositing money to ill prisoners.

All defendants acquitted in Saturday Mothers/People '700th week' case

All defendants acquitted in Saturday Mothers/People '700th week' case

The case was filed after police obstructed the 700th gathering of the group.

Ümmü Gülsüm Sülün

Construction of mosque halted in historic Syriac village

Construction of mosque halted in historic Syriac village

According to MP George Aslan, the presence of a mosque in the village could discourage Syriacs from reclaiming their land.

13 March 2025 Ümmü Gülsüm Sülün

Turkey to set up cybersecurity authority with sweeping powers as new law passes

Turkey to set up cybersecurity authority with sweeping powers as new law passes

The Presidency of Cybersecurity auhotized to access archives, electronic data processing centers, and communication infrastructure as needed for its investigations and to store the data it obtained for two years.

Alawite massacres in Syria: Police block protest outside Syrian consulate in İstanbul

Alawite massacres in Syria: Police block protest outside Syrian consulate in İstanbul

The recent attacks on Alawites and other minorities in Syria sparked concerns among Turkey's Alawite community.

Turkey’s new cybersecurity law allows home searches with post-search approval

Turkey’s new cybersecurity law allows home searches with post-search approval

The parliament has passed first 13 articles of the bill. In cases where delays pose a risk, a written order from a prosecutor will be sufficient to conduct a search.

Executive of pro-Kurdish news agency faces trial for exposing informant’s identity

Executive of pro-Kurdish news agency faces trial for exposing informant’s identity

Diren Yurtsever faces a prison sentence of one to three years.

6 March 2025 Hikmet Adal

Trial begins for İstanbul Bar executives over statement on killed journalists

Trial begins for İstanbul Bar executives over statement on killed journalists

Chair and executives of the bar association are facing up to 12 years in prison due to a statement they issued about the killing of two Kurdish journalists in an airstrike in Syria.

4 March 2025 Hikmet Adal

Company manager sentenced for obstructing union rights

Company manager sentenced for obstructing union rights

A biogas company executive was sentenced to prison, but the sentence was later converted into a monetary fine.

3 March 2025 Hikmet Adal

How Öcalan's call for PKK's disbandment echoed in Diyarbakır

How Öcalan's call for PKK's disbandment echoed in Diyarbakır

After Öcalan’s long-awaited call, the people of Diyarbakır left the square with mixed emotions. The early Newroz excitement had given way to a sense of *bittersweet joy* and *uncertainty.*

28 February 2025 Evrim Deniz

Tuğçe Yılmaz

LGBTI+ activist İris Mozalar acquitted of ‘inciting hatred’ charge over social media post

LGBTI+ activist İris Mozalar acquitted of ‘inciting hatred’ charge over social media post

Mozalar faced charges after criticizing violence against the refugee community in the Kayseri province.

26 February 2025

Detentions targeting pro-Kurdish group protested at İstanbul Courthouse

Detentions targeting pro-Kurdish group protested at İstanbul Courthouse

"They are now trying to criminalize an organization founded 14 years ago. But their efforts are in vain—none of our comrades in HDK are criminals," said Meral Danış-Beştaş, co-spokesperson of the HDK.

21 February 2025 Ruken Tuncel

Detention extended for journalists after mass raids

Detention extended for journalists after mass raids

An investigation targets the Peoples' Democratic Congress, an umbrella organization of pro-Kurdish and leftist groups, over its alleged ties to the PKK.

19 February 2025

Teenager labeled ‘terrorist’ by Interior Ministry acquitted in court

Teenager labeled ‘terrorist’ by Interior Ministry acquitted in court

19 February 2025

Talent manager Ayşe Barım remains in custody after court overturns release decision

Talent manager Ayşe Barım remains in custody after court overturns release decision

The Council of Judges and Prosecutors has launched an investigation into the judge who ruled for her release.

18 February 2025

Dozens detained in raids targeting pro-Kurdish, leftist groups

Dozens detained in raids targeting pro-Kurdish, leftist groups

Political party members, journalists and activists are among the detained in an investigation targeting the Peoples’ Democratic Congress.

18 February 2025

Marmara University student suspended after protest against ties with Israeli university

Marmara University student suspended after protest against ties with Israeli university

The school administration suspended the student for one month due to allegedly "damaging the honor and dignity of university staff."

13 February 2025 Abbas Vural

Three acquitted in Gezi Park case retrial

Three acquitted in Gezi Park case retrial

The three defendants were previously sentenced to 18 years in prison for "attempting to overthrow the government" in the case concerning the massive anti-government protests in 2013.

11 February 2025

Turkey’s last Armenian village faces expropriation threat

Turkey’s last Armenian village faces expropriation threat

The locals are concerned that a new post-earthquake housing project could lead to a change in the demographics of the village.

31 January 2025 Vecih Cuzdan

Talent manager Ayşe Barım arrested as monopoly probe shifts to government overthrow charges

Talent manager Ayşe Barım arrested as monopoly probe shifts to government overthrow charges

The initial scrutiny of Barım's alleged monopolization of the entertainment industry was followed by a criminal investigation linking her to the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

28 January 2025

Turkish intelligence leads operation targeting illegal access to citizenship data

Turkish intelligence leads operation targeting illegal access to citizenship data

Concerns over large-scale data breaches involving Turkish citizens’ information have surfaced multiple times in recent years.

27 January 2025

82-year-old ill prisoner released under supervision

82-year-old ill prisoner released under supervision

Arslan was jailed in 2021 after her sentence for "membership in a terrorist organization" was upheld.

27 January 2025

Union representatives assaulted at Ankara private school for protesting illegal classes

Union representatives assaulted at Ankara private school for protesting illegal classes

The school reportedly continues classes during the midterm break.

23 January 2025

Iranian rapper sentenced to death after deportation from Turkey

Iranian rapper sentenced to death after deportation from Turkey

The 37-year-old artist, who lived in İstanbul from 2018 to 2023, was deported to Iran by Turkish authorities in December, despite his pending asylum application.

21 January 2025

Journalist among detained in raids targeting leftist groups

Journalist among detained in raids targeting leftist groups

At least 12 people were detained in the raids.

21 January 2025

Turkish Medical Association reacts to appointment of trustees

Turkish Medical Association reacts to appointment of trustees

The Turkish Medical Association described the recent developments as “a sign that both the people’s right to vote and stand for election is being deliberately and constantly being disregarded, and that the judiciary system is being weaponized in line with political interests”.

15 January 2025

Protest in Beşiktaş: Women’s murders no coincidence, but result of male violence

Protest in Beşiktaş: Women’s murders no coincidence, but result of male violence

“Women’s murderers are carried out not only by ‘perverts, murderous souls, drug addicts or the psychologically impaired’” say women in statement emphasizing that women’s murders are political

23 December 2024

7 journalists among arrested following Istanbul protests

7 journalists among arrested following Istanbul protests

59 detained at protest in Istanbul following the killing in northern Syria of two Kurdish journalists -9 arrested.

23 December 2024

MHP speaker allows Kurdish MP to address parliament in Kurdish

MHP speaker allows Kurdish MP to address parliament in Kurdish

Ayşegül Doğan’s Kurdish words were recorded in the parliamentary minutes as “Non-Turkish words were expressed by the speaker in this section.”

18 December 2024

Belgizar Abiri Şimşek

Education inequality deepens as students crammed into tiny containers in post-quake Malatya

Education inequality deepens as students crammed into tiny containers in post-quake Malatya

Thousands of students living in container cities in Malatya struggle to keep up with those living in their homes.

16 December 2024 Belgizar Abiri Şimşek

Folk musician Pınar Aydınlar detained for displaying poster of Dersim rebellion leader at concert

Folk musician Pınar Aydınlar detained for displaying poster of Dersim rebellion leader at concert

Aydınlar commemorated Seyid Rıza, the leader of the Dersim rebellion during the early years of the Republic, who was executed in 1937.

13 December 2024

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