Pregnancy Behind Bars: Pre-Trial Detentions of Pregnant Women in Turkey
Download Report PDF This report documents how the use of pre-trial detention against pregnant women in Turkey, particularly since 2016, has become a widespread and systematic practice that contradicts both domestic legal safeguards and international human rights standards, which require detention to be a measure of last resort; drawing on legal analysis and numerous documented […]
15 Years of the Istanbul Convention: Renewing Our Commitment to Women’s Rights
As Europe marks the 15th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention, this high-level panel discussion will bring together policymakers, legal experts, international organisations, and civil society representatives to reflect on the current state of women’s rights across Europe and beyond. The event will provide a platform for dialogue on the growing challenges surrounding the prevention and […]
Arbitrary Prosecutions Based on a Manufactured Narrative: Exam Fraud Allegations and Turkey’s State Recruitment System
Download Report PDF This report argues that Turkey’s exam fraud allegations should be understood not as proof of a single coordinated “infiltration” plot, but as part of a much longer history of structural weaknesses, recurring leaks, weak oversight, and politicized recruitment in the country’s centralized examination system. It shows that exam scandals existed long before […]
Confronting Islamophobia: Reflections on 15 March
Camilla Portinaro* On 15 March, the international community observes the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, a date designated by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 76/254 to promote a global culture of tolerance, dignity, and peace. The date is also deeply symbolic: it marks the anniversary of the Christchurch Mosque shootings, a horrific act […]
Critically Ill Prisoners in Turkish Prisons – Emre Uysal
Profile VICTIM : Emre UysalINCIDENT : A prisoner suffering from severe psychological disorders is not being released despite facing a life-threatening health condition.LOCATION : Sakarya, TurkeySITUATION : Sentenced to 10 years in prison on alleged affiliation with the Gülen movement. Case Summary Emre Uysal, who is being held in Sakarya Prison, was dismissed by decree […]
From Crackdown to Calculated De-escalation: Human Rights Abuses Against Turkey’s Kurdish Population Between 2020-2025
Download Report PDF Download Annex PDF This report examines the evolution of human rights violations against Turkey’s Kurdish population between 2020 and 2025, documenting how systematic repression, mass arrests, trustee takeovers of elected municipalities, restrictions on freedom of expression, torture, and judicial abuse gradually gave way to a carefully managed rhetorical de-escalation framed by the […]
Hate Speech: The Invisible Crime of the New Era
Hongyu Pan * Introduction For a long time, hate speech has often been seen as a cultural or moral problem. Its definitions were largely confined to symbolic or discursive levels. In the digital age, however, this view does not fully capture the harm it can cause. Hate speech shapes social groups and influences individual psychology. […]
Prevention as Policy: Why Governments Should Invest in Early Action
Hongyu Pan * Introduction For many years, governments have relied mainly on punishing crime after it happens, through heavier penalties, longer jail terms, and stricter enforcement. This “reactive” approach is straightforward, easy to implement, and produces immediate but often short-term results. But while it may look effective on the surface, it often fails to prevent […]
The Economic Costs of Ignoring Hate Speech: Why Inaction Is More Expensive Than Prevention
Introduction Public discussions about hate speech usually focus on ethics, human rights, or social cohesion. Yet one dimension remains widely underexplored: the economic cost of failing to address hate speech effectively. As governments, companies, and societies grapple with rising online hostility, the financial consequences of inaction grow increasingly clear. From lost productivity to public health […]
Combatting Hate Speech: Chronology of Actions and Policies in the EU
Introduction: Constitutional Commitments and the Digital Transformation of Expression The European Union has progressively constructed a far-reaching framework to counter hate speech both offline and online, combining legislative initiatives, platform governance mechanisms, and sustained investment in prevention and monitoring. Anchored in the Union’s constitutional values and informed by the profound structural changes brought about by […]