human rights violations

Advocates of Silenced Turkey Commemorate Victims in Heartfelt Event

In a recent event held on Thursday, September 17th, the Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) organized an event titled ‘Yiten Canlara Vefa’, ‘Loyalty to Lost Lives’ at the New Jersey Baymont by Wyndham Hotel.

Read more

Beyond Turkey’s Borders: Unveiling Global Purge, Transnational Repression, Abductions

The Origins of the Problem

Turkey’s pursuit of alignment with the principles of the European Union has been marred by the government’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies, particularly since 2011. Regrettably, the country has witnessed a rapid decline, distancing itself further from the realm of modern democracy. Since 2014, Turkey’s Freedom Index score has plummeted due to a series of escalating assaults on press freedom, social media users, protesters, political parties, the judiciary, and the electoral system. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sought to establish personalized control over the state and society within a deteriorating domestic and regional security environment.

Read more

Being the Other Child in Turkey

The current regime in Turkey, supported by the State of Emergency (OHAL) and Statutory Decrees (KHK), which is still in effect de facto albeit discontinued de jure, has been carrying out an open and covert social genocide against some parts of Turkey for years. The members of the Hizmet movement, whose number reaches approximately 8.5 million, including their relatives, were exposed to social lynching, direct and indirect rights violations, and grievances that are difficult to compensate. Similarly, along with the policy of persecuting Kurds by denying their ethnic identity, discriminatory and oppressive practices against certain groups such as Alevis and leftists continue.

Read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 10/18/2022

MASS DETENTIONS IS A BRUTAL HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST RAISE ITS VOICE CALLING ON THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TO IMMEDIATELY END INCARCERATING DISSIDENTS ON CHARGES OF TERRORISM.

In the early hours of October 18, 2022; 704 people were detained in 51 cities across Turkey. They are accused of helping the families of those purged who have been subjected to unprecedented persecution, dismissed from their public posts and arbitrarily arrested.

Read more

TORTURERS REPORT – 2 – Torture and Human Rights Violations in Turkey

Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) prepares reports to record and document crimes against human dignity, such as torture and ill-treatment, which have become systematic in Turkey. The report in your hand is the second part of the study, which was prepared in order to register those who were involved in this crime, their instigators, those who encouraged the crime by praising it, and those who protected the torturer public officials by abuse of power. The report aims to be a record so that torturers will one day be held to an independent legal account.

Read more

İŞKENCECİLER RAPORU – 2 – Türkiye’de İşkence ve Hak İhlalleri

Susturulmuş Türkiye’nin Avukatları (Advocates of Silenced Turkey – AST), Türkiye’de sistematik hale gelen işkence ve kötü muamele gibi insanlık onuruna karşı işlenen suçların kayda geçirilmesi için raporlar hazırlamaktadır. Elinizdeki rapor, bu suça karışanların, azmettiricilerinin, suçu överek teşvik edenlerin, görevini kötüye kullanarak işkenceci kamu görevlilerini koruyanların delillerle kayıt altına alınması ve bir gün bağımsız hukuk önünde hesap verebilmeleri amacıyla hazırlanan çalışmanın ikinci bölümüdür.

Read more

Stand Against Torture Virtual Protest – 26 June 2022

We cordially invite you to the virtual protest on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26, 2022. Along with reflections from law professionals and human rights experts, true stories of survivors of torture will be shared in this virtual protest which will be live-streamed on YouTube.

Read more

International Solidarity for Human Rights Forum – June 5th 2022

You are Cordially invited

As Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST), we are thrilled to announce “The International Solidarity Day for Human Rights” that will be held on June 5, 2022.

This special event aims to draw attention to human rights violations in various parts of the world, particularly in Turkey, and amplify the silent scream of the victims to reach a wider public recognition.

We cordially invite you to this significant forum that will be held at Baymont by Wyndham Hotel, Wayne, NJ on June 5, 2022 at 5pm – 8:30pm.

Read more

FREEDOM CONVENTION 2021: GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKEY

Freedom Convention Turkey 2021; that will address injustices, inequalities, human rights violations taking place under the current regime in Turkey; will be held virtually on December 10th, Human Rights Day.

Consisting of three panels, the convention will shed a light on human rights violations in Turkey.

Mark your calendars to hear from exclusive voices on these topics.

Read more

THE CURRENT SITUATION OF PRISONS

Under the political Islamist Erdoğan regime, which has been ruling Turkey since 2002, the number of prisons reached the highest level in history. With Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) abandoning libertarian discourse and policies and turning to one-man rule in the country, it is striking that prison populations have also increased. The prisons were filled with political prisoners far exceeding their current capacity especially after the failed coup attempt in 2015, with the crackdown carried out against the members of the Gülen movement, an international, voluntary-based education and dialogue community, which the Turkish government designated as a terror organization after the corruption allegations in 2013.

Read more