The Human Cost of a Decade: Turkey’s Human Rights Records in Numbers, 2016–2026

The Human Cost of a Decade: Turkey’s Human Rights Records in Numbers, 2016–2026

Ten Years of Human Rights Violations, Political Persecution, and the Erosion of Democracy in Turkey

This report by Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) documents a decade of human rights violations in Turkey.

Drawing on official records, international human rights reports, and civil society research, the report examines political persecution, mass dismissals, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, restrictions on academic freedom, press censorship, and the erosion of judicial independence and the rule of law.

Key findings include more than 3 million people investigated under terrorism-related provisions, 162,239 public servants dismissed, 234,419 passports canceled, and thousands of academics removed from their positions. The report also documents prison overcrowding, restrictions on civil society, property seizures, and the long-term consequences for affected individuals and families.

Covering the period from 2016 to 2026, this evidence-based report provides an important resource for human rights researchers, academics, journalists, policymakers, legal professionals, and organizations working on democracy, justice, and human rights in Turkey.

Beyond the statistics, the report highlights the human cost of political repression and the continuing need for accountability, justice, and the protection of fundamental freedoms.