:Human rights in Turkey

Acute human rights issues include in particular the status of Kurds in Turkey. The Kurdish–Turkish conflict has caused numerous human rights violations over the years. There is an ongoing debate in the country on the right to life, torture, freedom of expression as well as freedoms of religion, assembly and association.

In 2009, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey released two reports detailing human rights abuses including torture, ill-treatment and isolation of small groups in prison. The reports documented 419 deaths in custody in a period of 15 years of military rule with 39 deaths recorded in prison in 2008 alone. Under the state of emergency powers, crackdown on the media freedom increased with several journalist arrested and held in prisons, media outlets shuttered or taken over by the state on the allegations of terrorism, “anti-state activities” and “denigrating Turkishness” or “insulting Islam”.

Turkey still keeps laws which are seen as undemocratic or authoritarian, such as prohibiting minorities to get a primary education in their mother tongue. The country's largest minority, the Kurds, which comprise 15% of the population, have no right to self-determination even though Turkey has signed the ICCPR. In March 2017, the United Nations accused the Turkish government of "massive destruction, killings and numerous other serious human rights violations" against the ethnic Kurdish minority.{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56330#.WMMp5DvyuM8|title=Turkey: UN report details allegations of serious rights violations in country's southeast|first=United Nations News Service|last=Section|date=10 March 2017|access-date=28 April 2017|archive-date=17 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517210603/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56330#.WMMp5DvyuM8|url-status=live}}

The Republic of Turkey has entered various human rights commitments, some of which are expressed in the 1982 Turkish Constitution, Part Two of which guarantees "fundamental rights and freedoms" such as the right to life, security of person, and right to property. In addition, Turkey has signed a number of treaties, shown in the tables below:The information was taken from a [http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts//research/ratification-turkey.html page of the University of Minnesota] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607203331/http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts//research/ratification-turkey.html |date=2011-06-07 }}; accessed on 10 September 2009

:*The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1949.[http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/0/e00415d0170ee8a5c1256b3a0051eb22/$FILE/G0144925.pdf Report of State Party – Turkey by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, 2001] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730152938/http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/0/e00415d0170ee8a5c1256b3a0051eb22/$FILE/G0144925.pdf |date=2013-07-30 }} – See section 84

:*The European Convention on Human Rights (1954) places Turkey under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In 1987, Turkey accepted the right to apply individually to the ECtHR (Article 25 of the European Convention on Human Rights = ECHR) and 1990 recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights under Article 46 of the ECHR.{{cite web|url=http://insanhaklarimerkezi.bilgi.edu.tr/data/raporlar_avrupa/985.doc|title=Mentioned in Resolution 985 (1992) reproduced as a word-file on insanhaklarimerkezi.bilgi.edu.tr, accessed September 10, 2009|access-date=December 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110818141623/http://insanhaklarimerkezi.bilgi.edu.tr/data/raporlar_avrupa/985.doc|archive-date=August 18, 2011|url-status=dead}}

In October 2009 the European Commission on Enlargement to the European Union attested regarding Turkey that

{{blockquote|some progress on observance of international human rights law. However, implementation of some ECtHR judgments requiring legislative amendments has been outstanding for several years. Further efforts are needed to strengthening the institutional framework on human rights, in particular as regards the establishment of an independent human rights institution and of an Ombudsman.[http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2009/tr_rapport_2009_en.pdf 2009 Report on Progress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528102959/http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2009/tr_rapport_2009_en.pdf |date=2016-05-28 }} announced on 14 October 2009}}

On October 18, 2017, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland called for the release of human rights activists detained in Turkey in a telephone call with Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül.{{Cite web|title=Council of Europe head calls on Turkey's minister for release of human rights activists - World News|url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/council-of-europe-head-calls-on-turkeys-minister-for-release-of-human-rights-activists-121101|access-date=2020-09-09|website=Hürriyet Daily News|date=19 October 2017 |language=en|archive-date=2021-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009145517/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/council-of-europe-head-calls-on-turkeys-minister-for-release-of-human-rights-activists-121101|url-status=live}}

Turkey's human rights record has long continued to attract scrutiny, both internally and externally. According to the Foreign Ministry, Turkey was sentenced to 33 million euros in 567 different cases between 1990—when Turkey effectively allowed individual applications to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)—and 2006.Duvakli, Melik. JİTEM's illegal actions cost Turkey a fortune, Today's Zaman, 27 August 2008; reprinted by [http://www.info-turk.be/360.htm#illegal Info Turk edition 360, August 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927155144/http://www.info-turk.be/360.htm#illegal |date=2011-09-27 }}. Most abuses were done in the South-East, in the frame of the Kurdish–Turkish conflict.

In 2007, there were 2830 applications lodged against the Republic of Turkey before the ECtHR and consequently 331 judgments on the merits have been issued affirming 319 violations and 9 non-violations.[http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/About_Coe/Member_states/e_tu.asp#TopOfPage Cases against Turkey before the ECtHR in 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060420111307/http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/About_Coe/Member_states/e_tu.asp#TopOfPage |date=April 20, 2006 }} In 2008, Turkey ranked second after Russia in the list of countries with the largest number of human rights violation cases open at the European Court of Human Rights, with 9,000 cases pending as of August 2008. In 2011, the ECtHR issued 159 judgments that found violations by Turkey, the most of any country, with Russia coming second at 121 judgments.{{cite book|url=http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/77FF4249-96E5-4D1F-BE71-42867A469225/0/2011_Rapport_Annuel_EN.pdf|title=Annual Report 2011|publisher=European Court of Human Rights|location=France|year=2012|isbn=978-92-871-9972-0|access-date=2012-10-21|archive-date=2012-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113051647/http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/77FF4249-96E5-4D1F-BE71-42867A469225/0/2011_Rapport_Annuel_EN.pdf|url-status=live}}

Between 1 November 1998 and 31 December 2008 the ECtHR received 24,945 applications from Turkey. It declared 2,237 cases admissible and 13,615 inadmissible.Statistics compiled by using the [http://www.echr.coe.int/ECHR/EN/Header/Reports+and+Statistics/Reports/Annual+Reports/ official data of the ECtHR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201182306/http://www.echr.coe.int/ECHR/EN/Header/Reports+and+Statistics/Reports/Annual+Reports/ |date=2009-12-01 }} During the same time it reached 1,905 judgments finding at least one violation in 1,652 cases. While there are hardly any decision regarding Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ban of discrimination), many judgments concerning Article 2 (right to life) and Article 3 of the convention (ban of torture) were taken on procedural grounds rather than testifying an involvement of State agencies.Entry of [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Statistics_on_judgments_of_the_ECHR_on_Turkey Helmut Oberdiek in his private Wiki] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122194315/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Statistics_on_judgments_of_the_ECHR_on_Turkey |date=2019-11-22 }} and [http://ob.nubati.net/en/echr_tur.php additional article on his website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106123704/http://ob.nubati.net/en/echr_tur.php |date=2009-01-06 }}. According to the European Commission on Enlargement of the EU Turkey continued to make progress on the execution of ECtHR judgments. All pecuniary compensation was paid on time, totalling €5.2 million in 2008.

The ECtHR has heard nine cases against Turkey concerning political party bans by the Constitutional Court of Turkey.[http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/07/31/turkey19521.htm Turkey: Party Case Shows Need for Reform – Ruling Party Narrowly Escapes Court Ban] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081111144912/http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/07/31/turkey19521.htm |date=2008-11-11 }}, Human Rights Watch, 31 July 2008 In all but one case (which concerned the Islamist Welfare Party), the European Court has ruled against the decision to ban, finding Turkey in violation of articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention (freedom of expression and freedom of association). The ECtHR's decision concerning the Welfare Party has been criticized for lack of consistency with its other decisions, in particular by Human Rights Watch.

One ECtHR judgment sentenced Turkey to a 103,000 euros fine for its decisions about the Yüksekova Gang (aka "the gang with uniforms"), related to the JİTEM clandestine gendarmerie intelligence unit. The EHCR also sentenced in 2006 Turkey to a 28,500 Euros fine for the JİTEM murder of 72-year-old Kurdish writer Musa Anter, in 1992 in Diyarbakir. Other cases include the 2000 Akkoç v. Turkey judgment, concerning the assassination of a trade-unionist; or the Loizidou v. Turkey case in 1996, which set a precedent in the Cyprus dispute, as the ECtHR ordered Turkey to give financial compensation to a person expelled from the Turkish-controlled side of Cyprus.

The ECtHR also awarded in 2005 Kurdish deputy Leyla Zana €9000 from the Turkish government, ruling Turkey had violated her rights of free expression. Zana, who had been recognized as prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International and had been awarded the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament, had been jailed in 1994, allegedly for being a member of the outlawed PKK, but officiously for having spoken Kurdish in public during her parliamentary oath.

The right to live may be threatened by other means than the death penalty. In particular during the 1990s there were many instances of extrajudicial executions, (political) killings by unidentified perpetrators (faili meçhul cinayetler) and cases of "disappearances".

{{Main|Capital punishment in Turkey}}

The death penalty has not been implemented in Turkey since 1984. Turkey abolished the sentence for peace time offences in 2002 and for all offences in 2004. The sentence was replaced by aggravated life imprisonment (ağırlaştırılmış müebbet hapis cezası). According to Article 9 of Law 5275 on the Execution of SentencesAn [http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/kanunlar/k5275.html online edition of Law 5275] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207054258/https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/kanunlar/k5275.html |date=2018-12-07 }} (in Turkish on pages of the Turkish Government); accessed on 10 September 2009 these prisoners are held in individual cells in high security prisons and are allowed to exercise in a neighbouring yard one hour per day. They have more limited access to activities and they are not allowed to work.{{Cite web |title=Türkiye: prisons in 2024 |url=https://www.prison-insider.com/en/countryprofile/turkiye-2024?s=populations-specifiques-5d9b19c2d4a4f |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Prison Insider |language=en}}

{{Further|List of journalists killed in Turkey|List of assassinated people from Turkey}}

{{See also|Assassination of Hrant Dink|Attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II}}

In 1990 Amnesty International published its first report on extrajudicial executions in Turkey.The report [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Extra-judicial_Executions Turkey: Extra-judicial Executions (AI Index: EUR 44/45/90)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916090626/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Extra-judicial_Executions |date=2020-09-16 }} was accessed on 10 September 2009 In the following years the problem became more serious. The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey determined the following figures on extrajudicial executions in Turkey for the years 1991 to 2001:Source: Report for 2001, published on 10 March 2003, Ankara, {{ISBN|975-7217-38-7}}, page 49 (Turkish)

In 2001 the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Ms. Asma Jahangir, presented a report on a visit to Turkey.The {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071002225033/http://www.extrajudicialexecutions.org/reports/E_CN_4_2002_74_Add_1.pdf full report as pdf-file]}}; accessed on 10 September 2009 The report presented details of killings of prisoners (26 September 1999, 10 prisoners killed in a prison in Ankara; 19 December 2000, an operation in 20 prisons launched throughout Turkey resulted in the death of 30 inmates and two gendarmes).

For the years 2000–2008 the Human Rights Association (HRA) gives the following figures on doubtful deaths/deaths in

custody/extra judicial execution/torture by paid village guardsThe [http://www.ihd.org.tr/images/pdf/IHD_1999_2008_Comparative_Balance_Sheet.pdf comparative balance sheet of the HRA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530112405/http://ihd.org.tr/images/pdf/IHD_1999_2008_Comparative_Balance_Sheet.pdf |date=2014-05-30 }} is available in English; accessed on 10 September 2009

In 2008 the human rights organization Mazlum Der counted 25 extrajudicial killings in Turkey.The [http://www.mazlumder.org/ms_word.asp?haber=4784 full report in Turkish as word-file] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227033753/http://www.mazlumder.org/ms_word.asp?haber=4784 |date=February 27, 2012 }}; accessed on 10 September 2009

The mass violations of human rights in the mainly Kurdish-populated southeast and eastern regions of Turkey in the 1990s took the form of enforced disappearances and killings by unknown perpetrators which the state authorities showed no willingness to solve.Report by Amnesty International: [https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur44/008/2007/en/ The Entrenched Culture of Impunity Must End] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122061805/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur44/008/2007/en/ |date=2018-11-22 }} Index Number: EUR 44/008/2007, Date Published: 5 July 2007 In 2009 the Human Rights Association stated that up to the end of 2008 a total of 2,949 people had been killed by unknown perpetrators and 2,308 people had become victims of extrajudicial executions.The [http://www.ihd.org.tr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1626:bir-eylul-turkiyede-barisin-yildonumu-olsun&catid=67:genel-merkez&Itemid=213 press release is available in Turkish] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909010748/http://www.ihd.org.tr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1626:bir-eylul-turkiyede-barisin-yildonumu-olsun&catid=67:genel-merkez&Itemid=213 |date=2009-09-09 }}, accessed on 11 September 2009

A parliamentary commission to research killings by unknown perpetrators (faili meçhul cinayetleri araştırma komisyonu) was founded in 1993 and worked for about two years. Many members complained that they had not been assisted and their work had been undermined.Radikal, 24 October 2008, [http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalDetay&ArticleID=904986&CategoryID=77 Faili meçhul komisyonu üyeleri 1000 cinayeti 15 yıl önce görmüştü...] One member of the commission, Eyüp Aşık, stated that the Turkish Hezbollah had been behind many of these killings and added that the State had had three effective arms in the fight against terrorism: special teams, village guards and Hezbollah. Although he had witnessed about 80 actions of Hezbollah in Adıyaman province the then Minister for the Interior had said that there was nothing by that name. This in turn had made him believe that the State supported Hezbollah.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) first called for an investigation of links between Hezbollah and the security forces in 1992.The HRW [https://www.hrw.org/legacy/english/docs/2000/02/16/turkey3057_txt.htm backgrounder: What is Turkey's Hizbullah?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306023124/https://www.hrw.org/legacy/english/docs/2000/02/16/turkey3057_txt.htm |date=2016-03-06 }} was published in 2000; accessed on 12 September 2009 In a separate report HRW stated:

{{blockquote|During 1992 there was an extremely disturbing increase in the number of suspicious deaths in southeast Turkey. Hundreds of people were killed by unknown assailants; many of those people were leaders or in positions of responsibility in the Kurdish community — doctors, lawyers, teachers, political leaders, journalists, human rights activists, businessmen... Human rights activists were among the victims. Thirteen of the suspicious killings since January 1992 were of journalists.Quotes taken from the HRW Report [https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/TURKEY933.PDF The Kurds of Turkey: Killings, Disappearances and Torture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916090608/https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/TURKEY933.PDF |date=2020-09-16 }}, March 1993, accessed on 12 September 2009}}

Based on the data of the Interior Ministry, the daily "Zaman" reported that between 1987 and 2001 a total of 2,914 political killings, 1,334 of them in the responsibility area of the police and 1,580 in area of the gendarmerie, were committed in the Eastern and Southern Eastern Anatolia Regions. 457 of the killings in areas of the police and 1,291 in areas of the gendarmerie had not been clarified.Quote taken from the English version of the Annual Report 2001 of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, Ankara 2003, p. 68, {{ISBN|975-7217-38-7}}

The following figures were presented in the annual reports of the HRFT between 1990 and 2001

The Human Rights Association (HRA) presents the following figures for the years 1999 to 2008:Figures were taken from the Turkish version of the [http://www.ihd.org.tr/images/pdf/1999_2008_karsilastirmali_bilanco.pdf comparative balance sheet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205114847/http://www.ihd.org.tr/images/pdf/1999_2008_karsilastirmali_bilanco.pdf |date=2013-02-05 }}; accessed on 12 September 2009

The Human Rights Association Mazlumder presented figures on killing by unknown assailants and suspicious death for the years 2005 to 2008:{{cite web|url=http://www.mazlumder.org/dosyalar/2005-2008bilabco.doc|title=The report in Turkish can be downloaded at www.mazlumder.org, accessed 12 September 12, 2009|access-date=December 2, 2009|archive-date=February 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227034304/http://www.mazlumder.org/dosyalar/2005-2008bilabco.doc|url-status=dead}}

File:Kayip bus.jpg]]

In Turkey, the military campaign against Kurdish secessionists in Eastern Anatolia has been accompanied by numerous enforced disappearances, which also gave rise to judgments of the European Court of Human Rights to murder.[http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc05/EDOC10679.htm#P225_20274 Draft Resolution (Doc. 10679) of 19 September 2005 on Enforced disappearances] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517123437/http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=%2FDocuments%2FWorkingDocs%2FDoc05%2FEDOC10679.htm#P225_20274 |date=17 May 2014 }}, prepared by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for the General Assembly of the Council of Europe; accessed on 13 September 2009 There were only a handful of cases of "disappearances" in Turkey in the 1980s, but a high number of deaths in custody.Article by Helmut Oberdiek on [http://ob.nubati.net/en/life/disap.php The Right to Life: Disappearances] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916090612/http://ob.nubati.net/en/life/disap.php |date=2020-09-16 }}, report compiled in 2007, accessed on 12 September 2009 The opposite was true for the 1990s, when the number of people who "disappeared" after having been abducted by agents of the States increased.See a press release of the [http://www.ihd.org.tr/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=13:headquarters&id=485:campaign-against-disappearances Human Rights Association of 15 May 1995] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928210831/http://www.ihd.org.tr/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=13:headquarters&id=485:campaign-against-disappearances |date=28 September 2011 }}; accessed on 12 September 2009

In 1998 the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances issued a Report on the visit to Turkey by two members of the Working Group from 20 to 26 September 1998. It stated inter alia:

{{blockquote|Most of the disappearances concerned persons of Kurdish ethnic origin and occurred in the provinces of Diyarbakir and Siirt, in south-east Anatolia, where the armed and security forces are combating the PKK and where a state of emergency is in force. Some of the reported disappearances took place in Antalya, İzmir and Istanbul. Most of the cases followed the same pattern: the missing persons had allegedly been arrested at their homes on charges of belonging to the PKK and taken to the police station but their detention was later denied by the authorities.[http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/0811fcbd0b9f6bd58025667300306dea/efb18eb4337a6c768025672b003c3b30?OpenDocument Full text of the Report of the UN Working Group] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117230851/http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/0811fcbd0b9f6bd58025667300306dea/efb18eb4337a6c768025672b003c3b30?OpenDocument |date=2023-01-17 }}; accessed on 13. September 2009}}

In her report of 18 December 2001 the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Ms. Asma Jahangir, wrote: While the number of cases of abductions or "disappearances" have decreased over the last few years, at the time of the Special Rapporteur's visit such incidents still did occur, particularly in the remote areas of south-east Turkey, and there was deep concern at the recent disappearance of two persons.

In some places on the Internet a list attributed to the HRA can be found (but not on the website of the HRA). It is said that the original list contained 839 names, but that adding further names the list covered 1,251 names in the end.See the daily [http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalDetay&ArticleID=911664&Date=04.12.2008&CategoryID=77 Radikal of 6 December 2008] (Turkish); accessed on 13 September 2009 In a revised list that covers only the time between 1980 and 1999 Helmut Oberdiek reached a figure of 818 cases of "disappearances" in Turkey.The [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Turkey:_The_Right_to_Life cover article on the right to life in Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723231456/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Turkey:_The_Right_to_Life |date=2011-07-23 }} and details on [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Turkey:_%22Disappearances%22 cases of "disappearances"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219102317/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Turkey:_%22Disappearances%22 |date=2012-02-19 }} in English; accessed on 13 September 2009

The Saturday Mothers held weekly protests against "disappearances" between May 1995 and 1999.See the [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/docs/hrft1999report.pdf Annual Report 1999 of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724115016/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/docs/hrft1999report.pdf |date=2011-07-24 }} (English, page 338); accessed on 15 September 2009 They had to suspend their action on 13 March 1999See an article in the daily [http://www.bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/10036-cumartesi-annelerinden-cumartesi Radikal of 31 December 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203074413/http://www.bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/10036-cumartesi-annelerinden-cumartesi |date=3 December 2011 }} (Turkish); accessed on 16 September 2009 after week 200, because of intense pressure, detention and ill-treatment.See the Report of Amnesty International [https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur44/017/1998/en/ Turkey: Listen to] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122061825/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur44/017/1998/en/ |date=2018-11-22 }} the Saturday Mothers; Index Number: EUR 44/017/1998

Date Published: 1 November 1998; accessed on 15 September 2009 In March 2009 the Saturday Mothers took their action up again.Reported in [http://bianet.org/english/english/34829-saturday-mothers-demand-justice Bianet of 18 May 2004] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728122536/http://bianet.org/english/english/34829-saturday-mothers-demand-justice |date=28 July 2011 }} and [http://www.france24.com/en/20090316-turkey-elections-saturday-mothers-kurds-erdogan France24 of 16 March 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215085443/http://www.france24.com/en/20090316-turkey-elections-saturday-mothers-kurds-erdogan |date=15 December 2009 }}; both accessed on 15 September 2009

{{Main|Torture in Turkey}}

The widespread and systematic use of torture in Turkey was first observed by Amnesty International (AI) after the 1971 Turkish coup d'état.The File on Torture that was included in the newsletter of September 1987 is not available any more. A copy of images can be found as [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Illustrated_Reports_of_Amnesty_International Illustrated Reports of Amnesty International] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417082653/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Illustrated_Reports_of_Amnesty_International |date=2010-04-17 }}; accessed on 14 September 2009 Until 2002 the organization continued to speak of systematic torture in Turkey.Letter of AI to Günter Verheugen, quoted on [http://bianet.org/english/labor/13327-eu-warned-of-torture-in-turkey Bianet of 19 September 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004222040/http://bianet.org/english/labor/13327-eu-warned-of-torture-in-turkey |date=4 October 2011 }}; accessed on 14 September 2009 Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Union went to Turkey in September 2004 and maintained that torture was no longer systematic practice in Turkey.See a [http://www.eppgroup.eu/press/showpr.asp?PRControlDocTypeID=1&PRControlID=2925&PRContentID=5612&PRContentLG=en press release] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728071235/http://www.eppgroup.eu/press/showpr.asp?PRControlDocTypeID=1&PRControlID=2925&PRContentID=5612&PRContentLG=en |date=2018-07-28 }} of the European People's Party in the European Parliament of 6 October 2004; accessed on 14 September 2009 The Human Rights Association (HRA) protested against this evaluationSee [http://www.ihd.org.tr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=431:kence-yayge-sistematiktir&catid=67:genel-merkez&Itemid=213 press release of 10 September 2004] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905202742/http://www.ihd.org.tr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=431:kence-yayge-sistematiktir&catid=67:genel-merkez&Itemid=213 |date=5 September 2010 }} (Turkish); accessed on 14 September 2009 and pointed at recent figures and definitions of systematic torture by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the UN Committee against Torture.See paragraph 36 of the [http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/9057880884d32d68c125643400514e0e?Opendocument Report A/48/44/Add.1 of 15 November 1993 of the UN Committee against Torture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604183113/http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/9057880884d32d68c125643400514e0e?Opendocument |date=4 June 2011 }}; accessed on 14 September 2009

Since 2005 incidents of torture seem to be on the rise.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090226174709/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119109.htm 2008 Human Rights Report: Turkey], released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor as part of the US Department of State on February 25, 2009; accessed on 16 September 2009 According to an October report by the Prime Ministry's Human Rights Presidency (HRP), the number of torture and cruel treatment cases reported in the first six months of the year surpassed the number reported in the first half of 2007. The HRP reported that, in the first half of the year, 178 persons reported cruel treatment and 26 reported torture, up from 79 reports of cruel treatment and 17 reports of torture during the same period in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119109.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226174709/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119109.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-02-26|title=Turkey}} In the report on progress of November 2008 the European Commission stated, "the number of applications to NGOs in relation to cases of torture and ill-treatment has increased, in particular outside official places of detention, notably during apprehension, transfer, or in the open with no detention registered... There is a lack of prompt, impartial and independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations by members of security forces."[http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/press_corner/key-documents/reports_nov_2008/turkey_progress_report_en.pdf Report of the EU Commission – Enlargement of 5 November 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124025020/http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/press_corner/key-documents/reports_nov_2008/turkey_progress_report_en.pdf |date=24 November 2009 }}; accessed on 16 September 2009 In the 2009 annual report Amnesty International stated: "Reports of torture and other ill-treatment rose during 2008, especially outside official places of detention but also in police stations and prisons."The [http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/turkey report reflecting the development in 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226133736/http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/turkey |date=2009-12-26 }} was accessed on 17 August 2009

In its 2012 Annual Review, Freedom from Torture the UK charity which works with survivors of victims of torture, stated that the charity had received 79 referrals of individuals from Turkey for clinical treatment and other services.{{cite web |title=Freedom from Torture's Annual Review 2012 |url=http://www.freedomfromtorture.org/sites/default/files/documents/FFT_Ann.Rev-2011-f.pdf |publisher=Freedomfortorture.org |access-date=2012-08-03 |archive-date=2016-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330223105/http://www.freedomfromtorture.org/sites/default/files/documents/FFT_Ann.Rev-2011-f.pdf |url-status=dead }}

An important characteristic of the period following the 12 September 1980 military intervention was the disregard to the right to life and the increase in torture cases and deaths due to torture.Report of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey: File of Torture: Deaths in Detention Places or Prisons (12 September 1980 to 12 September 1995), Ankara, March 1996 {{ISBN|975-7217-09-3}}, page 20 The HRFT published two reports on Deaths in Custody (14 and 15 years since the military take over) presenting a list of 419 deaths in custody (in 15 years) with a suspicion that torture might have been the reason. Another 15 deaths were attributed to hunger strikes while medical neglect was given as the reason for 26 deaths.Report of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey: File of Torture: Deaths in Detention Places or Prisons (12 September 1980 to 12 September 1995), Ankara, March 1996 {{ISBN|975-7217-09-3}}, pages 51 to 68 On the basis of this list Helmut Oberdiek compiled a revised list for 20 years (12 September 1980 to 12 September 2000) and concluded that in 428 cases torture may have been the reason for the death of prisoners.{{cite web|url=http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Turkey:_Deaths_in_Custody|title=Turkey: Deaths in Custody – B-Ob8ungen|website=ob.nubati.net|access-date=2009-12-02|archive-date=2018-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728071126/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Turkey:_Deaths_in_Custody|url-status=live}} In 2008 alone the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey reported of 39 deaths in prison. In some cases torture was involved.See the [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/trw/index.php/2008_Raporu:_Cezaevlerinde_%C3%96l%C3%BCm_ve_Hastalar Annual Report 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724115055/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/trw/index.php/2008_Raporu:_Cezaevlerinde_%C3%96l%C3%BCm_ve_Hastalar |date=2011-07-24 }} (Turkish); accessed on 17 September 2009 In 2012, two prison guards and an official were given life sentences for the torture death of activist Engin Çeber, the first such verdict in Turkey's history.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/news/historic-verdict-finds-turkish-officials-caused-activist-s-death-custody-2012-10-02 |title=Historic verdict finds Turkish officials caused activist's death in custody |date=2 October 2012 |publisher=Amnesty International |archive-date=5 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005171445/http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/historic-verdict-finds-turkish-officials-caused-activist-s-death-custody-2012-10-02 |access-date=7 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}

Turkey has repeatedly been criticized for allowing poor living conditions to exist in its prisons and in particular, it has been criticized for not doing anything to solve the problem of overcrowded prisons.See the [https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61680.htm country report 2005 of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor in US Department of State] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916090632/https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61680.htm |date=2020-09-16 }}, dated 8 March 2006, accessed on 17 September 2006 Following the 1980 Turkish coup d'état political prisoners tried in military courts were held in military prisons and were thus subjected to military discipline. Prisoners were obliged to participate in daily roll-calls, the singing of marches and drills in the open air.Report of Amnesty International [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Devrimci_Sol Turkey: The Istanbul Devrimci Sol Trial] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116062641/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Devrimci_Sol |date=2018-11-16 }}; online edition, accessed on 18 September 2009 In particular, Diyarbakır and Mamak Military Prisons (the latter in Ankara) became notorious for the routine beatings which accompanied attempts to enforce military discipline among civilians. In addition, so-called "inaugural-beatings" had been institutionalized in almost all prisons in Turkey.

In 2008, allegations of ill-treatment in prisons and allegations of ill-treatment of prisoners during their transfers continued to be made. Small-group isolation remained a problem across the prison system for people who were accused or convicted of politically motivated offences.Compare the [http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/turkey 2009 Report of Amnesty International] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226133736/http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/turkey |date=2009-12-26 }}; accessed on 20 September 2009 The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey registered 39 deaths in prison.2008 Annual Report to be found on the [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/trw/index.php/2008_Raporu:_Cezaevleri_ve_%C4%B0nsan_Haklar%C4%B1 pages of the Democratic Turkey Forum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226204339/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/trw/index.php/2008_Raporu:_Cezaevleri_ve_%C4%B0nsan_Haklar%C4%B1 |date=2012-02-26 }} (Turkish); accessed on 20 September 2009

In March 2020, following the publication of reports which documented the life-threatening living conditions which existed in prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Turkey published a draft of a document in which it stated that it was preparing to release 100,000 inmates. However, Amnesty International and several other human rights organizations stated that they were still concerned about journalist and human rights defenders, who as per the government's perceived policies, will remain behind bars.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/03/turkey-imprisoned-journalists-human-rights-defenders-and-others-now-at-risk-of-covid-19-must-be-urgently-released/|title=Turkey: Imprisoned journalists, human rights defenders and others, now at risk of Covid-19, must be urgently released|access-date=30 March 2020|website=Amnesty International|date=30 March 2020|archive-date=16 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916090639/https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/03/turkey-imprisoned-journalists-human-rights-defenders-and-others-now-at-risk-of-covid-19-must-be-urgently-released/|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Freedom of religion in Turkey}}

{{See also|Religion in Turkey|Varlık Vergisi}}

Turkey identifies a secular country, as detailed by Article 24 of the Turkish Constitution. Islam is the predominant religion, with the two main sects being Sunni and Alevi. In Turkey Alevi are the minority, estimated at 17 percent of the Muslim population.The report of Amnesty International on [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Prosecution_of_Religious_Activists Prosecution of Religious Activists] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110103339/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Prosecution_of_Religious_Activists |date=2019-11-10 }} was published in November 1987

Religious education is compulsory in primary and secondary education (Article 24 of the Constitution). Mainly Sunni theology is taught. The government oversees Muslim religious facilities and education through its Directorate of Religious Affairs, which is under the authority of the Prime Ministry. The Directory regulates the operation of the country's 77,777 registered mosques and employs local and provincial imams, who are civil servants. Sunni imams are nominated and paid by the state.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090226174709/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119109.htm 2008 Human Rights Report] of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (US State Department) of 25 February 2009; accessed on 21 September 2009 The Alevis pray in cemevis. "Cemevleri" (places of gathering) have no legal status as places of worship in the state. However, Kuşadası and Tunceli municipalities ruled in 2008 that Alevi cemevleri are considered places of worship.

Exact figures on the non-Islamic population in Turkey are not available. Some sources estimate the Christian population between three and five percent. Their communities mainly exist in Istanbul with Armenian and Greek-Orthodox Christians; in southeastern Turkey other groups like the Syriacs and Yazidi (a syncretistic faith) can be found. In the big cities Jewish and other communities such as the Jehovah's Witnesses exist. According to the Treaty of Lausanne only the Armenian, Greek and Jewish communities are recognized as minorities.

According to the human rights organization Mazlumder, the military charged individuals with lack of discipline for activities that included performing Muslim prayers or being married to women who wore headscarves. In December 2008 the General Staff issued 24 dismissals, five of which pertained to alleged Islamic fundamentalism.

In 2022, Freedom House rated Turkey's religious freedom as 2 out of 4,[https://www.freedomhouse.org/country/turkey/freedom-world/2022 Freedom House, Retrieved 2023-04-25] noting that apart from Sunni Islam, Judaism, Orthodox Christianity and Armenian Christianity are officially recognized, but there are regular disputes regarding property and training of clerics.

{{See also|Censorship in Turkey}}

Article 26 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression. Articles 27 and 28 of the Constitution guarantee the "freedom of expression" and "unhindered dissemination of thought". Paragraph 2 of Article 27 affirms that "the right to disseminate shall not be exercised for the purpose of changing the provisions of Articles 1, 2 and 3 of [the] Constitution", articles in question referring to the unitary, secular, democratic and republican nature of the state.

Law 765 (the old penal code) that entered into force on 1 March 1926 restricted freedom of expression, despite several amendments.See [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Background_to_the_Legal_System Background to the Legal System] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723231648/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Background_to_the_Legal_System |date=2011-07-23 }}; accessed on 11 October 2009 Law 5237 that replaced the old penal code on 1 June 2005 preserved several provisions that restrict freedom of thought and expression. A number of special laws such as the Law 5816 (offences against the memory of Atatürk), Press Law and the Law on Political Parties also restrict freedom of expression.The report of Amnesty International Turkey: Human Rights Denied appeared in November 1988 (AI Index: EUR/44/65/88); the report can be [http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Illustrated_Reports_of_Amnesty_International accessed as scanned images] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417082653/http://ob.nubati.net/wiki/Illustrated_Reports_of_Amnesty_International |date=2010-04-17 }}. Freedom of expression are the page (images 3–6)

In the 1970s and 1980s the Articles 141 (membership of communist organizations), 142 (communist or separatist propaganda) and 163 (membership of or propaganda for anti-secular organizations) of Law 765 (the Turkish Penal Code, TPC) were most frequently used to punish peaceful opposition. On 12 April 1991 Law 3713 on the Fight against Terrorism (or Anti-Terror Law, ATL) entered into force. It abolished these provisions, but retained part of Article 142 TPC in Article 8 ATL. Journalists, politicians, human rights defenders and trade unionists were convicted under this provision, often simply for having used the word "Kurdistan".See an [http://www2.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/research/ndp/ref/index_e.htm?docid=246&cid=0&sec=CH03 Issue Paper on the Situation of the Kurds] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130101091555/http://www2.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/research/ndp/ref/index_e.htm?docid=246&cid=0&sec=CH03 |date=2013-01-01 }} by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, February 1996; accessed on 11 October 2009

After the European Court of Human Rights had passed more than 100 judgments finding a violation of Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights some changes were made to existing legislation.See [https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=ResDH%282004%2938&Language=lanEnglish Resolution ResDH(2004)38] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109154835/https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=ResDH%282004%2938&Language=lanEnglish |date=2016-01-09 }}; accessed on 11 October 2009 Article 8 of the ATL was abolished by Law 4928 of 30 July 2003. Another frequently used Article 312/2 of the TPC (incitement to hatred and enmity) was amended by Law 4744 of 9 February 2002. The new version narrowed the use of this Article by introducing the condition "if the incitement might endanger public order". The new wording (and sentences) for such an "offence" are now contained in Article 216 of Law 5237. The sentence that mere criticism should not be punishable under Article 159 of Law 765 (denigrating Turkishness, the Republic or the Grand National Assembly of Turkey) was added to the law text, although this had already been established in the case law. The "offence" is now described in Article 301 of Law 5237.

After severe criticism from NGOs and European institutions Article 301 was once again amended on 30 April 2008. The amendments introduced a requirement for permission to be obtained from the Justice Minister in order to launch a criminal investigation.

Human Rights Watch reported on July 26, 2017, that over the past year, hundreds of outlets have been shuttered or taken over under state of emergency powers. More than 160 journalists and media workers are now in prison or pretrial detention, according to Turkish media watchdog NGO P24. They include 10 of the Cumhuriyet staff currently on trial.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/07/26/turkey-freedom-expression-dock |title=In Turkey, Freedom of Expression is in the Dock |date=26 July 2017 |access-date=2018-02-03 |archive-date=2020-09-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916090646/https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/07/26/turkey-freedom-expression-dock |url-status=live }}

Following the adoption of the amendments to Article 301, Turkish courts had forwarded, by September 2008, 257 cases to the Minister of Justice for prior authorisation. The Minister had reviewed 163 cases and refused to grant permission to proceed in 126 cases. The Minister of Justice authorised the criminal investigations to continue in 37 cases. This included one case which was initiated following a statement made by a Turkish writer on the Armenian issue shortly after the assassination of the Turkish journalist of Armenian origin, Hrant Dink.

Other legal provisions that restrict freedom of expression include Articles 215, 216 and 217 of the Turkish Criminal Code, that criminalise offences against public order, and the Anti-Terror Law have been applied to prosecute and convict those expressing non-violent opinions on Kurdish issues.For a (German) list of offences see [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Meinungsfreiheit#Die_wichtigsten_Bestimmungen_im_Einzelnen this page of the Democratic Turkey Forum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226204419/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Meinungsfreiheit#Die_wichtigsten_Bestimmungen_im_Einzelnen |date=2012-02-26 }} (DTF). The DTF also has a page on [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Urteile_in_Prozessen_aus_dem_Jahre_2008 verdicts in 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226204514/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Urteile_in_Prozessen_aus_dem_Jahre_2008 |date=2012-02-26 }} and [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Sortierbare_Tabellen statistics for 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226204531/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Sortierbare_Tabellen |date=2012-02-26 }}{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade+world/turkey | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Turkey (News) | access-date=2016-12-14 | archive-date=2013-02-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130222223027/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade+world/turkey | url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://www.eurasiareview.com/turkey-destruction-of-ahmet-siks-unpublished-book-a-very-dangerous-precedent-28032011/ |title=Turkey: Destruction Of Ahmet Sik's Unpublished Book 'A Very Dangerous Precedent' Eurasia Review |publisher=Eurasiareview.com |date=2011-03-28 |access-date=2014-02-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613063854/http://www.eurasiareview.com/turkey-destruction-of-ahmet-siks-unpublished-book-a-very-dangerous-precedent-28032011/ |archive-date=2011-06-13 }}

The use of the Turkish alphabet is mandated by law, reflecting the historic transition from an Arabic to a Latin script.

According to the Human Rights Watch 2019 report, Turkey has the maximum number of jailed journalists. In February 2018, prominent journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole on the couped charges.{{cite book|url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/turkey|title=Turkey Events of 2018|date=19 December 2018|publisher=Human Rights Watch|access-date=9 March 2019|archive-date=16 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916090646/https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/turkey|url-status=live}}

On 3 July 2020, in a high-profile trial, a Turkish court sentenced the honorary chair of Amnesty International Turkey, Taner Kilic, to six years and three months in jail, accusing him for being a member of terror organization. The organization's former director İdil Eser was also sentenced to two years and one month, along with members Günal Kursun and Özlem Dalgiran, on same charges. The human rights group denied all the charges. Human rights organizations claimed that holding individuals charged with terrorism offenses in prolonged pre-trial detention continued to be widely used in Turkey and raised concerns regarding it becoming a form of summary punishment.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/03/asia/turkey-amnesty-international-court-verdict-intl/index.html|title=Turkey convicts human rights activists on terror charges|access-date=3 July 2020|website=CNN|date=3 July 2020 |archive-date=3 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703174553/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/03/asia/turkey-amnesty-international-court-verdict-intl/index.html|url-status=live}}

On 21 February 2022, the Human Rights Watch reported that Öztürk Türkdoğan, co-chair of the Human Rights Association (Turkey), was prosecuted for his legitimate human rights work. Ankara prosecutors prepared three indictments against Türkdoğan in a single month for speeches and statements that do not advocate violence. On March 19, 2021, police briefly detained Türkdoğan from his home and confiscating his laptop and phone. He was later released with a travel ban imposed on him.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/02/21/turkey-human-rights-defender-trial|title=Turkey: Human Rights Defender on Trial|accessdate=21 February 2022|website=Human Rights Watch|date=21 February 2022|archive-date=21 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221105528/https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/02/21/turkey-human-rights-defender-trial|url-status=live}}

On 25 June 2022, the Amnesty International reported that Turkish authorities detained the head of the Human Rights Association, Öztürk Türkdoğan, prominent human rights lawyer, Eren Keskin, and several relatives of victims of enforced disappearances from the Saturday Mothers/People 900th vigil. The authorities also prevented a peaceful vigil by human rights defenders demonstrating on behalf of people who have been forcibly disappeared in Turkey.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/06/turkey-police-detain-human-rights-defenders-and-relatives-of-disappeared-people-on-saturday-mothers-people-900th-vigil/|title=Turkey: Police detain human rights defenders and relatives of disappeared people on Saturday Mothers/People 900th vigil|accessdate=27 June 2022|website=Amnesty International|date=25 June 2022 |archive-date=17 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117230856/https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/06/turkey-police-detain-human-rights-defenders-and-relatives-of-disappeared-people-on-saturday-mothers-people-900th-vigil/|url-status=live}}

On 14 October 2022, the OHCHR expressed concern over the adoption by Turkiye's Parliament of a package of amendments to various laws “that risk curtailing freedom of expression” in the country. One of the amendments was a revision of the criminal code that establishes sentences of up to three years in prison for “publicly disseminating false information” on digital platforms. Under international human rights law, freedom of expression is not limited to ‘truthful’ information, but applies to ‘information and ideas of all kinds'.{{cite web|url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129567|title=Türkiye: Concern mounts over human rights implications of 'disinformation bill'|accessdate=14 October 2022|website=United Nation|date=14 October 2022 |archive-date=14 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014190110/https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129567|url-status=live}}

On 26 October 2022, Turkish authorities arrested and detained the head of Turkey's medical association, Şebnem Korur Fincancı. Her arrest was linked to a statement she made in the press on the occasion of a conference she gave in Germany on 19 October 2022, about allegations of the use of chemical weapon by Turkey in Kurdistan regional federation of Iraq.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63397922|title=Turkey arrests doctors' chief for 'terror propaganda'|accessdate=26 October 2022|website=BBC|date=26 October 2022 |archive-date=26 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026124047/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63397922|url-status=live}}

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the AKP government has waged one of the world's biggest crackdowns on media freedom.{{cite web|author=Turkey's Press Freedom Crisis|url=http://cpj.org/reports/2012/10/turkeys-press-freedom-crisis-summary.php|title=Turkey's Press Freedom Crisis|publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists|access-date=9 February 2013|archive-date=3 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203221521/http://www.cpj.org/reports/2012/10/turkeys-press-freedom-crisis-summary.php|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Turkey's crackdown propels number of journalists in jail worldwide to record high|url=https://cpj.org/reports/2016/12/journalists-jailed-record-high-turkey-crackdown.php|website=cpj.org|access-date=17 January 2017|archive-date=20 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520075408/https://cpj.org/reports/2016/12/journalists-jailed-record-high-turkey-crackdown.php|url-status=live}} Many journalists have been arrested using charges of "terrorism" and "anti-state activities" such as the Ergenekon and Balyoz cases, while thousands have been investigated on charges such as "denigrating Turkishness" or "insulting Islam" in an effort to sow self-censorship. In 2017, the CPJ identified 81 jailed journalists in Turkey (including the editorial staff of Cumhuriyet, Turkey's oldest newspaper still in circulation), all directly held for their published work (ranking first in the world in 2017, with more journalists in prison than in Iran, Eritrea or China); while in 2015 Freemuse identified nine musicians imprisoned for their work (ranking third in that year after Russia and China).{{cite web|title=Russia, China and Turkey top yearly list of music freedom violations|url=http://freemuse.org/archives/9534|website=freemuse.org|access-date=19 February 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219151449/http://freemuse.org/archives/9534|archive-date=19 February 2015}} In 2015 Turkey's media was rated as not free by Freedom House.{{cite web|title=Turkey|url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/turkey#.VMnmzS7D8uk|website=freedomhouse.org|access-date=29 January 2015|archive-date=4 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160704145212/https://www.freedomhouse.org/country/turkey#.VMnmzS7D8uk|url-status=live}} In its resolution "The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey" on 22 June 2016, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe warned that "recent developments in Turkey pertaining to freedom of the media and of expression, erosion of the rule of law and the human rights violations in relation to anti-terrorism security operations in south-east Turkey have (...) raised serious questions about the functioning of its democratic institutions."{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rights-violations-terror-ops-threaten-turkeys-democratic-institutions-pace.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100835&NewsCatID=339|title=Rights violations, terror ops threaten Turkey's democratic institutions: PACE|newspaper=Hurriyet Daily News|date=23 June 2016|access-date=23 June 2016|archive-date=16 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716083728/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rights-violations-terror-ops-threaten-turkeys-democratic-institutions-pace.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100835&NewsCatID=339|url-status=live}}

On 29 April 2017, Turkish authorities blocked online access to Wikipedia in all languages across Turkey.{{Cite web|url=https://turkeyblocks.org/2017/04/29/wikipedia-blocked-turkey/|title=Wikipedia blocked in Turkey|date=29 April 2017|website=Turkey Blocks|access-date=29 April 2017|archive-date=29 April 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170429083608/https://turkeyblocks.org/2017/04/29/wikipedia-blocked-turkey/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39754909|title=Turkish authorities block Wikipedia without giving reason|date=29 April 2017|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=29 April 2017|language=en-GB|archive-date=29 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429112030/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39754909|url-status=live}} The restrictions were imposed in the context of the purges that followed the coup attempt, a few weeks after a significant constitutional referendum, and following more selective partial blocking of Wikipedia content in previous years.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/30/world/europe/turkey-purge-wikipedia-tv-dating-shows.html|title=Turkey Purges 4,000 More Officials, and Blocks Wikipedia|last=Kingsley|first=Patrick|date=30 April 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=30 April 2017|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=28 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728171833/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/30/world/europe/turkey-purge-wikipedia-tv-dating-shows.html|url-status=live}} Following the ban, Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia's founder, was disinvited from the World Cities Expo in Istanbul from 15 to 18 May.{{Cite web|url=https://turkeypurge.com/turkey-disinvites-wikipedia-founder-from-istanbul-expo|title=Days after banning Wikipedia, Turkey disinvites founder from Istanbul expo|publisher=Turkey Purge|language=en-US|date=2 May 2017|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-date=6 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806210754/https://turkeypurge.com/turkey-disinvites-wikipedia-founder-from-istanbul-expo|url-status=live}} Turkish law professor Yaman Akdeniz estimated that Wikipedia was one of about 127,000 websites blocked by Turkish authorities. An estimated 45 percent of Turks have circumvented the Internet blocks, at one time or another, by using a virtual private network (VPN).{{cite news |title=Turks Click Away, but Wikipedia Is Gone |first=Patrick |last=Kingsley |date=10 June 2017 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/10/world/europe/turkey-wikipedia-ban-recep-tayyip-erdogan.html |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191025195035/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/10/world/europe/turkey-wikipedia-ban-recep-tayyip-erdogan.html |url-status=live }} On 15 January 2020 access started being progressively restored, after the Constitutional Court ruled that the ban violated freedom of expression, 991 days after the block had started.{{cite news|website =BBC News|title =Turkey's Wikipedia ban ends after almost three years|url =https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51133804|date =16 January 2020|access-date =16 January 2020|archive-date =16 January 2020|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20200116095720/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51133804|url-status =live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/wikipedia-ban-to-be-lifted-after-top-court-ruling-issued-150993|title=Wikipedia ban to be lifted after top court ruling issued|date=15 January 2020|work=Hurriyet Daily News|access-date=17 January 2020|archive-date=16 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116061720/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/wikipedia-ban-to-be-lifted-after-top-court-ruling-issued-150993|url-status=live}}

{{main|2016–present purges in Turkey}}

File:Turkish journalists protesting imprisonment of their colleagues in 2016.jpg, 10 December 2016]]

After the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared a state of emergency and began an ideological purge of government and civil society. The government blamed its former ally the Gülen movement for the coup, and had declared it a terrorist organization in late 2015. The purge was criticized internationally, including by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who also condemned the coup attempt. Critics said the Turkish government was using terrorist affiliation as a pretense to suppress dissent and punish political opponents of Erdoğan generally.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/10/europe/turkey-journalists-cumhuriyet-court-intl/index.html |title=Turkish court frees 2 journalists on bail in trial of Cumhuriyet opposition paper |website=CNN |date=10 March 2018 |access-date=2018-03-12 |archive-date=2018-03-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312052535/https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/10/europe/turkey-journalists-cumhuriyet-court-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}

The government has alleged affiliation with the Gülen movement or with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (also listed as a terrorist organization) as a reason for firings and arrests. The purge has resulted in the dismissal of tens of thousands of government employees, including thousands of police and teachers. Arrests have included thousands of members of the military; about a third of the judges in the country; Kurdish activists, mayors, governors, and members of parliament, especially those affiliated with the HDP (which opposed the coup); and journalists. More than 50,000 people have been arrested and over 160,000 fired from their jobs.{{cite news |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-southkorea-politics-park/south-korean-court-jails-former-president-park-for-24-years-idUKKCN1HC2ZR |title=Turkey orders 70 army officers detained over Gulen links – CNN Turk |work=Reuters |date=29 March 2018 |access-date=7 May 2018 |archive-date=1 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501023628/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-southkorea-politics-park/south-korean-court-jails-former-president-park-for-24-years-idUKKCN1HC2ZR |url-status=dead }} Various television stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, and publishing houses were shut down, and tens of thousands of passports were revoked. A lot of international media attention and international diplomatic negotiations followed the arrest of ten Human Right's defenders in July 2017, and they became known internationally as the Istanbul 10. Wikipedia was blocked in Turkey between April 2017 and January 2020.

There is currently no provision for conscientious objection. Article 72 of the Turkish Constitution states: "National service is the right and duty of every Turk. The manner in which this service shall be performed, or considered as performed, either in the Armed Forces or in public service, shall be regulated by law." This in principle would allow for a non-military alternative.{{cite web|url=http://www.wri-irg.org/co/rtba/turkey.htm|title=Turkey|access-date=6 March 2015|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095336/http://www.wri-irg.org/co/rtba/turkey.htm|url-status=live}} Turkey, Belarus and Azerbaijan are the only European countries that have not introduced any legislation on conscientious objection.See [http://www.quaker.org/qcea/coreport/executivesummary2008.htm Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408132702/http://www.quaker.org/qcea/coreport/executivesummary2008.htm |date=2010-04-08 }} of the Quaker Council for European Affairs on The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe: A Review of the Current Situation

In January 2006, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey had violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights that prohibits degrading treatment in a case relating to Osman Murat Ulke, the first conscientious objector to be imprisoned for his objection."[http://www.echr.coe.int/Eng/Press/2006/Jan/Chamberjudgment%C3%9ClkevTurkey240106.htm Chamber Judgement Ulke vs. Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061009185413/http://www.echr.coe.int/Eng/Press/2006/Jan/Chamberjudgment%C3%9ClkevTurkey240106.htm |date=2006-10-09 }}", Accessed June 7, 2006 Another conscientious objector, Mehmet Tarhan, was sentenced to four years in prison by a military court in 2005 for refusing to do his military service, but he was later released in March 2006. However, he is still a convict and shall be arrested on sight.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}In a related case, journalist Perihan Mağden was tried and acquitted by a Turkish court for supporting Tarhan and advocating conscientious objection as a human right.

Since 1989, 74 people have refused to perform compulsory military service in Turkey. Only six of them have been tried for being a conscientious objector or sent to the military unit they were assigned to after being captured.See an [http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-186485-101-legal-amendments-to-be-made-for-conscientious-objectors.html article] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019013957/http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-186485-101-legal-amendments-to-be-made-for-conscientious-objectors.html |date=2009-10-19 }} in the Turkish daily ZamanToday of 8 September 2009 COs may be punished under Article 63 of the Turkish Military Penal Code for avoiding military service. COs who attract media attention or publish articles about their refusal to perform military service may also be punished to between six months’ and two years' imprisonment under Article 318 of the Turkish Criminal Code for "alienating the people from the armed forces". In 2004, a new Criminal Code was introduced (Law No 5237). Under the previous Criminal Code, "alienating people from the armed forces" was punishable under Article 155 with a similar term of imprisonment.[http://www.quaker.org/qcea/coreport/turkey.pdf Country report of the Quakers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706121202/http://www.quaker.org/qcea/coreport/turkey.pdf |date=2010-07-06 }}, 2005

Members of Jehovah’s Witnesses have regularly been sentenced to imprisonment under Article 63 of the Penal Code for avoiding military service. For many years, conscientious objectors who are Jehovah’s Witnesses have faced repeated military call-ups, prosecutions, burdensome fines, and imprisonment. Since 2011, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued three judgments in favor of the Witnesses, and in 2012, the UN Human Rights Committee released a favorable decision on this issue. However, Türkiye continues to prosecute young Witness men who refuse military service. https://www.jw.org/en/news/region/turkey/jehovah-witness-facts/

Muhammed Serdar Delice, a young Muslim, declared his conscientious objection to military service in 2011 and argued that his objection was based on his Muslim faith. After serving a few months in the Armed Forces he claimed that he had experienced disrespectful interference with his religious practice, as well as indoctrination about Turkey's three-decade-old war with Kurdish insurgents.{{cite news |title=Turkey's civilian-military complex |first=Pinar |last=Kemerli |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/01/201212985551607740.html |newspaper=Aljazeera |date=2012-02-17 |access-date=2012-02-19 |archive-date=2012-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220041251/http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/01/201212985551607740.html |url-status=live }} Most Kurds are fellow Muslims.

Further instances of imprisonment included

• Halil Savda: He was sentenced to 21.5 months imprisonment{{cite web |url=http://www.wri-irg.org/news/alerts/msg00085.html |title=Article of War Resisters International on Halil Savda |publisher=Wri-irg.org |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2014-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222061148/http://www.wri-irg.org/news/alerts/msg00085.html |url-status=live }}
• Mehmet Bal: He was repeatedly imprisoned in 2002, 2003 and 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.wri-irg.org/news/alerts/msg00109.html |title=Related article of War Resisters International on Mehmet Bal |publisher=Wri-irg.org |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2014-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222061137/http://www.wri-irg.org/news/alerts/msg00109.html |url-status=live }} He was allegedly beaten in prison.{{cite web |url=http://www.wri-irg.org/news/alerts/msg00110.html |title=War Resisters International on Mehmet Bal's ill-treatment |publisher=Wri-irg.org |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2016-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319010039/http://www.wri-irg.org/news/alerts/msg00110.html |url-status=live }}

The Council of Europe and the United Nations have regularly called upon Turkey to legally recognise the right to conscientious objection. In March 2004, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe stated that: "Despite Turkey's geostrategic position, the Assembly demands that Turkey recognises the right to conscientious objection and introduce an alternative civilian service." In September 2009 the Turkish press reported that the Turkish government is considering creating regulations regarding conscientious objectors. According to the amendment planned on the issue, those refusing to perform compulsory military service will no longer be forcibly drafted to the military while they are under detention and will be able to be defended by a lawyer while being tried. They will also be able to benefit from the Probation Law.

• Amnesty International: "Human rights defenders, writers, journalists and others were unjustly prosecuted under unfair laws and subjected to arbitrary decisions by judges and prosecutors. Courts also acted disproportionately when shutting down websites on the basis of posted items. People expressing dissenting views remained at risk, with individuals threatened with violence by unknown individuals or groups. Police bodyguards were provided in a number of cases."{{cite web |url=http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/turkey#freedom-of-expression |title=2009 Annual Report of Amnesty International |publisher=Report2009.amnesty.org |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2009-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226133736/http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/turkey#freedom-of-expression |url-status=dead }}
• Human Rights Watch: "Critical and open debate increased, even as restrictions on free speech continue."[https://www.hrw.org/en/node/79412 HRW Annual Report 2009 on Turkey] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608032329/http://www.hrw.org/en/node/79412 |date=June 8, 2011 }}
• US Department of State: "The government limited freedom of expression through the use of constitutional restrictions and numerous laws, including articles of the penal code prohibiting insults to the government, the state, the "Turkish nation," or the institution and symbols of the republic. Limitations on freedom of expression applied to the Internet, and courts and an independent board ordered telecommunications providers to block access to Web sites on approximately 1,475 occasions."{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119109.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226174709/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119109.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-02-26 |title=Country report for 2008 |publisher=State.gov |date=2009-02-25 |access-date=2014-02-06}}
• European Union: "There has been some progress in the efforts to strengthen the safeguards for freedom of expression, which is a priority of the Accession Partnership. However, only a consistent track record of implementation will show whether or not the revised article is adequate."

Article 34 of the 1982 Constitute (as amended on October 17, 2001) states, "Everyone has the right to hold unarmed and peaceful meetings and demonstration marches without prior permission." Restrictions may only be introduced on the grounds of national security, and public order, or prevention of crime commitment, public health and public morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. Article 3 of Law 2911 on demonstrations and meeting provides, "Everybody has the right to hold unarmed and peaceful assembly without prior permission."Text of the Constitution in Wikisource. The Turkish text of [http://www.mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr/html/641.html Law 2911] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411051817/http://www.mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr/html/641.html |date=2010-04-11 }} Nevertheless, Amnesty International stated in 2009 that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly was denied, and law enforcement officials used excessive force to disperse demonstrations.

Deaths due to excessive police force during demonstrations have a long history in Turkey. They include

• Taksim Square massacre of 1 May 1977, death toll varies between 34 and 42
• Further casualties on 1 May Labour Day (all in Istanbul):
• 1989: 1 person killed:tr:1 Mayıs İşçi Bayramı{{Circular reference|date=March 2024}}
• 1996: 3 demonstrators killed.
• Newroz celebrations; usually on or around 21 March each year
• Newroz 1991: 31 people shot dead[http://bianet.org/bianet/bianet/17453-newroz-1991-2002-neler-oldu The independent correspondence network BIANET on 20 March 2003] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126145437/http://bianet.org/bianet/bianet/17453-newroz-1991-2002-neler-oldu |date=26 November 2009 }}, Article by Hacer Yildirim Foggo, Turkish, accessed on 12 October 2009 The annual report of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) reported that one demonstrator was killed in Nusaybin.Annual Report 1991, Ankara January 1992, (Turkish version) page 62
• Newroz 1992: The Newroz festivities left at least 91 people dead in three towns of the southeast, Cizre, Şırnak and Nusaybin, and 9 others elsewhere in the region, and according to Helsinki Watch, 'all or nearly all of the casualties resulted from unprovoked, unnecessary and unjustified attacks by Turkish security forces against peaceful Kurdish civilian demonstrators'.[http://www.kurdistan.org/Articles/avebury.html Turkey's Kurdish Policy in the Nineties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427044204/http://www.kurdistan.org/Articles/avebury.html |date=2010-04-27 }}, paper presented at the Middle East Studies Association in Washington, DC in December 1995 by Lord Eric Avebury
• Newroz 1993: Three people were killed in Adana and Batman.HRFT: Annual Report 1993, Ankara June 1994, (English version) page 41
• Different occasions
• Funeral of Vedat Aydin in Diyarbakir in June 1991, 15 people were shot dead[http://www.mfh-bochum.de/Presseerklaerungen/200399_10Uhr.html German press statement of a delegation to South-East Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719061437/http://www.mfh-bochum.de/Presseerklaerungen/200399_10Uhr.html |date=2011-07-19 }}; accessed on 12 October 2009 The annual report of the HRFT reported that seven demonstrators were killed.
• During a demonstration in Digor because of the 9th anniversary of the beginning of the armed fight of the PKK on 15 August 1984. 15 demonstrators were killed.HRFT, Annual Report 1993, Ankara June 1994, (English version) page 114
• 20 people died in Gazi and 1 May quarter of Istanbul during an unrest that started with shots on coffee shop frequented by Alevis.HRFT: Annual Report 1995, Ankara February 1997, {{ISBN|975-7217-13-1}} (English version) page 193
• Funeral of PKK militants at the end of March 2006: 13 people were killed in Diyarbakir and further placesSee the [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Wochenbericht_14/2006 weekly summary of events in Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226204405/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/Wochenbericht_14/2006 |date=2012-02-26 }}; published by the Democratic Forum in German, week 14/2006

In July 2017 Turkey arrested in the eve of the G20 summit in Hamburg from ‘digital security and information management workshop’ 12 persons. They included Idil Eser, head of Amnesty International Turkey, Peter Steudtner, a hotel owner and a Swedish and German trainee. Activists detained included Ilknur Üstün of the Women's Coalition, lawyer Günal Kursun and Veli Acu of the Human Rights Agenda Association.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/06/amnesty-says-turkey-director-and-activists-detained-in-istanbul Amnesty says Turkey director and activists detained in Istanbul] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706124655/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/06/amnesty-says-turkey-director-and-activists-detained-in-istanbul |date=2017-07-06 }} Guardian 6 July 2017

{{see also|Trade unions in Turkey}}

The law provides for freedom of association. Under the law persons organizing an association do not need to notify authorities beforehand, but an association must provide notification before interacting with international organizations or receiving financial support from abroad, and must provide detailed documents on such activities.

The Constitution affirms the right of workers to form labor unions "without obtaining permission" and "to possess the right to become a member of a union and to freely withdraw from membership" (Article 51). Articles 53 and 54 affirm the right of workers to bargain collectively and to strike, respectively.

Until March 2008 a total of 26 political parties had been banned, two of them before the Constitutional Court (the place where such decisions are taken) was established on 25 April 1962.[http://www.samanyoluhaber.com/ShowNews.aspx?NewsId=182733&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Article in Samanyolu of 16 March 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002005935/http://www.samanyoluhaber.com/ShowNews.aspx?NewsId=182733&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 |date=2 October 2011 }}, Turkish; accessed on 12 October 2009 This figure does not include the 18 political parties that were banned immediately after the 1980 coup d'état and dissolved on 16 October 1981. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey passed Law 2533 on 19 June 1992 allowing these parties to be opened again.[http://www.yeniozgurpolitika.org/?bolum=haber&hid=29493 Yeni Özgür Politka of 17 March 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716192148/http://www.yeniozgurpolitika.org/?bolum=haber&hid=29493 |date=16 July 2011 }}; accessed on 12 October 2009

The Foundation for social, economic and political research (TESAV) has detailed information on the closure of political parties. They list ten political parties (instead of two) that were closed before the Constitutional Court was established.In October 2009 [http://www.tesav.org.tr/ the website of TESAV] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330034815/http://www.tesav.org.tr/ |date=2010-03-30 }} had direct links to the documents in Turkish. The details are (in collapsible tables)

1. political parties closed before the Constitutional Court was founded:

2. Political parties closed by the Constitutional Court

For the number of associations, trade unions, political parties and cultural centres that were closed down or raided the Human Rights Association presented the following figure for the years 1999 to 2008:[http://www.ihd.org.tr/images/pdf/IHD_1999_2008_Comparative_Balance_Sheet.pdf The statistics of the Human Rights Association are also available in English] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530112405/http://ihd.org.tr/images/pdf/IHD_1999_2008_Comparative_Balance_Sheet.pdf |date=2014-05-30 }}; accessed on 12 October 2009.

{{See also|Demographics of Turkey|Minorities in Turkey}}

Though Turkey is a land of vast ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity – home not only to Turks, Kurds and Armenians, but also, among others, Alevis, Ezidis, Assyrians, Laz, Caferis, Roma, Greeks, Caucasians and Jews, the history of the state is one of severe repression of minorities in the name of nationalism.[http://www.minorityrights.org/4572/reports/a-quest-for-equality-minorities-in-turkey.html A Quest for Equality: Minorities in Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116012101/http://www.minorityrights.org/4572/reports/a-quest-for-equality-minorities-in-turkey.html |date=2015-01-16 }}, Report of Minorities Rights Group International, December 2007, 48 pages, {{ISBN|1-904584-63-2}}

According to Article 66 of the Turkish Constitution, "everyone bound to the Turkish state through the bond of citizenship is a Turk". The Constitution affirms the principle of the indivisibility of the Turkish Nation, Nation State{{cite journal|title=Nation–states and ethnic boundaries: modern Turkish identity and Turkish–Kurdish conflict|journal = Nations and Nationalism|first=Mustafa|last=Saatci|date=1 October 2002|volume=8|issue=4|pages=549–564|doi=10.1111/1469-8219.00065}} and of constitutional citizenship that is not based on ethnicity. Consequently, the word "Turkish" legally refers to all citizens of Turkey, though individual interpretation can be more limited. According to the constitution, there are no minority rights since all citizens are Turks. This constitutional article ignores the basic ethnic and religious minority rights. Although the Treaty of Lausanne, before the proclamation of the Republic, guarantees some rights to non-Muslim minorities, in practise Turkey has recognised only Armenians, Greeks and Jews as minorities and excluded other non-Muslim groups, such as Assyrians and Yazidis, from the minority status and these rights.Nurcan Kaya and Clive Baldwin (July 2004), {{cite web |url= http://www.minorityrights.org/download.php?id=183 |title= Minorities in Turkey |access-date= 2007-08-27 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215141/http://www.minorityrights.org/download.php?id=183 |archive-date= 2007-09-27 |url-status= dead }} {{small|(299 KB)}} Submission to the European Union and the Government of Turkey, Minority Rights Group International Advocacy for protection of minorities' rights can lead to legal prosecutions as a number of provisions in Turkish law prohibits creation of minorities or alleging existence of minorities, such as Article 81 of the Law on Political Parties.

{{Main|Human rights of Kurdish people in Turkey}}

Following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, some Kurdish tribes, which were still feudal (manorial) communities led by chieftains (agha), became discontent about certain aspects of Atatürk's reforms aiming to modernise the country, such as secularism (the Sheikh Said rebellion, 1925){{Cite book| publisher = Princeton University Press| isbn = 978-1-4008-8371-4| last = Hassan| first = Mona| title = Longing for the Lost Caliphate: A Transregional History| date = 2017-01-10| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pqqtDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA168| access-date = 2020-04-26| archive-date = 2023-01-17| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230117230856/https://books.google.com/books?id=pqqtDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA168| url-status = live}} and land reform (the Dersim rebellion, 1937–1938),{{cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13537110208428662|title=Reconfiguring the Turkish nation in the 1930s|journal=Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 8:2|publisher=Yale University|first=Soner|last=Çağaptay|year=2002|volume=8|issue=2|pages=67–82|doi=10.1080/13537110208428662|s2cid=143855822|access-date=2020-04-26|archive-date=2022-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207204810/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13537110208428662|url-status=live}} and staged armed revolts that were put down with military operations.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States,{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations|title=U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Counterterrorism: Foreign Terrorist Organizations|publisher=U.S. Department of State|access-date=18 April 2020|archive-date=16 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216141450/https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/|url-status=live}} the European Union{{cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32019D1341&from=en|title=Council of the European Union: Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1341 of 8 August 2019 updating the list of persons, groups and entities subject to Articles 2, 3 and 4 of Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism|publisher=Official Journal of the European Union|access-date=18 April 2020|archive-date=18 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201218043108/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32019D1341&from=en|url-status=live}} and NATO{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.tr/pkk.en.mfa|title=PKK|publisher=Republic of Turkey: Ministry of Foreign Affairs|access-date=19 April 2020|archive-date=29 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329120900/http://www.mfa.gov.tr/pkk.en.mfa|url-status=live}}) was founded in 1978 by a group of Kurdish militants led by Abdullah Öcalan, seeking the foundation of an independent, Marxist–Leninist state in the region, which was to be known as Kurdistan.{{cite news|title=Lice'nin Fis köyünde PKK'nın kuruluşunu kutladılar|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/lice-nin-fis-ilcesinde-pkk-nin-gundem-1975981/|access-date=2 July 2015|work=Hürriyet Daily News|date=27 November 2014|archive-date=23 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623201846/http://www.milliyet.com.tr/lice-nin-fis-ilcesinde-pkk-nin-gundem-1975981/|url-status=live}} A full-scale insurgency began in 1984, when the PKK announced a Kurdish uprising. Since the conflict began, more than 40,000 people have died, most of whom were Turkish Kurds.{{cite book|last1=Eder|first1=Mine|editor1-last=Lust|editor1-first=Ellen|title=The Middle East|date=2016|publisher=CQ Press|isbn=978-1-5063-2930-7|edition=14|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_nlCgAAQBAJ|chapter=Turkey|quote=The Turkish military responded with a ferocious counterinsurgency campaign that led to the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, most of them Turkish Kurdish civilians, and the displacement of more than three million Kurds from southeastern Turkey.}} Following the arrest and imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan in 1999,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/380740.stm|title=Ocalan sentenced to death|publisher=BBC|date=29 June 1999|access-date=26 April 2020|archive-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806205409/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/380740.stm|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2296679.stm|title=Turkey lifts Ocalan death sentence|publisher=BBC|date=3 October 2002|access-date=26 April 2020|archive-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806173419/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2296679.stm|url-status=live}} the PKK modified its demands into equal rights for ethnic Kurds and provincial autonomy within Turkey.{{cite book|last1=White|first1=Paul|title=The PKK: Coming Down from the Mountains|date=2015|publisher=Zed Books Ltd.|isbn=978-1-78360-040-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5hBkDgAAQBAJ&q=PKK+autonomy+and&pg=PT79|access-date=24 July 2017|language=en|archive-date=17 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117230857/https://books.google.com/books?id=5hBkDgAAQBAJ&q=PKK+autonomy+and&pg=PT79|url-status=live}}

Due to the large population of Kurdish people, successive governments have viewed the expression of a Kurdish identity as a potential threat to Turkish unity, a feeling that has been compounded since the armed rebellion initiated by the PKK in 1984. One of the main accusations of cultural assimilation comes from the state's historic suppression of the Kurdish language. Kurdish publications created throughout the 1960s and 1970s were shut down under various legal pretexts.Helen Chapin Metz, ed. [http://countrystudies.us/turkey/28.htm Kurds] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927143449/http://countrystudies.us/turkey/28.htm |date=2006-09-27 }}, Turkey: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1995. Following the military coup of 1980, the Kurdish language was officially prohibited from government institutions.Toumani, Meline. [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/magazine/17turkey-t.html?ex=1361854800&en=df64cf85326e2103&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Minority Rules] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823085942/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/magazine/17turkey-t.html?ex=1361854800 |date=2019-08-23 }}, New York Times, 17 February 2008 The letters W, X or Q present in the uncorroborated Kurdish alphabet is not recognized.

Between 1959 and 2011, the European Court of Human Rights has condemned Turkey for the thousands of human rights abuses against Kurdish people.{{cite news|title=EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS: Turkey Ranks First in Violations in between 1959–2011|url=http://bianet.org/english/human-rights/138337-turkey-ranks-first-in-violations-in-between-1959-2011|access-date=29 December 2015|work=Bianet – Bagimsiz Iletisim Agi|archive-date=20 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120213619/http://bianet.org/english/human-rights/138337-turkey-ranks-first-in-violations-in-between-1959-2011|url-status=live}}{{cite journal|title=Annual report|date=2014|issue=The European Court of Human Rights|url=http://echr.coe.int/Documents/Annual_Report_2014_ENG.pdf|access-date=29 December 2015|archive-date=16 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916202355/https://echr.coe.int/Documents/Annual_Report_2014_ENG.pdf|url-status=live}} Many judgments are related to cases such as civilian deaths in aerial bombardments,{{cite journal|title=The European Court of Human Rights: Case of Benzer and others v. Turkey|date=24 March 2014|issue=Procedure|page=3|url=http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/pdf/?library=ECHR&id=001-128036&filename=001-128036.pdf|access-date=26 January 2016|archive-date=3 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603071012/https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/pdf/?library=ECHR&id=001-128036&filename=001-128036.pdf|url-status=live}} torturing,{{cite journal|title=The prohibition of torture|date=2003|issue=Torturing|pages=11, 13|url=http://www.echr.coe.int/LibraryDocs/HR%20handbooks/handbook06_en.pdf|access-date=29 December 2015|archive-date=2 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602060735/https://www.echr.coe.int/LibraryDocs/HR%20handbooks/handbook06_en.pdf|url-status=live}} forced displacements,{{cite book|title=Human Rights Watch|publisher=Human Rights Watch|page=[https://archive.org/details/humanrightswatch00huma_0/page/7 7]|url=https://archive.org/details/humanrightswatch00huma_0|url-access=registration|year=1998|isbn=9781564321909}} destroyed villages,{{cite book|last1=McKiernan|first1=Kevin|title=The Kurds: A People in Search of Their Homeland|date=2006|publisher=St. Martin's Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-312-32546-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/kurdspeopleinsea00mcki/page/130 130]|edition=1st|url=https://archive.org/details/kurdspeopleinsea00mcki|url-access=registration}}{{cite book|last1=Neuberger|first1=Benyamin|editor1-last=Bengio|editor1-first=Ofra|title=Kurdish Awakening: Nation Building in a Fragmented Homeland|date=2014|publisher=Univ of Texas Press|location=[S.l.]|isbn=978-0-292-75813-1|page=27|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=caCDBAAAQBAJ|access-date=2020-04-26|archive-date=2023-01-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117230857/https://books.google.com/books?id=caCDBAAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}{{cite book|last1=Gunes|first1=Cengiz|last2=Zeydanlioğlu|first2=Welat|title=The Kurdish question in Turkey : new perspectives on violence, representation, and reconciliation|date=2014|publisher=Taylor and Francis|location=Hoboken, NJ|isbn=978-1-135-14063-2|page=98|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UVn7AAAAQBAJ|access-date=2020-04-26|archive-date=2023-01-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117230859/https://books.google.com/books?id=UVn7AAAAQBAJ|url-status=live}} arbitrary arrests,{{Cite journal|url=http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/FS_Police_arrest_ENG.pdf|title=Police arrest and assistance of a lawyer|access-date=2016-01-26|archive-date=2020-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212041847/https://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/FS_Police_arrest_ENG.pdf|url-status=live}} murdered and disappeared Kurdish journalists, activists and politicians.{{cite news|title=Justice Comes from European Court for a Kurdish Journalist|url=http://www.khrp.org/khrp-news/news-archive/2000-news/189-justice-comes-from-european-court-for-a-murdered-kurdish-journalist.html|access-date=1 January 2016|archive-date=3 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003205237/http://www.khrp.org/khrp-news/news-archive/2000-news/189-justice-comes-from-european-court-for-a-murdered-kurdish-journalist.html|url-status=live}}

Since 2002, as part of its reforms aimed at European Union integration and under pressure to further the rights of Kurds, Turkey passed laws allowing Kurdish radio and television broadcasts as well the option of private Kurdish education.{{cite news

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2168563.stm

|access-date=2008-08-10

|title=Turkey passes key reform package

|work=BBC News

|date=2002-08-03

|archive-date=2008-08-13

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813062201/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2168563.stm

|url-status=live

}} In 2010 a master level and in 2011 a graduate level university program were started and a Kurdish Language and Literature Department was established in the state-owned Mardin Artuklu University.{{cite web|title=Tezli yüksek lisans programı 'Kürdoloji' geliyor|website= radikal.com.tr|date= 9 February 2010 |url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalDetayV3&Date=&ArticleID=979401&CategoryID=77}}First undergrad Kurdish department opens in SE Hürriyet Daily News, 24 September 2011

In August 2009, Turkish government has restored the Kurdish name of one Kurdish village, and was considering allowing religious sermons to be made in Kurdish in rural villages as part of reforms to answer the grievances of the ethnic minority and advance its EU candidacy.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLK427538 | work=Reuters | title=Turkey renames village as part of Kurdish reforms | first=Ibon | last=Villelabeitia | date=20 August 2009 | access-date=1 July 2017 | archive-date=6 May 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506210726/https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLK427538 | url-status=live }}

File:Cizre çatışmaları, 2 Mart 2016.jpg]]

More than 4,000 Kurds were arrested in 2011, including dozens of journalists and politicians. Mass trials of local deputies, mayors, academics and human rights activists have occurred in Diyarbakir. Hundreds of Kurds remain in pre-trial detention, some of them for many months.{{cite news |author=Constanze Letsch in Diyarbakir |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/28/kurds-turkey-arrests-violence-radicalise?newsfeed=true |title=Kurds in Turkey: arrests and violence threaten to radicalise a generation |newspaper=Guardian |date=28 December 2011 |access-date=2014-02-06 |location=London |archive-date=2014-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228164900/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/28/kurds-turkey-arrests-violence-radicalise?newsfeed=true |url-status=live }}

In January 2013, the Turkish parliament passed a law that permits use of the Kurdish language in the courts, albeit with restrictions.{{cite news

|url=http://www.dw.de/turkey-allows-kurdish-language-in-courts/a-16549636

|title=Turkey allows Kurdish language in courts

|date=2013-01-25

|access-date=2013-03-03

|work=Deutsche Welle

|archive-date=2013-01-27

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127232209/http://www.dw.de/turkey-allows-kurdish-language-in-courts/a-16549636

|url-status=live

}}{{cite news

|url=http://www.journalistinturkey.com/stories/human-rights/kurdish-permitted-in-turkish-courts_3730/

|title=Kurdish permitted in Turkish courts

|last=Geerdink

|first=Fréderike

|date=2013-01-24

|access-date=2013-03-02

|work=Journalists in Turkey

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323092653/http://www.journalistinturkey.com/stories/human-rights/kurdish-permitted-in-turkish-courts_3730/

|archive-date=2013-03-23

|url-status=dead

}} The law was passed by votes of the ruling AKP and the pro-Kurdish rights opposition party BDP, against criticism from the secularist CHP party and the nationalist MHP, with MHP and CHP{{citation needed|date=March 2013}} deputies nearly coming to blows with BDP deputies over the law. In spite of their support in the parliament, the BDP was critical of the provision in the law that the defendants will pay for the translation fees and that the law applies only to spoken defense in court but not to a written defense or the pre-trial investigation.{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/turkey-approves-court-reform-kurds-remain-critical-143457737.htm

|title=Turkey approves court reform, Kurds remain critical

|last = Butler

|first = Daren

|date=2013-01-25

|access-date = 2013-03-03

|agency=Reuters

}} According to one source the law does not comply with EU standards.{{which|date=March 2013}} Deputy prime minister of Turkey Bekir Bozdağ replied to criticism of the law from both sides saying that the fees of defendants who does not speak Turkish will be paid by the state, while, those who speak Turkish yet prefer to speak in the court in another language will have to pay the fees themselves.{{cite news

|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/scuffles-at-parliament-over-defense-in-kurdish.aspx?pageID=238&nid=39729

|title=Scuffles at Parliament over defense in Kurdish

|date=2013-01-23

|access-date=2013-03-03

|work=Hürriyet Daily News

|archive-date=2015-09-24

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924131720/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/scuffles-at-parliament-over-defense-in-kurdish.aspx?pageID=238&nid=39729

|url-status=live

}} European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle welcomed the new law.{{cite news

|url=http://en.haberler.com/eu-official-welcomes-use-of-mother-tongue-in-court-253145/

|title=EU Official Welcomes Use Of Mother Tongue In Court

|date=2013-01-30

|access-date=2013-03-03

|work=haberler.com

|archive-date=2016-03-05

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305071036/http://en.haberler.com/eu-official-welcomes-use-of-mother-tongue-in-court-253145/

|url-status=live

}}

In February 2013, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said during a meeting with Muslim opinion leaders, that he has "positive views" about imams delivering sermons in Turkish, Kurdish or Arabic, according to the most widely spoken language among the mosque attendees. This move received support from Kurdish politicians and human rights groups.{{cite news

|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/news-307446-govt-move-for-delivery-of-sermons-in-local-language-receives-applause.html

|title=Gov't move for delivery of sermons in local language receives applause

|date=2013-02-18

|access-date=2013-03-03

|work=Today's Zaman

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130306041450/http://todayszaman.com/news-307446-govt-move-for-delivery-of-sermons-in-local-language-receives-applause.html

|archive-date=2013-03-06

|url-status=dead

}}

{{ external media

| width = 250px

| float = left

| video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkOQwwjSTlg Video of the TRT news station stopping the broadcast of a speech made in Kurdish by politician Ahmet Türk]. Following the interruption, the newscaster said, "since no language other than Turkish can be used in the parliament meetings according to the constitution of the Turkish Republic and the Political Parties Law, we had to stop our broadcast. We apologize to our viewers for this and continue our broadcast with the next news item scheduled."{{cite news|title=Turkish TV cuts politician during speech in Kurdish|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/02/24/turkey.television.kurdish.party/|newspaper=CNN|date=February 24, 2009|access-date=September 13, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924150133/http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/02/24/turkey.television.kurdish.party/|url-status=live}}

}}

Despite the improvement of minorities language rights in Turkey, the only language of instruction in the education system is Turkish language. Minority languages are illegal to use as a main languages in the education. Minorities are allowed to study their languages only as a minor subject in private and public educational institutions.

Until reforms that started in 2002, there were legal restrictions on publishing in minority languages except for Greek, Armenian and Hebrew which are the languages of minorities officially recognized by the Lausanne Treaty. Since September 2002, those minorities, too, have the right to operate private courses that teach any language spoken in Turkey.{{cite web|url=http://www.belgenet.com/yasa/k4771-y1.html|title=Turkish text of the by-law|website=www.belgenet.com|access-date=2009-12-02|archive-date=2009-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127122634/http://www.belgenet.com/yasa/k4771-y1.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/index.php/Learning_of_Languages_and_Dialects|title=Learning of Languages and Dialiects (unofficial translation)|publisher=www.tuerkeiforum.net|access-date=28 April 2017|archive-date=7 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807234757/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/index.php/Learning_of_Languages_and_Dialects|url-status=live}} Some of the Kurdish courses were closed down by their owners in 2005 due to their limitations and a lack of interest.{{cite web |url=http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/335272.asp |title=Kürtçe kurslar ilgi görmedi NTVMSNBC, 2 August 2005 |publisher=Arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2014-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222145246/http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/335272.asp |url-status=live }} However, as of 2010, there were active Kurdish language minor subject courses with increasing number of students.{{cite web|title=İstanbul'daki Kürtçe kurslarına talep her geçen gün artıyor|website=www.euractiv.com.tr|date=10 October 2010|url=http://www.euractiv.com.tr/94/interview/istanbuldaki-kurtce-kurslarna-talep-her-gecen-gun-artiyor-012643|access-date=1 October 2011|archive-date=13 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213041440/http://www.euractiv.com.tr/94/interview/istanbuldaki-kurtce-kurslarna-talep-her-gecen-gun-artiyor-012643|url-status=dead}} In 2010, state-owned Mardin Artuklu University started a master-level Kurdish language and literature ("Kurdology")program. Dicle University, another Turkish state university in Diyarbakır, started to give Kurdish courses in June 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.haber7.com/haber/20110616/Dicle-Universitesinde-Kurtce-kursu.php |title=Dicle Üniversitesi'nde Kürtçe kursu |date=16 June 2011 |publisher=Haber7.com |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2012-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406011826/http://www.haber7.com/haber/20110616/Dicle-Universitesinde-Kurtce-kursu.php |url-status=live }}[http://www.diyarbakirhaber.gen.tr/haber-1789-Dicle-Universitesinde-Kurtce-kurs-basladi.html Dicle Üniversitesi'nde Kürtçe kurs başladı Ntvmsnbc, 17 June 2011] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824191622/http://www.diyarbakirhaber.gen.tr/haber-1789-Dicle-Universitesinde-Kurtce-kurs-basladi.html |date=August 24, 2011 }} In September 2011, the first undergraduate level Kurdish Language and Literature Department in Turkey was opened in the Mardin Artuklu University. According to the deputy rector of the university, this was not only the first university department on this subject in Turkey, but also the first one of the whole world.

NGOs have called on Turkey to adopt the definitions of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. If Turkey were to become a signatory to this treaty, it would have to accept and subsidise the education of minorities in their own first languages, and that for at least all the period of mandatory education. To this day 21 member states of the Council of Europe out of 49 have proceeded with ratification.{{cite web |url=http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ChercheSig.asp?NT=148&CM=3&DF=10%2F11%2F2006&CL=ENG |title=Ratifications of European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages by the members of the Council of Europe |publisher=Conventions.coe.int |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2008-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209002059/http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ChercheSig.asp?NT=148&CM=3&DF=10%2F11%2F2006&CL=ENG |url-status=live }}

The state-owned TRT has been broadcasting short programmes in a number of minority languages, including Bosnian, Arabic, Kabardian and Kurdish, since July 2003.{{cite news

|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=189892

|access-date=2009-10-22

|title=Kürtçe yayında sınırlar kalkıyor

|date=2006-06-11

|work=Radikal

|first=Zihni

|last=Erdem

|archive-date=2012-04-04

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404031042/http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=189892

|url-status=live

}} The legal basis were the Regulation on the Language of Radio and Television Broadcasts of December 2002An unofficial translation can be found on the [http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/index.php/Regulation_on_the_Language_of_Radio_and_Television_Broadcasts pages of the Democratic Turkey Forum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226204557/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/index.php/Regulation_on_the_Language_of_Radio_and_Television_Broadcasts |date=2012-02-26 }}; accessed on 22 October 2009 In the beginning TV programs were restricted to 45 minutes per day; radio programs had a limit of 60 minutes per day. In June 2006 the restrictions were lifted for music and film programs in minority languages.

In the 21st century some reforms have taken place to improve the cultural rights of ethnic minorities in Turkey, such as the establishment of TRT Kurdî, TRT Arabi and TRT Avaz by the TRT.

{{Main|Xenophobia and discrimination in Turkey}}

{{main|Women in Turkey}}

{{See also|Prostitution in Turkey|Human trafficking in Turkey}}

In the 1930s, Turkey became one of the first countries in the world to give full political rights to women, including the right to elect and be elected locally (in 1930) and nationwide (in 1934). Therefore, the Constitution was amended.[http://sorular.rightsagenda.org/soru-cevap/?g=4 Questions and Answers on Women's Right] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728071308/http://sorular.rightsagenda.org/soru-cevap/?g=4 |date=2018-07-28 }} Turkish, prepared by the Human Rights Agenda Association; accessed on 14 October 2009

Article 10 of the Turkish Constitution bans any discrimination, state or private, on the grounds of sex. Turkey elected a female prime minister, Tansu Çiller in 1995. It is also the first country which had a woman, Tülay Tuğcu, as the President of its Constitutional Court. In addition, Turkish Council of State, the supreme court for administrative cases, also has a woman judge Sumru Çörtoğlu as its president. However, representation of women in political and decision-making bodies is low. In the Grand National Assembly of Turkey the percentage of women is 9.1 (17.3 percent is the average in the world). In 1975 the percentage was 10.9 and in 2006 it was 16.3.[http://www.bmkadinhaklari.org/unjp/web/gozlem.aspx?sayfaNo=66 UN Joint Program for the Development of Women and Children's Rights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524043905/http://www.bmkadinhaklari.org/unjp/web/gozlem.aspx?sayfaNo=66 |date=2011-05-24 }}, Turkish: Türkiye'de Kadın Olmak; accessed on 14 October 2009 Only 5.58 percent of mayors are women and in the whole of Turkey there is one governor (among 81) and 14 local governors.

Since 1985, Turkish women have the right to freely exercise abortions in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy and the right to contraceptive medicine paid for by the Social Security. Modifications to the Civil Code in 1926 gave the right to women to initiate and obtain a divorce; a right still not recognized in Malta,{{cite news

|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/apr/05/religion.catholicism

|access-date=2008-08-20

|title=If the inquisitor was working today, he would commit suicide

|work=The Guardian

|date=2005-04-05

|first=Stephen

|last=Moss

|location=London

|archive-date=2013-08-29

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829042154/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/apr/05/religion.catholicism

|url-status=live

}} an EU country.

Nevertheless, in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions, older attitudes prevail among the local Kurdish, Turkish and Arab populations, where women still face domestic violence, forced marriages, and so-called honor killings.{{cite news

|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-09-fg-honor9-story.html

|access-date=2008-08-06

|title=Taking the 'honor' out of killing women

|work=Los Angeles Times

|date=2007-01-09

|first=Tracy

|last=Wilkinson

|archive-date=2008-08-26

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080826033251/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/09/world/fg-honor9

|url-status=live

}} To combat this, the government and various other foundations are engaged in education campaigns in Southeastern Anatolia to improve the rate of literacy and education levels of women.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3753582.stm|title=Turkish girls in literacy battle|first=Jonny|last=Dymond|work=BBC News|access-date=2006-12-11|date=2004-10-18|archive-date=2018-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718105332/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3753582.stm|url-status=live}}

In 2008, critics have pointed out that Turkey has become a major market for foreign women who are coaxed and forcibly brought to the country by international mafia to work as sex slaves, especially in big and touristic cities.{{cite web |url=http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Turkey.htm |title=Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery – Turkey |publisher=Gvnet.com |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2019-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405184800/http://www.gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Turkey.htm |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine

|url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/05/05/080505fa_fact_finnegan?currentPage=all

|title=The Countertraffickers: Rescuing the victims of the global sex trade

|date=2008-05-05

|access-date=2008-08-06

|magazine=New Yorker

|first=William

|last=Finnegan

|archive-date=2014-04-09

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409195006/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/05/05/080505fa_fact_finnegan?currentPage=all

|url-status=live

}}{{cite news

|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/27/news/turkey.php

|title=Turkey's sex trade entraps Slavic women

|work=International Herald Tribune

|first=Craig S

|last=Smith

|date=2005-06-28

|access-date=2008-08-06

|archive-date=2009-02-28

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228210149/http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/27/news/turkey.php

|url-status=live

}}

A 2008 poll by the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey showed that almost half of urban Turkish women believe economic independence for women is unnecessary reflecting, in the view of psychologist Leyla Navaro, a heritage of patriarchy.{{cite news

|url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=116153

|access-date=2008-09-24

|title=Half of women say they do not need economic independence

|work=Turkish Daily News

|date=2008-09-24

}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Child labor is a minor yet still occurring issue in Turkey. Despite the Government's moderate advancement in eliminating child labor and its worst forms, children continue to engage in agricultural activities for the most part.

In 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 2.6% (corresponding to around 320,000 children) of children aged 5 to 14 work, and that 57% of them are found in the agricultural sector, 15% in the industrial sector and 27% in services.{{cite web|url=http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/turkey.htm|title=Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor – Turkey|date=30 September 2016|access-date=15 April 2015|archive-date=13 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413191932/http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/turkey.htm|url-status=live}}

Even though these children's work remains seasonal, the fact that child labor still occurs is partly due to the fact that agricultural enterprises with a very limited workforce are not subject to Government law.

In December 2014, the Department's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor reported 8 goods produced exclusively by child labor in Turkey. The majority of these products are agricultural goods including cotton, cumin, hazelnuts, peanuts, pulses and sugar beets.

In March 2021, a report published by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey claimed that more than 3,000 students have suffered from rights violations during protests and demonstrations in turkey between 2015 and 2019.{{cite web|url=https://stockholmcf.org/thousands-of-students-faced-human-rights-violations-between-2015-2019-report/|title=Thousands of students faced human rights violations between 2015-2019: report|date=12 April 2021 |accessdate=12 April 2021|publisher=Stockholm Center for Freedom|archive-date=12 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412180437/https://stockholmcf.org/thousands-of-students-faced-human-rights-violations-between-2015-2019-report/|url-status=live}}

{{Main|LGBT rights in Turkey}}

File:Istanbul gaypride 2008.jpg

File:21. İstanbul Onur Yürüyüşü Gay Pride (37).jpg

Homosexual sexual relationships between consenting adults in private are not a crime in Turkey. The age of consent for both heterosexual and homosexual sex is eighteen. On the other hand, the criminal code has vaguely worded prohibitions on "public exhibitionism" and "offenses against public morality" that are sometimes used to discriminate against the LGBT community. As of 2006, Turkey neither has a law permitting homosexuals to get married, nor does it have a law against the discrimination of Turkey's LGBT community. Lambda Istanbul, an LGBT organization founded in 1996, was dissolved in May 2008 following a court decision. The prosecution argued that its objectives went against "the law and morality", but Human Rights Watch has criticized the decision, claiming it had been closed only on procedural grounds.[http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/06/02/turkey18990.htm Turkey: Court Shows Bias, Dissolves Lambda Istanbul] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113180529/http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/06/02/turkey18990.htm |date=2008-11-13 }}, Human Rights Watch, June 2, 2008 On 28 November 2008, the Supreme Court of Appeals overturned an Istanbul court's decision ordering the closure of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender solidarity organization, Lambda Istanbul.

Homosexuals have the right to exemption from military service, if they so request, only if their "condition" is verified by medical and psychological tests, which often involves presenting humiliating, graphic proof of homosexuality, and anal examination.{{cite web|url=http://www.unhcr.org/home/RSDCOI/3c1622484.pdf |title=Turkey/Military service|author=Directorate for Movements of Persons, Migration and Consular Affairs; Asylum and Migration Division|publisher=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|access-date=2006-12-27|date=July 2001|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061122042609/http://www.unhcr.org/home/RSDCOI/3c1622484.pdf |archive-date = 2006-11-22}}

Discrimination against LGBT people in Turkey is widespread.{{cite news |title='It's just the start': LGBT community in Turkey fears government crackdown |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/23/its-just-the-start-lgbt-community-in-turkey-fears-government-crackdown |work=The Guardian |date=23 November 2017 |access-date=26 April 2020 |archive-date=15 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115161344/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/23/its-just-the-start-lgbt-community-in-turkey-fears-government-crackdown |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Turkish police fire tear gas at crowds gathered for banned Istanbul Pride march |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/lgbt-pride-turkey-march-ban-tear-gas-istanbul-police-a8981751.html |work=The Independent |date=30 June 2019 |access-date=26 April 2020 |archive-date=15 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415174813/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/lgbt-pride-turkey-march-ban-tear-gas-istanbul-police-a8981751.html |url-status=live }} According to a 2013 survey by the Pew Research Center, 78% of Turkish respondents believe that homosexuality is not accepted by society.[http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/ "The Global Divide on Homosexuality."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103034522/http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/ |date=2013-11-03 }} Pew Research Center. 4 June 2013.

The killing of Ebru Soykan, a prominent transgender human rights activist, on March 10, 2009, "shows a continuing climate of violence based on gender identity that authorities should urgently take steps to combat," Human Rights Watch said on 13 March 2009.Quoted for instance at [http://gayswithoutborders.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/turkey-ebru-soykan-member-of-lambda-istanbul-and-transgender-activist-murdered/ Gays Without Border] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201122659/http://gayswithoutborders.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/turkey-ebru-soykan-member-of-lambda-istanbul-and-transgender-activist-murdered/ |date=2009-12-01 }}; accessed on 14 October 2009 News reports and members of a Turkish human rights group said that an assailant stabbed and killed Ebru, 28, in her home in the center of Istanbul. Members of Lambda Istanbul, which works for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual (LGBTT) people, told Human Rights Watch that in the last month Ebru had asked the Prosecutor's Office for protection from the man who had beaten her on several occasions and threatened to kill her. Lambda Istanbul was told that a few weeks ago police detained the man but released him two hours later. The same man is under police custody as the murder suspect.

On 21 May 2008 Human Rights Watch published a 123-page report documenting a long and continuing history of violence and abuse based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Turkey. Human Rights Watch conducted more than 70 interviews over a three-year period, documenting how gay men and transgender people face beatings, robberies, police harassment, and the threat of murder. The interviews also exposed the physical and psychological violence lesbian and bisexual women and girls confront within their families. Human Rights Watch found that, in most cases, the response by the authorities is inadequate if not nonexistent.An online edition of the report [https://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2008/05/21/we-need-law-liberation-0 "We Need a Law for Liberation"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121011557/http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2008/05/21/we-need-law-liberation-0 |date=2015-01-21 }} is available

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed by the Turkish Republic on 30 March 2007. The convention was discussed in TBMM (Turkish Grand National Assembly) on 8 May 2008 and it was ratified on 3 December 2008.[http://www.ozida.gov.tr/web_english/index.htm Administration for Disabled People] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602050939/http://www.ozida.gov.tr/web_english/index.htm |date=2009-06-02 }} is part of the Prime Ministry in Turkey In July 2005 Law 5378 on Disabled People was enacted.The English text of this law can be found on the website of the [http://www.ozida.gov.tr/web_english/index.htm Administration for Disabled People] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602050939/http://www.ozida.gov.tr/web_english/index.htm |date=2009-06-02 }}

In one particular case, an advocacy group for people with mental disabilities called Mental Disability Rights International criticized the treatment of the mentally ill in a report called "Behind Closed Doors: Human Rights Abuses in the Psychiatric Facilities, Orphanages and Rehabilitation Centers of Turkey".{{cite journal

|url=http://www.disabilityworld.org/12-01_06/mdriturkey.shtml

|access-date=2008-08-29

|title=European Union Calls on Turkey to Improve Rights of People with Mental Disabilities

|date=2005-12-27

|volume=27

|journal=Disability World

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012042448/http://www.disabilityworld.org/12-01_06/mdriturkey.shtml

|archive-date=2008-10-12

}} As a result of this criticism, Turkey's largest psychiatric hospital, the Bakırköy Psychiatric Hospital in Istanbul, abolished the use of "unmodified" ECT procedures.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mdri.org/mdri-web-2007/PR/033106_MDRIPR.pdf |title=Press release of MDRI of 31 March 206 |access-date=2009-12-02 |archive-date=2010-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706082018/http://www.mdri.org/mdri-web-2007/PR/033106_MDRIPR.pdf |url-status=dead }}

{{main|Racism in Turkey}}

Analysts pointed (in 2010) to racism and hate speech on the rise in Turkey, including against Armenians and against Jews. The report says "If one goes through the press in Turkey, one would easily find cases of racism and hate speech, particularly in response to the deplorable carnage and suffering in Gaza. These are the cases in which there is no longer a distinction between criticizing and condemning Israel's acts and placing Jews on the firing line."{{cite news|title=Hate speech and racism: Turkey's 'untouchables' on the rise|date=August 30, 2010|work=/www.todayszaman.com|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/columnists-163845-hate-speech-and-racism-turkeys-untouchableson-the-rise.html|access-date=August 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165653/http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/columnists-163845-hate-speech-and-racism-turkeys-untouchableson-the-rise.html|archive-date=October 17, 2012|url-status=dead}}

{{main|Freedom of religion in Turkey}}

{{See also|Secularism in Turkey|Varlık Vergisi}}

Mistreatment of religious minorities is a common problem in Turkey and is sometimes sanctioned by the state's leadership.{{cite web|url=http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/12/the-myth-of-turkish-secularism/|title=The Myth of Turkish Secularism|date=16 December 2013 |access-date=6 March 2015|archive-date=2 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302145227/http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/12/the-myth-of-turkish-secularism/|url-status=live}} Christians for example live in fear of persecution and suffer from discriminatory laws that give non-Muslims disadvantages in comparison to the country's Muslim majority.{{cite web|url=http://www.minorityrights.org/676/press-releases/turkeys-christian-and-other-religious-minorities-face-discrimination-and-rights-violations.html |title=Minority Rights Group International : Press releases : Turkey's Christian and other religious minorities face discrimination and rights violations |access-date=6 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116031803/http://www.minorityrights.org/676/press-releases/turkeys-christian-and-other-religious-minorities-face-discrimination-and-rights-violations.html |archive-date=16 January 2015 }}{{Cite web |url=https://armenianweekly.com/2016/11/21/alevis-in-turkey-a-history-of-persecution/ |title=Alevis in Turkey: A History of Persecution |date=21 November 2016 |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231061056/https://armenianweekly.com/2016/11/21/alevis-in-turkey-a-history-of-persecution/ |url-status=live }}

Among the discriminated religious minorities in Turkey are the Alevis, whose "Muslimness" is still unconfirmed. As a result of national and government policy, their religious rights are also restricted and at many instances are a persecuted religious minority.{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/3279532|title=Alevi's rights and the freedom of religion in Turkey|first=Tóth|last=Renáta|access-date=6 March 2015|archive-date=23 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523051429/https://www.academia.edu/3279532|url-status=live}}

{{See also|List of assassinated people from Turkey}}

During 2008 there has been an increase in "hate crimes" in Turkey originating from racism, nationalism and intolerance.[http://www.rightsagenda.org/attachments/521_HATECRIMESINTURKEY.pdf Handbook of the Human Rights Agenda Association on Hate Crimes in Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227141934/http://www.rightsagenda.org/attachments/521_HATECRIMESINTURKEY.pdf |date=2012-02-27 }}; accessed on 14 October 2009 Despite provisions in the Constitution and the laws there have been no convictions for a hate crime so far, from either racism or discrimination. Since the beginning of 2006 a number of killings were committed in Turkey against people of ethnic or religious minorities or different sexual orientation or social sexual identity. Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code provides for a general ban of publicly inciting people to hatred and disgust.

Turkey does not appear to be the scene of large-scale or overt expressions of racism against individuals in the strictest sense of term. However, one of the main challenges facing Turkey in the field of European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) concerns would appear to be the need to reconcile the strong sense of national identity and the wish to preserve the unity and integrity of the State with the right of different minority groups within Turkey to express their own sense of ethnic identity, for example through the maintenance and development of linguistic and cultural aspects of that identity.[http://hudoc.ecri.coe.int/XMLEcri/ENGLISH/Cycle_01/01_CbC_eng/01-cbc-turkey-eng.pdf First report of ECRI on Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113153513/http://hudoc.ecri.coe.int/XMLEcri/ENGLISH/Cycle_01/01_CbC_eng/01-cbc-turkey-eng.pdf |date=2012-11-13 }} (1999)

Around a million people became displaced from towns and villages in south-eastern Turkey during the 1980s and 1990s as a result of the insurgent actions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the counter-insurgency policies of the Turkish government.{{cite web|url=http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004BE3B1/(httpInfoFiles)/9B9EAEA8B23C9C19C12575A60053C232/$file/GO_08_turkey.pdf |title=The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in its country report 2008 |access-date=2014-02-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928195548/http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004BE3B1/%28httpInfoFiles%29/9B9EAEA8B23C9C19C12575A60053C232/%24file/GO_08_turkey.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-28 }}

The Migrants’ Association for Social Cooperation and Culture (GÖÇ-DER) was founded in Istanbul in 1997. Branches were later established in Diyarbakir, Van and Hakkari. GÖÇ-DER has been sued five times for its activities. Four of them ended in acquittal.The report of Istanbul GÖÇ-DER (in English and Turkish) can be found on the [http://www.diyarbakirgocder.org/ website of Diyarbakir GÖÇ-DER] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917204718/http://www.diyarbakirgocder.org/ |date=2009-09-17 }}; accessed on 14 October 2009 One case demanding the closure of GÖÇ-DER Diyarbakir is still pending after the Court of Cassation cancelled the decision of Diyarbakir Judicial Court No. 1 not to band the association. This court has to hear the case again and scheduled the next hearing for 2 February 2010.[http://www.diyarbakirgocder.org/icerik.php?id=402 Information from the website of the association]{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}; accessed on 14 October 2009

In July 2008 Beşir Atalay, Minister of the Interior, answered a request by the CHP deputy of Adıyaman, Şevket Köse. He said that 314,000 people had applied for aid in order to return to their village. As of May 2008 151,469 people had returned to their villages in 14 provinces. They had been paid about 530 million Turkish Lira.{{Cite web|title=tumgazeteler.com|url=http://www.tumgazeteler.com/|access-date=2020-09-09|website=www.tumgazeteler.com|archive-date=2020-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923175938/http://www.tumgazeteler.com/|url-status=live}}

On 12 April 2006, Human Rights Watch researcher Jonathan Sugden was detained by police in Bingöl, while he was carrying out research in the predominantly Kurdish southeast of the country into the possibilities for IDPs to return and abuses allegedly involving the Turkish gendarmerie and government-armed local defense units called "village guards." He was deported to London the next day.See the [https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2006/04/11/turkey-human-rights-watch-researcher-detained-southeast press release of Human Rights Watch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005180432/http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2006/04/11/turkey-human-rights-watch-researcher-detained-southeast |date=2012-10-05 }}; accessed on 14 October 2009

The Constitution affirms the right of workers to form labor unions "without obtaining permission" and "to possess the right to become a member of a union and to freely withdraw from membership" (Article 51). Articles 53 and 54 affirm the right of workers to bargain collectively and to strike, respectively. The law prohibits strikes by civil servants, public workers engaged in the safeguarding of life and property, workers in the coal mining and petroleum industries, sanitation services, national defense, banking, and education; however, many workers in these sectors conducted strikes in violation of these restrictions with general impunity. The law requires that, in order to become a bargaining agent, a union must represent 50 percent plus one of the employees at a given work site and 10 percent of all the workers in that particular industry. Labor law prohibits union leaders from becoming officers of or otherwise performing duties for political parties and from working for or being involved in the operation of any profit-making enterprise Most labor experts in the country estimated that approximately 20 percent of the wage and salary workers in the labor force were unionized.

The Labor Act of 2003 established a 45-hour workweek, banned discrimination based on sex, religion, or political affiliation, and entitlement to compensation in case of termination without valid cause. It also mandated that working hours per day cannot exceed 11 hours.{{cite web|url=http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/209998/employee%20rights%20labour%20relations/Turkey%20Continues%20Its%20Reform%20Of%20Labor%20And%20Employment%20Laws%20Despite%20Waning%20Enthusiasm%20For%20EU%20Membership|title=Turkey Continues Its Reform Of Labor And Employment Laws Despite Waning Enthusiasm For EU Membership – Employment and HR – United States|access-date=2017-01-09|archive-date=2017-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110090243/http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/209998/employee%20rights%20labour%20relations/Turkey%20Continues%20Its%20Reform%20Of%20Labor%20And%20Employment%20Laws%20Despite%20Waning%20Enthusiasm%20For%20EU%20Membership|url-status=live}}

Turkey has had a standard state-run pensions system based on European models since the 1930s. Furthermore, since 1999, Turkey has a state-run unemployment insurance system, introduced by Law 4447{{Cite web |url=http://www.mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr/html/1097.html |title=For the full text of the law see www.mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr, an official site of the Justice Ministry; accessed on 22 October 2009 |access-date=2 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225085126/http://www.mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr/html/1097.html |archive-date=25 February 2013 |url-status=dead }} obligatory for all declared workers.

In May 2017, bodyguards of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attacked Kurdish rights protesters outside the Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2019-01-18/kurdish-protesters-attacked-erdo-ans-bodyguards-dc-demonstration-sue-turkish |title=Kurdish protesters attacked by Erdoğan's bodyguards at DC demonstration sue Turkish government |access-date=2019-02-17 |archive-date=2019-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217142412/https://www.pri.org/stories/2019-01-18/kurdish-protesters-attacked-erdo-ans-bodyguards-dc-demonstration-sue-turkish |url-status=live }}

• Purges in Turkey (2016–present)
• Deep state in Turkey
• Human trafficking in Turkey
• Human rights in Islamic countries
• Istanbul pogroms
• JITEM
• Racism and discrimination in Turkey
• List of journalists killed in Turkey
• Massacres in Turkey
• List of arrested journalists in Turkey
• Accession of Turkey to the European Union
• Turkey–European Union relations

{{Reflist}}

• "[https://ia600607.us.archive.org/30/items/jubilee-upr-21-tur-e-main/JUBILEE_UPR21_TUR_E_Main.pdf Obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]", Republic of Turkey. Jubilee Campaign
• {{citebook|title= Human Rights in Turkey: Assaults on Human Dignity|publisher=Springer|ISBN=9783030574765}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/index.htm US Department of State: Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor] (country reports)
• [http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/index_en.htm European Commission for Enlargement]
• {{cite web|url=http://www.ortodoksi.net/index.php/Written_question|title=Turkey's delay in introducing protection for the rights of religious minorities|work=Sari Essayah|publisher=Ortodoksi.net}}
• [http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/candidate-countries/turkey/key-documents/index_en.htm Progress Reports on Turkey (1998–2005)]
• [http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/press_corner/key-documents/reports_oct_2009_en.htm Progress Report 2009]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110906143327/http://turkeypressfreedom.org/ Turkey Press Freedom] Website covering press freedom situation in Turkey by SEEMO
• [https://www.hrw.org/en/publications/reports?filter0=**ALL**&filter1=218 Human Rights Watch Reports on Turkey]
• [https://www.amnesty.org/en/library Amnesty International Library] you can search for Reports on Turkey
• [http://www.yayinakisi.gen.tr Progress Reports on Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029202139/http://www.yayinakisi.gen.tr/ |date=2020-10-29 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120312045309/http://www.mazlumderistanbul.org/ Reports and Investigations] of Mazlumder about Turkish Human Rights
• [http://sorular.rightsagenda.org/ Questions and Answers; Human Rights in Turkey, Human Rights Agenda Association]
• [http://www.madde14.org/ Database on Refugee Rights in Turkey]

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{{Asia in topic|Human rights in}}

{{Europe topic|Racism in}}

Category:Politics of Turkey