Turkey protest pic Lawyers from Istanbul Bar Association gathered in front of the Bar Association building to support other Bar Associations whose protests were blocked.

Fundamental Freedoms in Turkey

Freedom House works to assist civil society to defend and advance fundamental freedoms and rights enshrined in Turkey’s national and international obligations.

Advancing Fundamental Freedoms in Turkey

Turkey remains one of most challenging places in the European region to exercise fundamental freedoms. In this challenging environment, Freedom House seeks to empower civil society to contribute to the improvement of fundamental freedoms in Turkey and to advocate with national and international decision makers to uphold the country’s human rights commitments.

This project aims to create a common ground for different civil society actors to address human rights issues in the country. Freedom House and its partners intend to respond threats to fundamental freedoms by providing litigation support, research and analysis, support for grassroots initiatives, and advocacy.

Partner organizations:

Key Initiatives

Call for Proposals: New Challenges to the Freedom of Expression in Turkey

Freedom House seeks perspectives from independent researchers on issues concerning the freedom of expression in Turkey. The High Council for Broadcasting (RTÜK), Turkey’s broadcast regulator whose members are appointed by the AKP-controlled parliament, frequently fines independent networks that critique the government. According to the Freedom in the World 2022 Turkey report, throughout 2021, RTÜK issued a total of 71 fines against five television channels critical of the government. Freedom House is calling on authors to examine the possible implications of Turkey’s policies and regulations on the freedom of media and freedom of expression, including their effects on independent journalism. The resulting policy brief will not only identify challenges but also propose policy recommendations.

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Featured Program Publications

Policy Brief

"Smart" Repression at work: Shrinking Space for Academic Freedom in Turkey

The third brief of the “Advancing Fundamental Freedoms in Turkey” policy series focuses on the increasing crackdown on academia and shrinking space for academic freedom in Turkey. Political scientist İlker Kalın places the government’s attempts to silence academia and civil society into a broad perspective by introducing the concept of “smart” repression. The brief investigates the government’s systematic repression through simulated democratic actions and discusses its implications.

Policy Brief

Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention:
War on Gender Equality in Turkey

The second policy brief of the “Advancing Fundamental Freedoms in Turkey” policy series, focuses on the reasons behind Turkey’s attempted withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention while also analyzing the withdrawal decision from a legal perspective. Experts Berfu Şeker and Ezel Buse Sönmezocak reveal the ruling AKP’s long-lasting anti-gender policies and examine potential impacts of the attempted withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention on women’s rights and LGBT+ rights.

Policy Brief

Stifling Lawyers and Bar Associations:
Restrictions undermining the right to legal defense in Turkey

Experts Benan Molu and İdil Özcan examine the increasing attacks on lawyers and their right to free association in Turkey since the state of emergency in 2016. This brief provides a comprehensive analysis of how the recent government policies and legislation create obstacles for lawyers to fully perform their fundamental duties of legal counsel and defense.

Past Programming in Turkey

Protection of Freedom of Expression in Turkey (2019-2020)

Featured Report: Perceptions towards Freedom of Expression in Turkey

Perceptions Towards Freedom of Expression in Turkey cover

In July 2020, Freedom House, together with RIWI Corp, released a new report on freedom of expression and the media in Turkey. The presence of a vibrant landscape for free expression may seem contradictory, given that Turkey regularly tops global charts for the number of journalists jailed, and is ranked as Not Free in Freedom in the World. This report reveals opportunities for free expression among Turkey's dynamic population, where preferences are shifting from traditional outlets to online platforms. From these contradictions rise not only a clearer picture of the contours of expression, but also hope that this fundamental right can still be exercised.

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