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Turkey Human Rights Dispatch
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Welcome to “Turkey Human Rights Dispatch,” the Stockholm Center for Freedom’s (SCF) weekly newsletter. Every Wednesday we share with you the latest developments in the area of human rights in Turkey. As the Turkish government continues its crackdown on media and civil society, it is becoming increasingly difficult to learn about human rights violations in the mainstream media. We aim to highlight rights violations and give voice to victims from all walks of life during this difficult period.
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US congressional commission spotlights Turkey’s authoritarian rule and rights abuses
Turkey is moving toward full authoritarian rule as the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan intensifies its crackdown on political opposition, independent media, civil society and perceived critics at home and abroad, US lawmakers and expert witnesses warned at a congressional hearing last Wednesday.
Speakers pointed to the March 2025 arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, pressure on the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), the misuse of terrorism charges against government critics, Turkey’s refusal to comply with European Court of Human Rights judgments and its targeting of dissidents overseas as signs of accelerating authoritarian consolidation. More..
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Main opposition says government is planning to shut down CHP, urges party vote before July 25
The leadership team of Özgür Özel, the ousted head of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), warned Wednesday that the party must hold a congress by July 25, saying failure to do so could put its legal existence at risk. More..
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Women’s groups warn Turkey’s alimony ruling could leave divorced women more vulnerable
Women’s rights organizations and legal experts have criticized the Turkish Constitutional Court’s decision to strike down indefinite alimony after divorce, warning that the ruling could leave divorced women more vulnerable to poverty and domestic violence. More..
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Turkish minister confirms visa broker complaints after censoring of report on ex-FM-linked VFS network
Turkey’s trade minister said authorities received 153 complaints about visa intermediaries and are reviewing seven companies accused of reselling Schengen visa appointments, days after courts blocked reporting that linked visa firm VFS Global’s Turkey network to a contractor with ties to former foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. More..
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Secret Turkish police document shows monitoring of Gülen-linked activities in the Netherlands
A confidential Turkish police document cited in a new legal report shows that Turkish authorities monitored activities linked to the faith-based Gülen movement in the Netherlands and circulated information on participants, raising concerns that lawful civic activities in Europe could be used against people if they return to Turkey. More..
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Turkish court orders block on pro-opposition newspaper’s X account
A Turkish court has ordered an access block on the X account of Cumhuriyet, one of Turkey’s most prominent newspapers, according to the Freedom of Expression Association (İFÖD), a digital rights group. More..
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ECtHR requests answers from Turkey over post-coup convictions of military officers, cadets
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has communicated to the Turkish government questions regarding applications alleging rights violations in the conviction of military officers and cadets over their alleged involvement in a coup attempt in 2016. More..
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Turkey’s prison population exceeds capacity by over 116,000
Turkey’s prison population reached 421,583 as of June 1, more than 116,000 above the country’s official prison capacity, according to data from the Ministry of Justice’s Directorate General of Prisons and Detention Houses. More..
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Turkey’s top court says teacher barred from working under post-coup decree suffered rights violations
The Turkish Constitutional Court has ruled that a teacher who was barred from working under an emergency decree in the aftermath of a 2016 failed coup suffered rights violations after he was prevented from engaging in his profession for nearly three years and received only limited compensation for the income he lost during that period. More..
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Kurdish politician jailed for insulting Erdoğan after top appeals court upholds sentence
Former Kurdish lawmaker Mahmut Alınak was arrested on Thursday after Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals upheld his conviction on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. More..
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Turkey orders detention of 78 people over alleged links to Gülen movement
Turkish prosecutors on Tuesday ordered the detention of 78 people as part of an investigation into the alleged education network of the faith-based Gülen movement. More..
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District mayor among 42 arrested over corruption probe in ongoing crackdown on main opposition
A court in western Turkey has arrested the mayor of a district governed by the country’s main opposition party along with 41 other suspects in a corruption investigation that is part of a broader crackdown on the party. More..
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A Swedish-based, non-profit advocacy organization, Stockholm Center for Freedom promotes the rule of law, democracy and human rights with a special focus on Turkey.
Committed to serving as a reference source by providing a broad perspective on rights violations in Turkey, SCF monitors daily developments, documents individual cases of the infringement of fundamental rights and publishes comprehensive reports on human rights issues.
SCF is a member of the Alliance Against Genocide, an international coalition working to exert pressure on the UN, regional organizations and national governments to act on early warning signs and take action to prevent genocide.
Please send any comments, questions or suggestions to communications@stockholmcf.org
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