Utah State University hosted a special event organized by Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST). The screening of The Other Children documentary and the Silent Screams exhibition shed light on human rights violations in Turkey, focusing on the stories of children growing up under oppression.
Advocacy Update: Addressing the Injustice Against 78-Year-Old Melek İpek in Turkey
As part of our ongoing efforts to defend human rights, we have taken significant steps to raise awareness about the case of Ms. Melek İpek, a 78-year-old philanthropist currently imprisoned in Turkey under dubious charges. Her detention is emblematic of the continued misuse of the judiciary to target individuals based on tenuous allegations, particularly under the guise of combating terrorism.
Women’s Rights Documentary: “Metamorphosis: Women’s Resilience to Oppression in Turkey” Premieres on March 11 in New York
Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) proudly announces the world premiere of its first women’s rights documentary, Metamorphosis: Women’s Resilience to Oppression in Turkey. The screening will take place on March 11, 2025, in New York as a private event, marking a powerful moment of resistance, hope, and human dignity.
The Teenage Girls Case: A Call for Justice
1. Background of the Operation
In May 2024, a large-scale anti-terrorism operation took place in Istanbul, where 48 individuals, including high school students and university-aged women, were detained by Turkish authorities. The Turkish government, under the guise of fighting terrorism, arrested these individuals on fabricated charges. Among those arrested were several mothers, taken into custody when authorities could not locate their daughters. The young girls, some of them still minors, were subjected to irrational accusations based on their routine social activities, such as going to the cinema, studying together, and even praying.
RE: The “Case of the Minor Girls” (Kiz Cocuklari Davasi) Trial Highlights Systemic Flaws in Türkiye’s Judiciary
New York, December 3, 2024 – The “Case of the Minor Girls” trial, held from September 23 to 27, 2024, at the İstanbul 24th High Criminal Court, has drawn international scrutiny to Türkiye’s judicial practices. The case involves 41 defendants—37 women and 4 men—charged under Article 314-2 of the Turkish Penal Code for alleged membership in an armed terrorist organization. Among the defendants are minors aged 13 to 17, whose treatment raises significant concerns about human rights violations and judicial independence.
Grave Violations of Children’s Rights Under Turkey’s Repressive Regime Post-2016 Coup
Introduction
A period in which justice was suspended began in Turkey on July 15, 2016. During this process, 952 individuals were identified as having lost their lives, 152,000 civil servants were dismissed, more than 500,000 people were arrested, and over 3,000 children were forced to grow up in prison with their mothers. According to the latest official figures, 552 children are still in prison with their mothers. Problems such as job loss, deprivation of liberty, ostracization by the state and society, exclusion, and condemnation to absolute poverty have caused the disintegration of thousands of families.
Call to action for detention of minors in Istanbul, Turkey – 8/19/2024
ISTANBUL, MAY 7, 2024 – A CONTROVERSIAL OPERATION RESULTS IN THE DETENTION OF MINORS
We urge human rights activists, journalists, politicians, and lawyers to attend the trial on September 23, 2024, at the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court to monitor the legal process and help bring global attention to this case.
Advocates of Silenced Turkey ve Humankind Production tarafından hazırlanan “Öteki Çocuklar” belgeseli, Cannes World Film Festival’de En İyi İnsan Hakları Ödülü’ne layık görüldü
Üç yıl önce, OHAL ve KHK mağduru ailelerin çocuklarının yaşadıkları zorlu süreci tüm dünyaya duyurmayı amaç edindiler. Bu amaçla, KHK’lı ailelerin çocukları ile görüşmelere başladılar ve belgeselin startını verdiler.
“The Other Children” has been awarded the Best Human Rights Film at the Cannes World Film Festival
Three years ago, they set out to raise global awareness about the difficult journey faced by the children of families who were victims of the State of Emergency and Decree Laws in Turkey. To achieve this, they began interviewing the children of affected families and initiated the documentary.
Echoes of Justice: 100 Kahoot Questions on Human Rights
The Kahoot competitions we organize every month to raise awareness among young people about human rights violations worldwide and in Turkey have reached over 10,000 views on YouTube globally.
