Reports

TORTURE Report  
October 2016
POST-COUP TURKEY: State Of Emergency, Torture and Impunity

The failed coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey was followed by an unprecedented purge targeting citizens from all walks of life, in particular in the education, media, business, military and justice sectors. The ongoing purge and measures introduced under the umbrella of the state of emergency have severely limited individual rights and liberties.

The state of emergency imposed in the aftermath of the attempted coup granted the Prime Minister and his cabinet the power to rule by decree and bypass Parliament.q

The first decree under the state of emergency increased the pre-charge detention limit from four to thirty days, raising legitimate concerns that such an extension will further undermine protections against acts of torture and ill-treatment as well as the right to a fair trial. (read more…)

EDUCATION Report  
March 2017 (Long Version)
ASSAULT ON EDUCATION In Turkey And Abroad

The present report examines the systematic legislative, administrative, and other efforts by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) since the beginning of its rule, in particular since 2011 and the aftermath of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt – to permanently Islamize Turkey’s education system.

İmam-Hatip schools, crucial in their role to further the AKP’s political Islam agenda as a breeding ground for radical elements, continue to receive extensive political and material support, including through unlawful seizure (theft) of thousands of closed private educational institutions and land. Despite this aid, these schools still perform extremely poorly in all state tests.

The mushrooming of İmam-Hatip schools, the current rise in homegrown radicalization along with the surge in the number of terrorist attacks and victims caused by terrorism show that Turkey’s social fabric is undergoing a very harmful change. (read more…)

EDUCATION Report  
March 2017 (Short Version)
ASSAULT ON EDUCATION In Turkey And Abroad

Ever since the beginning of its rule, in particular since 2011, the AK Party embarked on a systematic effort to permanently Islamize Turkey’s education system. During his final term as prime minister lasting from 2011 to 2015, President Erdoğan resolutely pursued his vision to materializing his so-called “pious generation” project, or the devoutly religious generation.

The reforms the AK Party embarked on since the beginning of its rule resulted in 932,000 students attending İmam Hatip schools in 2014–2015 school year – from 65,000 at the beginning of the AKP rule in 2002, roughly a 93.5 percent increase.

İmam-Hatip schools, crucial in their role to further political Islam agenda as a breeding ground for radical elements continue to receive extensive political and material support, including through unlawful seizure (theft) of thousands of closed private educational institutions and land – to only perform extremely poor in all state tests.
(read more…)

WOMEN & CHILDREN Report 
May 2017
WOMEN’S RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK IN TURKEY

In recent years, under the Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule Turkey has experienced a sharp declining trend in almost all democratic indicators, including the rights of women, civil, economic and social rights, freedom of expression and media, free and fair elections, government accountability and corruption.

Since the breakdown of the Kurdish peace process in July 2015 and the July 2016 attempted coup, Kurdish and other minority women, as well as women allegedly linked to the Hizmet movement suffer disproportionate multi-faceted discrimination, in particular as regards equal access to political participation, health, education, employment and justice, both in law and practice.

Women belonging to the above marginalized groups face economic hardship, exclusion and violence, humiliating and degrading treatment in places where persons are deprived of their liberty, including in health-care facilities, especially during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. (read more…)