About Us
Who We Are
Many of us are prisoners of conscience, targeted by the Erdoğan regime. We are also relatives of political prisoners and victims who have lost their jobs, property, and even family members under an administration widely described as a mafia state.
As Advocates, we have made it our mission to defend the rights of Silenced Turkey—until universal human rights and democratic governance are firmly established and upheld as the highest principles of the Republic of Turkey.
We are the Advocates of Silenced Turkey.
Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New Jersey, committed to promoting and defending human and civil rights.
Mission
Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) is dedicated to defending human rights, promoting democracy, and amplifying the voices of those silenced by oppression. We advocate for victims of political persecution, religious discrimination, and unjust imprisonment—particularly in Turkey—through education, documentation, international advocacy, and community engagement. Our mission is to raise global awareness, foster solidarity, and inspire action to ensure justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Vision
We envision a free and democratic Turkey where the rule of law, human dignity, and justice are upheld, and where every individual can speak and live without fear. Our vision is a world where truth replaces silence, and the rights of all—especially the oppressed—are protected through courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment to universal human rights.
Our Story
Once hailed both at home and abroad as a promising model for democratization, the Republic of Turkey has taken a drastic turn. Following the so-called coup attempt in July 2016, President Erdoğan declared, in a widely criticized speech, “The old Turkey no longer exists—this is the New Turkey.”
In this “New Turkey,” however, silence in the face of repressive laws, mass imprisonments, and repeated violations of fundamental human rights has become the norm.
The Erdoğan regime exploited this period to purge perceived opponents. Through executive decrees, hundreds of thousands were dismissed from public service without due process, and thousands were imprisoned. Allegations of ill-treatment and torture in custody became widespread.
Press freedom was virtually dismantled: more than 170 media outlets were shut down, and dozens of journalists remain behind bars. Civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and opposition parties faced relentless pressure. Broad anti-terrorism laws were weaponized to suppress freedom of expression.
Women, children, the sick, and elderly inmates were held under inhumane conditions. Hundreds of babies were forced to grow up in prison alongside their mothers. The justice system became deeply politicized, and judicial independence was eroded.
International organizations have described these violations as “arbitrary detention” and “the dismantling of the rule of law.” Since 2016, Turkey has become a country where fundamental rights and freedoms are systematically violated.
In response, a group of professionals established Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) in 2018 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to defending human and civil rights.
AST works to hold perpetrators of human rights violations in Turkey—and beyond—accountable, while empowering victims to seek justice and reparations. It uses the power of law to fight impunity for perpetrators, accomplices, and instigators of such crimes.
The organization conducts interviews with victims and produces comprehensive reports, books, documentaries, conferences, and exhibitions to document and amplify their stories.
These findings are submitted to national and international human rights bodies to urge policymakers to take concrete and meaningful action.
