Organizational Forms	Associations	Foundations
Registration Body	Ministry of Interior, General Directorate for Relations with Civil Society	The courts, with possible review made by the General Directorate of Foundations
Barriers to Entry	At least seven founders required to establish an association. Executive board of at least five people required. Majority of the board must reside in Türkiye. Foreigners can be members of board provided they reside in Türkiye.	The minimum endowment amount for foundations is 2,000,000 TL (approx. $54,855).
Barriers to Activities	Despite the improvements in the Regulation on Associations, standard annual reporting forms and numerous mandatory books are still considered cumbersome and time consuming. All associations are obliged to obtain permission from the governorship of the city in which they will be conducting the fundraising activity and indicate the exact amount of money they aim to collect. Requirement to complete standard forms before receiving or using foreign funding or opening new branch offices.	Standard annual reporting forms considered cumbersome and time consuming. All foundations are obliged to obtain permission from the governorship of the city in which they will be conducting the fundraising activity and indicate the exact amount of money they aim to collect. Requirement to complete standard forms before receiving or using foreign funding or opening new branch offices.
Barriers to Speech and/or Advocacy	Different provisions set forth in the Constitution protect speech, regardless of its content, when expressed by a natural person or a legal entity or expressed individually or collectively. However, the Constitutional protections are diminished at a legal level. Many articles in the laws are sustained despite their apparent conflict with the Constitution. The internet regulation No. 5651 may increase censorship and pave the way for removing content without a court order.	Different provisions set forth in the Constitution protect speech, regardless of its content, when expressed by a natural person or a legal entity or expressed individually or collectively. However, the Constitutional protections are diminished at a legal level. Many articles in the laws are sustained despite their apparent conflict with the Constitution. The internet regulation No. 5651 may increase censorship and pave the way for removing content without a court order.
Barriers to International Contact	Requirement to notify the government when receiving grants from international organizations and giving grants to organizations working abroad.	Requirement to notify the government when receiving grants from international organizations and giving grants to organizations working abroad.
Barriers to Resources	Requirement to notify the government before using foreign funding. A foreign association is required to notify the authorities about foreign funds even if the funds are received from the headquarters of the foreign association.	Requirement to notify the government within one month of receiving foreign funding. A foreign foundation is required to notify the authorities about foreign funds even if the funds are received from the headquarters of the foreign foundation.
Barriers to Assembly	Vague grounds to justify restrictions, excessive force on protesters, and advance notification requirement.	Vague grounds to justify restrictions, excessive force on protesters, and advance notification requirement.

Population	84,119,531 (2024 est.)
Capital	Ankara
Type of Government	Presidential Government System
Life Expectancy at Birth	male: 74.4 years; female: 79.2 years (2024 est.)
Literacy Rate	male: 99.1%; female: 94.4% (2022 est.)
Religious Groups	Muslim (mostly Sunni): 99.8%; other (mostly Christians and Jews): 0.2%
Ethnic Groups	Turkish: 70-75%; Kurdish: 19%; other minorities: 7-12% (2016 est.)
GDP per capita	$34,600 (2023 est.) (data in 2023 dollars)

Source: The World Factbook. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency and Turkish Statistical Institute.

Ranking Body	Rank	Ranking Scale (best – worst possible)
UN Human Development Index	45 (2024)	1 – 193
World Justice Project Rule of Law Index	117 (2024)	1 – 142
Transparency International	107 (2024)	1 – 180
Fragile States Index	41 (2024)	179 – 1
Freedom House: Freedom in the World	Political Rights: 17 Civil Liberties: 16 Total: 33 (2024)	1 – 40 1 – 60
Freedom House: Freedom on the Net	31 (2024)	1 – 100

International and Regional Human Rights Agreements

Key International Agreements	Ratification*	Year
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)	Yes	2003
Optional Protocol to ICCPR (ICCPR-OP1)	Yes	2006
International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)	Yes	2003
Optional Protocol to ICESCR (OP-ICESCR)	No	—
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)	Yes	2002
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)	Yes	1985
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women	Yes	2002
Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)	Yes	1995
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (ICRMW)	Yes	2004
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)	Yes	2009
Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention)**	No	—
European Convention on Human Rights	Yes	1954

The Convention for The Protection of Individuals with Regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data

Yes

2016

* Category includes ratification, accession, or succession to the treaty
** On March 20, 2021, a Presidential Decision was published to announce Türkiye’s withdrawal from the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, which is widely known as Istanbul Convention. Türkiye subsequently reported the decision to the Council of Europe. On July 1, the decision came into effect and Türkiye officially withdrew from the Istanbul Convention.

Constitutional Framework

The Constitution was adopted in 1982, immediately following a military coup. Although the Constitution is sometimes criticized for its lack of democratic principles, it still guarantees basic rights and freedoms. Relevant articles include:

Article 22: Everyone has the right to freedom of communication.

Article 25: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought and opinion.

Article 26: Everyone has the right to express and disseminate his thoughts and opinions by speech, in writing or in pictures or through other media, individually and collectively.

Article 33: Everyone has the right to form associations, or become a member of an association, or withdraw from membership without prior permission.

No one shall be compelled to become or remain a member of an association.

Freedom of association may only be restricted by law on the grounds of protecting national security and public order, or prevention of crime, or protecting public morals, public health.

The formalities, conditions, and procedures governing the exercise of freedom of association shall be prescribed by law.

Associations may be dissolved or suspended from activity by the decision of a judge in cases prescribed by law. In cases where delay endangers national security or public order and in cases where it is necessary to prevent the perpetration or the continuation of a crime or to effect apprehension, an authority designated by law may be vested with power to suspend the association from activity. The decision of this authority shall be submitted for the approval of the judge in charge within twenty-four hours. Unless the judge declares a decision within forty-eight hours, this administrative decision shall be annulled automatically.

Provisions of the first paragraph shall not prevent imposition of restrictions on the rights of armed forces and security forces officials and civil servants to the extent that the duties of civil servants so require.

The provisions of this article are also applicable to foundations.

Article 34: Everyone has the right to hold unarmed and peaceful meetings and demonstration marches without prior permission.

Article 35: Everyone has the right to property and inheritance.

Article 56: Everyone has the right to live in a healthy and balanced environment

Article 90: International agreements duly put into effect have the force of law. No appeal to the Constitutional Court shall be made with regard to these agreements, on the grounds that they are unconstitutional. In the case of a conflict between international agreements, duly put into effect, concerning fundamental rights and freedoms and the laws due to differences in provisions on the same matter, the provisions of international agreements shall prevail

On April 16, 2017, Türkiye held a referendum that adopted an 18-article law proposal to switch from a parliamentary to a presidential system:

• The president becomes the head of the executive, as well as the head of state, and retains ties to a political party (prior to this, presidents renounced political parties on taking office).
• The office of prime minister is eliminated. The new post of vice president is created.
• The president is given sweeping new powers to appoint ministers, prepare the budget, choose the majority of senior judges and enact certain laws by decree.
• The president alone can announce a State of Emergency and dismiss the parliament.
• Article 98 of the Constitution is abolished, equipping Parliament with five mechanisms to hold the government to account.
• The Parliament loses its right to scrutinize ministers or propose an enquiry. However, it is able to launch impeachment proceedings or investigate the president with a majority vote by MPs.
• Putting the president on trial requires a two-thirds majority.
• Presidential and parliamentary elections are to be held on the same day every five years. The president is limited to two terms, and the presidential government system will be enacted.

General elections and a presidential election were held throughout Türkiye on June 24, 2018. Recep Tayyip Erdogan won the country’s key presidential election and became Türkiye’s first executive president with increased powers. The first decree for the harmonization of current laws for the new executive presidential system was issued on July 4, 2018. The 74-article decree dissolved the office of Prime Minister and stipulated the transfer of some powers of the cabinet to the president. The first three Presidential Decrees were issued on July 10, 2018 to restructure the Turkish administrative system. The first Presidential Decree introduced the vice-presidency as well as presidential offices, policy councils, and directorates, which will work directly under the president. The other two decrees changed the structure of regulatory institutions and define terms, duties, and appointment procedures for high-level bureaucrats and presidents. The president is now able to directly appoint and remove the vice president, ministers, and high-level officials. In the former parliamentary system, the president had the power to appoint and remove the prime minister and ministers only upon the prime minister’s proposal. These high-level bureaucrats and presidents of key institutions, who were formerly recommended by different posts, such as ministries, are now appointed directly by the President.

National Laws and Regulations Affecting Sector

The state of emergency was regulated under Articles 119, 120, and 121 of the Constitution and State of Emergency Law No. 2935. It allowed the Council of Ministers, chaired by the President, to issue statutory decrees that carry the force of law. While the state of emergency was in effect from July 21, 2016 until July 18, 2018, the government issued 37 emergency degrees, seven of which had a direct effect on CSO operations. Since the presidential system is in place, the president is authorized to declare the state of emergency. Once the state of emergency is declared, it is required to publish the state of emergency in the Official Gazette. Parliament gathers after the publishing and is authorized to extend, shorten, or abolish the state of emergency.

On January 25, 2017, the president and cabinet set up a Commission of Inquiry for State of Emergency Practices to review sanctions under the state of emergency and provided new judicial avenues for appeals. However, the means of selecting the members of this Commission raised concerns about its independence. The rulings of the Commission have not been announced. Given the number of applications, there are concerns that it will become virtually impossible for the Commission to observe due process and deliver timely justice. In May 2018, the Commission gave its initial decisions on six associations that had been closed by the statutory decrees. The Commission ruled that the associations should be reopened because no linkages to terrorist associations were identified. As of October 2, 2020, the Commission delivered 110,250 decisions (12,680 accepted and 97,570 rejected). 60 of the acceptance decisions have been related to the re-opening of the organizations that had been shut down (associations, foundations, television channels). The Commission, therefore, remains active.

On July 24, 2018, Parliament passed the new Anti-terror Law No. 7145, which amended existing laws to effectively deal with the fight against terror after the state of emergency ended by strengthening the authorities’ powers to detain suspects and impose public order.

Presidential Decree No. 17, published on September 13, 2018, amended the previous Presidential Decree No. 1, which was passed on July 10, 2018, by abolishing the Department of Associations and establishing a Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society under the Ministry of Interior.

On October 1, 2018, the Regulation on Associations was amended, making it mandatory for associations to notify public institutions about their membership. Before this amendment, only the name and surname of the chairperson of the Board of the association and statistical information, such as the number of the members as real person and legal entities and their gender, was requested. In addition, on March 26, 2020, the Law on Associations was amended, and the regulation became law. With the regulation, associations were obliged to notify the local authority of the status of individuals who were accepted as members of the association or who quit or were removed from the membership, as well as their personal data, such as name, surname, identity number, profession, within 30 days. This regulation is against the fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the Constitution and the right to protection of personal data and is contrary to the principles of the ECHR and the ICCPR.

Following the entry into force of the new regulation, İnsan Hakları Derneği (Human Rights Association) and Mülkiyeliler Birliği Derneği (Association of Ankara University Political Science Graduates Alliance) applied to the Council of State for the annulment of the relevant articles, claiming that mandatory notification of members interferes with the freedom of association; that it is not clear for what purpose this information will be used; that the right to protect personal data will be violated; and that fundamental rights and freedoms can only be limited based on a law. In October 2021, the 10th Chamber of the Council of State ruled in favor of the plaintiff CSOs and canceled the relevant articles of the Regulation on Associations. Although the relevant articles of the Regulation have been canceled by a judicial decision, the obligation to notify the members of the association continues because it was added to the Associations Law on March 26, 2020.

In 2019, the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), a department under the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, published a guide called “Avoiding the Abuse of the Nonprofit Organizations by the Plots of Terrorist Financing.” The guide details suspicious financial transaction types that may indicate CSO involvement in terror financing and supposedly aims to distinguish between civil society activities and terrorist financing. However, it has been criticized as another move to discredit CSOs.

In March 2020, the Ministry of Health started to implement precautions to avoid the spreading of COVID-19. The Ministry of Interior also published a decree regarding the obligation for general assemblies, activities, trainings and other meetings of CSOs to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction was adopted and entered into force on December 31, 2020. The law was adopted in a speedy process without consultation with civil society and other stakeholders. The main reasoning of the law is to comply with international standards in the fight against the financing of terrorism and laundering offenses in light of the 2019 report of the FATF and the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. However, it goes beyond the FATF and severely restricts the operation of CSOs.

Articles 7-10 amend the Law on Collection of Aid No. 2860, and provide for the following:

• Article 7 of the law provides that online aid campaigns are included within the scope of Law No. 2860. This means that receiving permission to launch online aid campaigns have become obligatory. According to this new amendment, when an unauthorized online aid campaign is detected, the relevant governorship and Ministry of Interior will be authorized to request removal of the content within 24 hours or to apply to the magistrate of peace for a blocking order if the campaign provider cannot be reached or notification cannot be delivered due to technical reasons.
• Article 10 provides for an administrative fine on violations of the Law on Collection of Aid from 5,000 TL to 100,000 TL. In case of an unauthorized collection of aid on the internet, the prescribed lower and upper limits of fines are doubled. Those who aid and abet in any unauthorized aid collection will be also sanctioned with an administrative fine of 5,000 TL if they do not end this activity despite a notice.
• Article 8 provides that procedures and principles regarding the aid provided domestically and abroad shall be regulated with a by-law.
• Article 9 provides that those assigned to conduct the audit for the collection of aid activities are authorized to request relevant information and documents from natural persons and legal entities, including banks as well as public institutions and organizations. According to this article, those who are requested cannot avoid giving information and documents by relying the provisions in relevant laws.

Seven articles, from Articles 11 to 17, amend the Law on Associations No. 5253.

• Article 11 provides that associations and foundations which have headquarters abroad become subject to the provisions of Law No. 5253 on Associations.
• Article 12 provides that those convicted of crimes within the scope of the Law on the Prevention of Financing of Terrorism No. 6415 or of crimes of drug trafficking and money laundering are prohibited from sitting on anybody of associations other than the general assembly, even if the sentences of those persons were pardoned. In the event that a prosecution is initiated against the board members or staff of associations with regards to the aforementioned crimes, Article 15 allows the Minister of Interior to suspend the individuals or the bodies that the relevant individuals hold as a temporary measure. According to this amendment, the Minister of Interior can immediately apply to the civil courts of first instance to request a temporary suspension of activities of the association when the aforementioned ‘temporary measure’ is deemed as inefficient.
• Article 13 provides that the scope of the audit for associations is expanded, and the audits of associations are to be carried out by public servants annually, according to the risk assessments to be performed.
• Article 14 provides for notification of the relevant administrative authority prior to receiving aid remitted abroad to Türkiye becomes
• Article 16 provides for penalties to be imposed for failure to show various kinds of information, documents, and records and allow a visit to the administrative places, establishments, and their annexes upon the request of the supervisory board members of the association (internal audit) or relevant government officials (external audit);
• Article32(k) provides penalties if mandatory documents kept by the associations are unreadable or lost for any reason, and this is not notified to the competent court of a place where a headquarters of the association is operating, and for breaching the obligation to notify about aid sent abroad and aid received from abroad.
• Article 17 provides for the law to become applicable to branches of associations, governing organizations of associations and foundations, and branches of associations and foundations which have headquarters abroad and permission to operate and develop cooperation in Türkiye.

Türkiye was on the agenda of Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) October 19-22, 2021 plenary meeting. FATF has grey-listed Türkiye for its failure to make sufficient efforts to combat money laundering and terror financing and to ensure that supervision does not disrupt or discourage legitimate CSO activity. Since then, several actions have been taken by the Turkish authorities, including meetings with CSOs, training of public employees, and encouragement of self-regulation. Despite these actions, CSOs still suffer from shrinking civic space.

Amnesty Turkey published a briefing paper, “Turkey: Terrorism financing law has immediate ‘chilling effect’ on civil society,” which reflects the views of representatives of CSOs regarding the early impact of Law. No. 7262. Amnesty Turkey emphasized that the measures introduced by Law No. 7262 and the prevailing political climate in Türkiye, which is marked by increasing repression of civil society, have created a “chilling effect” on CSOs that inhibits them from carrying out their legitimate work due to fears of falling afoul of these measures. It also notes that the lack of consultation with CSOs ahead of the law’s passage and an accompanying lack of legal clarity and foreseeability about its implementation, which have caused deep concern among CSOs and their members. This has caused many CSOs to take pre-emptive actions that have adversely affected their fundraising activities and their willingness to cooperate and collaborate with other organizations, particularly international institutions and donors. CSOs also have difficulty in finding Board members due to fear of potential repercussions and the risk of criminal prosecution. Burdensome audits also distract CSOs from their work.

The Regulation Amending the Regulation on Associations was published in the Official Gazette numbered 31635 and dated February 21, 2021. According to the Amendment:

Associations can now hold online general assemblies and board meetings with electronic systems approved by the Ministry’s General Directorate of Information Technologies. The personal data to be processed in the systems has to be processed and stored according to the relevant provisions of the Turkish Data Protection Law.

From this point onwards, aid provided abroad (in addition to aid received from abroad) is also subject to notification to authorities prior to the money transfer. The transfer must be conducted through banks, other financial institutions, or a post and Telegraph Company. After the transaction, notification must be made to authorities within 90 days.

Public officials who will be provided certificates at the end of a training program will be able to audit, as well as those who work in the units of public officials under the supervision of the association. In emergency cases, no certificate will be required.

Audits of associations will be carried out according to a risk assessment. A risk assessment will be made within the scope of combating laundering of assets arising from crime against associations and financing of terrorism by the General Directorate of Associations. Principles regarding risk assessments and audits will be determined by the General Directorate of Associations. Risk groups will be determined as high, medium and low. Low risk associations will only be audited if a need arises; otherwise no audit is required.

This regulation has been criticized by CSOs due to lack of information regarding the recordings of online meetings, whether or not these recordings will be accessed by the authorities. Moreover, there is still insufficient information about the risk assessment process and criteria for risk categorization. Lastly, there is no reference in the Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction to any regulation regarding the risk assessment.

Following this change in the Regulation on Associations, the Regulation Amending the Regulation on Principles and Procedures of Aid Collection was published in the Official Gazette and numbered 31655 and dated October 11, 2021. According to the Amendment, the difference between donation and aid was redefined. Although these terms were separately defined, there should be no difference between aid and donation because it should not matter whether the donation comes without asking or through a campaign or call. This is a superficial distinction.

On April 22, 2022, the parliament adopted the Law on Sport Clubs and Sport Federations (No: 7405) that allows sports clubs and sport federations to transform their status from an association into a corporation. While approximately 20,000 sports clubs and sports federations have changed their status into a corporation, the number of registered associations in Türkiye decreased from 121,978 to 101,823 accordingly.

On July 29, 2020, Türkiye’s Parliament passed a bill amending Law No. 5651 on Regulating Internet Publications and Combating Crimes Committed by Means of Such Publications (known as the “Social Media Law” or the “Censorship Law”). Nearly one year later, the government then began preparing a new social media regulation on May 27, 2022, when the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) introduced a draft bill to amend the penal code and press and internet laws. They argued that the bill’s aim would be combating disinformation in the media and on the internet. The parliament adopted the legislative proposal on October 14, 2022. Although the legal amendment did not explicitly define what “disinformation” or “misleading information” is, it adds a new offense to the Penal Code of a prison sentence of one to three years for anyone who intentionally spreads “misleading information” (“those who publicly distribute information which is not really related with the security of the country inside or outside, public order or public health with the purpose of creating concern, fear or panic among the people in a manner that domestic peace.”). Journalists, lawyers and dissidents state that the law will lead to arbitrary investigations and intimidate and silence citizens and, therefore, it violates the freedom of expression.

In addition, internet news portals are now recognized as news publications, which are obliged to publish their contact information in an easily accessible way so that the chief public prosecutor’s office will be able to request to correct an information or news. Social network providers also are now obliged to notify Information Technologies and Communication Institution of information such as the number of their members, the number and time of voice calls and messages etc.

The Constitutional Court cancelled some articles of Law No. 7262 (The Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction) that had amended the Law on Aid Collection and the Law on Associations. As a result, the following articles of Law on Aid Collection No. 260 ceased to have affect:

• The authorization of the relevant governorship and Ministry of Interior to request removal of the unauthorized online aid campaign content within 24 hours or to apply to the magistrate of peace for a blocking order if the campaign provider cannot be reached or notification cannot be delivered due to technical reasons.
• Procedures and principles regarding the aid provided domestically and abroad shall be regulated with a by-law.
• Those assigned to conduct the audit for the collection of aid activities authorize to request relevant information and documents from natural persons and legal entities, including banks as well as public institutions and organizations.

The Constitutional Court also cancelled the article of Law on Associations No. 5253 that provides for the prosecution of the board members or staff of associations with regards to the crimes within the scope of the Law on the Prevention of Financing of Terrorism No. 6415 or of crimes of drug trafficking and money laundering. The Minister of Interior may suspend the individuals or the bodies that the relevant individuals hold as a temporary measure. The Minister of Interior can immediately apply to the civil courts of first instance to request a temporary suspension of activities of the association when the aforementioned ‘temporary measure’ is deemed as inefficient.

Following the Constitutional Court’s cancellation of certain provisions in the Law on Associations and the Law on Aid Collection, the General Directorate of Civil Society Relations (STİGM) responded by preparing two draft legislative proposals aimed at addressing the resulting legal gaps. In August 2024, STİGM published these drafts on its website, seeking input from civil society organizations. The next step is expected to involve the submission of these proposals to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) for further legislative action.

In December 2024, the new decision of the Constitutional Court (AYM) that annulled the phrase “not exceeding one year” in Article 10 of the Law on Aid Collection was published in the Official Gazette. The phrase stipulated that decisions to extend the permission to collect aid should be made on an annual basis. The constitutional Court’s evaluation focused on the consequences of the imposition of a time limit on the extension of aid collection activities in terms of basic freedoms and rights. In this framework, it ruled that the time limit imposed on the extension of the authorization period did not comply with the principle of proportionality in terms of its purpose.

In June 2024, Türkiye was removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

There are a number of national laws affecting the civil society sector:

• Law 5253: Associations Law on Associations
• Law 5737: Law on Foundations
• Law 4721: Civil Code
  • Associations: Articles 56-100
  • Foundations: Article 101-117
• Law 8965: Penal Code
• Law 5326: Law on Misdemeanor
• Law 2860: Law on Collection of Aid
• Law 2911: Law on Meetings and Demonstrations
• Law 4982: Law on Right to Information
• Law 4962: Law on the Amendment to Certain Laws and Tax Exemption for Law on Foundations
• Law 6102: Commercial Law
• Law 193: Income Tax Law
• Law 5520: Corporate Tax Law
• Law 213: Tax Procedure Law
• Law 1319: Property Tax law
• Law 488: Stamp Tax Law
• Law 3065: VAT Law
• Law 1606: Law on the Exemption of Certain Associations and Institutions from Certain Taxes, All Fees and Dues
• Law 5072: Law on the Relations of Public Institutions with Associations and Foundations
• Law 4641: Law on the Establishment and Functioning of the Economic and Social Council
• Law 3335: Law on Establishment of International Organizations
• Law 5018: Public Financial Administration and Control
• Law 3713: Prevention of Terrorism Law
• Law 6698: Law on Protection of Personal Data
• Law 7262: Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Pending NGO Legislative / Regulatory Initiatives

1. The government plans to pass a law to regulate the crime of ‘agents of influence’ by expanding the scope of the crime of ‘espionage’ in the Penal Code. It was proposed as an article within the omnibus bill that was submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) on October 18, 2024, and subsequently passed by the TBMM’s Justice Commission. It had alarmed CSOs, human rights groups, journalists, bar associations, and the political opposition because the enactment of the draft will also pave the way for further shrinking of the civic space and will deteriorate the execution of the fundamental rights, especially for freedom of speech on media and academia, arts, and politics as well.

There were 93 CSOs, including Amnesty International Türkiye, that issued a joint statement and many other organizations, including TÜSİAD and TÜSEV, published their own statements calling for the withdrawal of the article. Following the significant public and political opposition, the concerning article was withdrawn from the bill on November 13, 2024. The article (Article 339/A) had proposed prison sentence of three to seven years for anyone found guilty of committing a crime against state security or political interests in alignment with the strategic interests or instructions of a foreign state or organization. It was also proposed that if the crime is committed during wartime or by individuals working within units, projects, facilities, or institutions of strategic importance for national security the penalty is proposed to be increased. Since this regulation vaguely defines the crime, anyone critical of the government can fall under this definition. It also poses a great risk, especially for CSOs and media outlets receiving foreign funding, because their statements, monitoring, and research activities may be considered within this scope. The legislative proposal is expected to be resubmitted to parliament in the near future. However, the party officials announced that the article will be reviewed and discussed with opposition parties and a new proposal may be introduced to the TBMM after building consensus. Yet especially CSOs and press organizations have still expressed their persistent opposition to the resubmission of the proposal, especially by reminding that ‘the disinformation law’ adopted in 2022, was instrumentalized to intimidate political opposition, civil society and especially journalists.

2. The government has been preparing legislation related to volunteering through various ministries for some time. However, CSOs are concerned that the legislation could create a chilling effect on voluntary activities due to excessive regulation and oversight. On the other hand, the Strengthened Civic Engagement for Enhancing Democratic Local Governance in Turkey Project (Civic Engagement Project), which is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the European Union, with the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (UMT) as the main beneficiary and the Ministry of Interior Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society (DGRSC) as the co-beneficiary, is being carried out from January 2023 to September 2025. One of the activities of this project has been identified as the development of legislative proposals on volunteering in Türkiye, with stakeholders participating in the legislative preparation. However, since this process does not guarantee that the legislation will address the concerns of civil society, these CSOs are closely monitoring the process.

3. According to a leaked draft law, which is based on the 4th Judicial Reform Strategy Document prepared by the Ministry of Justice and aims to amend the Criminal Code and Civil Code, any person who publicly encourages, praises, or promotes attitudes and behaviors contrary to ‘innate biological sex’ and ‘public morality’ will be sentenced to imprisonment for one to three years. If the draft is adopted, CSOs and human rights defenders advocating for LGBTI+ rights or gender equality could face legal proceedings. Following the leak, numerous CSOs called for the draft not to be submitted to the parliament, arguing that the amendments would inevitably lead to violations of the freedom of association. Furthermore, the draft would paves the way for the criminalization and punishment of activities across various fields, including art, academia and the press, by labeling them as ‘encouraging behaviors and attitudes contrary to biological sex and public morality.’

Please help keep us informed; if you are aware of pending initiatives, write to ICNL at ngomonitor@icnl.org.

Organizational Forms

There are two legal forms of CSOs in Türkiye: associations and foundations. Article 33 of the Constitution grants the right to form these entities. These organizations must be not-for-profit establishments. Article 56 of the Civil Code states, “An association is defined as a society formed by unity of at least seven real persons or legal entities for realization of a common object other than sharing of profit by collecting information and performing studies for such purpose.” Article 101 of the Civil Code defines foundations as “charity groups in the status of a legal entity formed by real persons or legal entities dedicating their private property and rights for public use.”

Public Benefit Status

“Public benefit” (for associations) and “tax exemption” (for foundations) statuses are vaguely defined, and the decision-making process is highly political and the privileges that the statuses provide are very limited.

Article 19 of the Presidential Decree Law No. 703 of July 2, 2018, which amended Article 27 of the Associations Law and Article 57 of the Decree Law No. 698 of July 2, 2018, authorized the President to grant public benefit status to associations and foundations. Prior to this amendment, the Council of Ministers had the authority to grant public benefit status to eligible CSOs based on the opinion of the Ministry of Finance and the proposal of the Ministry of the Interior. Under the previous system, the selection process was highly bureaucratic and political at times and was not guided by an autonomous, transparent, and easily accessible institution. Furthermore, the procedures for these statuses were not clearly defined with a list of the selection criteria, and the conditions for gaining public benefit and tax exemption statuses differed.

Presidential decrees did not bring substantial changes in the decision-making process for determining public benefit status for CSOs. Notably, while the law in Türkiye provides for public benefit status for CSOs, only a very limited number of organizations have been granted public benefit status. According to the most recent data provided by public institutions, there are 332 tax-exempt foundations out of 6,094 foundations in Türkiye. The ratio of the number of tax exempt foundations to the total number remained similar (5.4%) to previous years. As of March 2025, 363 associations with public benefit status constituted only 0.36% of the total number of 101,126 active associations.

At the end of 2024, amendments were made to the General Communiqué (Series no: 1) on the Provision of Tax Exemption to Foundations. Within the scope of these amendments, the transfers made by a foundation to their economic enterprises are not considered as expenses related to the purpose even though the economic enterprises operate for foundation’s purpose. This rule makes it harder to meet the requirement for foundations to “spend at least two-thirds of their annual income within the year in which it is generated” in order to maintain tax exempt status. Furthermore, the requirement of having certain limit of income generating assets and annual income, which was previously a criterion only for obtaining for tax exempt status, has now been transformed into a mandatory condition that must be met each year to maintain this status. These changes have made it more challenging for foundations to obtain and retain tax exempt status.

Public Participation

While the National Development Plan and the Annual Presidential Program emphasize the importance of participation in decision-making processes, there is no policy or strategy that defines and encourages cooperation and participation modalities. The Regulation on the Procedures and Principles of Drafting Legislation includes provisions on CSO participation in decision-making processes, but these provisions do not make consultation mandatory.

Marginalized communities have also been targeted with lawsuits. For example, two lawsuits were filed in 2022 against the Association for Supporting Tarlabasi Community, which had been carrying out activities to empower the people living in Tarlabasi in the face of exclusion, poverty, and inequality, and to improve their awareness about their rights. One lawsuit demanded the termination of the association on the ground that it was “impossible to achieve the association’s objectives”, and the other lawsuit was for the annulment of the association. The lawsuits, in which a total of twelve hearings were held for the last two years, continued as of February 2025.

In the hearings held in May 2024, the court had decided to reject the lawsuit for the termination of association, while the lawsuit for the annulment of the association had been postponed to October 2024. In 2024, following a costly administrative fine imposed to the association, criminal proceedings were filed against two members of the association’s executive board and its office was also sealed on October 8, 2024 on the grounds that it was operating without a license. In the 9th hearing of the closure case held on October 21, 2024, the lawyer of the Ministry of Interior requested that the file be sent to a committee, which included an expert on the Law on Associations and a pedagogue or psychologist expert to evaluate whether the association’s publications harmed children. The court decided to evaluate the Ministry’s request after the conclusion of the ongoing criminal case against the two executives of the association and adjourned the hearing to March 17, 2025.

Barriers to Entry

Article 33 of the Constitution on associations and foundations protects freedom of association. It states that everyone is free to establish associations without permission, that anyone may become a member of associations or give up membership, and that no one can be forced to become or stay as a member of any association. Individuals and legal persons with legal capacity have the right to establish CSOs. There are certain restrictions in special laws applicable to the members of the Turkish Armed Forces, the police force, and civil servants.

The registration process for associations and foundations is regulated by the Law on Associations and the Law on Foundations. To register an association, seven citizens and/or foreigners holding residency permits must apply to the provincial office of the Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society with the necessary list of documents. No registration fee is required. As soon as the association starts official procedures, it is assumed that the association is already founded and can start its activities. The Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society has up to 60 days to review the application. If the administration decides there are missing documents, or the application of association violates the existing rules and regulations, the association is given 30 days to rectify the problem. In addition to Article 62, which requires the general assembly to be held within the first six months, newly founded associations are expected to have 16 members and form their mandatory organs (executive board, internal auditing committee, and general assembly) within six months.

The registration of foundations is more complicated. To establish a foundation, there should be assets (all types of immovable and movable property, including cash, securities and bonds, and rights that have an economic value) allocated for the specified purpose of the foundation. The Council of Foundations, highest decision-making body of the General Directorate of Foundations, determines the minimum asset value applicable on the establishment of a foundation on an annual basis. As of 2025, the minimum value is set at 2,000,000 TL (approximately $54,855). Foundations are founded by a charter verified by a court. This charter contains information on the title, purpose, assets, and rights to attain its goals, as well as organs and applicable administrative procedures. The foundation is granted legal personality when it is approved by the court and registered by the General Directorate of Foundations. The timeline for establishing a foundation varies depending on the workload of the courts.

The Law on Associations contains vague limitations (e.g. general morality, public order) that invite the exercise of excessive governmental discretion into the activities of CSOs, particularly at the time of registration. According to Article 56 of the Turkish Civil Code, “No association may be formed for an object contrary to the laws and morality.” Article 101 of the Civil Code states that the “formation of a foundation contrary to the characteristics of the Republic defined by the Constitution, Constitutional rules, laws, ethics, national integrity and national interest, or with the aim of supporting a distinctive race or community, is restricted.”

According to implementing regulations for the Law on Associations, associations seeking office space within residential buildings must secure the permission of all residents living in the building—a requirement that is burdensome at best, and in some cases practically impossible. The failure to secure office space may be a barrier to the process of registration for associations. Additionally, associations are not allowed to utilize shared offices with another legal entity or a natural person. The restriction on shared offices does not have a statutory basis, but it has arisen from an opinion of law department of Ministry of Interior.

To form a federation or a confederation, the Law on Associations requires a minimum of five and three organizations, respectively, to come together. Problematically, however, the law requires that member organizations must have the “same purpose,” which is unnecessarily limiting.

Foreign organizations are subjected to serious bureaucratic hurdles when opening a branch office in Türkiye. Permission must be granted by the Ministry of Interior upon the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to operate or open a branch office in Türkiye. The legislation does not provide a time limit for the Ministry of Interior to respond to foreign CSOs’ applications to operate in Türkiye. According to the guidelines published by the Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society, the conclusion period of foreign CSOs’ applications varies depending on the field of activity of the CSO, the region where the activities will be carried out, the origin country, and their international recognition, among other things. Under Article 22 of the Regulation on Associations, the establishment of branches and representative offices by foreign foundations in Türkiye is subject to the reciprocity condition and is restricted to situations deemed beneficial for cooperation on an international level. As of November 2024, 119 foreign CSOs were listed as permitted to work in Türkiye.

There was been a sharp decline in the number of association members from 11,239,693 in 2017 to 8,146,674 in June 2020. This decline may partially be due to the member notification requirement which came into effect in 2018. Authorities explain the decline with the death or resignation of existing members of CSOs, and the deletion of double-recordings by the headquarters and branches of CSOs. The statistics of association members were not available covering the period 2020-2023 in the official website of General Directorate of Relations with Civil Society. Yet it has been available since mid-2023, and according to the data, the number of association members was 8,019,270. Moreover, the regulations requiring the disclosure of personal data upon joining associations discourage potential new members. Besides this, on April 22, 2022, the Parliament adopted the Law on Sport Clubs and Sport Federations (No: 7405), which allows sports clubs and sport federations to transform their status from an association into a corporation. Approximately 20,000 sports clubs and sports federations have changed their status into a corporation, and the number of registered associations in Türkiye declined accordingly.

Barriers to Operational Activity

Permissible purposes. Legislation does not explicitly limit the purposes of associations and foundations. However, Law No. 4721 of the Civil Code states associations and foundations “cannot adopt a purpose or aim that is contradictory with law or morality.” Associations and foundations are not prohibited from directly engaging in political activities, but rights-based CSOs reportedly face more government interference in practice than others.

Internal Affairs. Associations are required to maintain four ‘books’ and are subject to sanctions for failing to “duly” keep these books and to fulfill notification requirements on time. Additionally, CSOs must complete standard forms before receiving or utilizing foreign funding and opening new branches or offices. (See “Barriers to Resources” for more details.)

Counter-terrorism measures. The Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction No. 7262 entered into force on December 31, 2020. The main justification for the law is to conform Turkish law with international standards in the fight against terrorist financing and money laundering, in light of the 2019 report of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The Law mandates changes in various laws, including the Law on Collection of Aid and the Law on Associations, and will significantly undermine the freedom of association and operation of CSOs. In the event that a prosecution is initiated against the board members or staff of associations with regards to terrorist financing, money laundering, and drug trafficking crimes, the Law allows the Minister of Interior to suspend the individuals or the organs that the relevant individuals hold as a temporary measure. The Minister of Interior also can immediately apply to civil courts to ask for a temporary suspension of activities of the association. Many CSOs opposed the new law, including through a joint statement named #siviltoplumsusturulamaz (#civilsocietycannotbesilenced) to explain CSOs’ concerns about the law. Thus far, a large number of CSOs working in the field of human rights and other receiving funds from abroad have been subjected to inspections. Some of these inspections have been repetitive and cumbersome and have impeded overall operations. CSOs further reported minor penalties but one CSO had to undergo a court process, which could culminate in termination.

With the amendment to the Regulation on Associations on October 10, 2021, the risk analysis conducted by DGRCS is essential for association audits, and the risk analysis and evaluation criteria will be reviewed annually. Associations are expected to be categorized as low, medium, and high-risk based on the assessment of the risks of their assets that are proceeds from money laundering and financing terrorism. Accordingly, associations in the medium and high-risk categories are subject to audits as deemed necessary based on annual evaluations, while associations in the low-risk category are audited based on requests from judicial and administrative authorities, complaints, or administrative obligations. However, due to the lack of cooperation with CSOs and insufficient guidance by DGRCS, CSOs find the regulations restrictive and vague. Moreover, DGRCS has not informed CSOs about which risk group they are in, and prolonged inspections, multiple inspections per year, and the imposition of fines without prior notification to correct mistakes have persisted.

Although Türkiye quickly enacted Law No. 7262 without any consultation with CSOs to avoid being included in the FATF gray list, the country still was included in the gray list in October 2021. However, the assessment published by the FATF in July 2023 highlighted that Türkiye has taken positive steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime that it would be re-rated from “compliant” to “largely compliant.” In June 2024, the country was removed from the FATF’s grey list.

According to the fact sheet on Human Rights Violations Data in Türkiye, which was published by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) and Human Rights Association (HRA), as of December 10, 2024, at least 76 people who were members or executives of various associations, foundations, unions, professional organizations, initiatives, and platforms were detained. Among them, 22 were arrested, while 15 were released under judicial control. At least 404 members and executives of various associations, foundations, unions, professional organizations, initiatives, and platforms were prosecuted in 92 previously filed cases. While 49 people were acquitted, 84 were sentenced to prison for varying durations.

Notable examples of restrictions on CSO operations in 2024 and 2025 include the following:

1. In Diyarbakır, police raided the Mesopotamia Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER), Anka Language and Art Education Cooperative, and Payîz Pirtûk bookstore on September 24, 2024. Several employees of the association were detained as part of an investigation conducted by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The door of the MED-DER building was broken down and the search in the building lasted for about three hours. During the search, Kurdish language education books, magazines, and hard disks from the association’s computers were seized. While 29 detainees were released under judicial control, Rıfat Ronî’, the former chairperson of the association, was arrested on charges of “membership in an illegal organization”. Ronî’s first hearing was held on December 17, 2024 at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.

2. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Interior decided to freeze the assets of Göçizder (Migration Monitoring Association) and some of the former chairpersons of the association, with their closure case still ongoing. The former chairpersons of the association, whose assets were frozen, had previously been tried and acquitted on charges of financing a terrorist organization and membership in a terrorist organization. In December 2024, the court ruled to dissolve the association in a hearing on the closure of Göçizder.

3. On January 9, 2025, the Nature-Friendly Community at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University had reportedly been shut down by the university administration after protesting the rectorate’s decision to demolish the care area for animals on campus.

4. On January 31, 2025, the Turkish Parliament enacted amendments to the law governing the State Supervisory Council (DDK). These changes expanded the DDK’s authority to include oversight of public benefit associations and tax-exempt foundations. Notably, DDK inspectors, upon authorization from the President, can now suspend public officials without a court order under specific conditions, such as actions hindering inspections, potential increase of public harm if the official remains in position, suspicion of evidence tampering, or if their continued service is deemed detrimental to public duties.

5. The Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office indicted İstanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu and 10 board members for terrorism-related offenses over a statement on the deaths of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin in a drone strike in northern Syria. The indictment claims Daştan and Bilgin were PKK militants and accuses the bar association of falsely portraying them as journalists. Prosecutors allege the statement “disturbed public order” and “legitimized the use of force, violence, or threats by a terrorist organization.” The prosecution has sought prison terms of three to 12 years for “terrorist propaganda” (Anti-Terror Law, Article 7/2) and “publicly disseminating misleading information” (Turkish Penal Code, Article 217/A). Subsequently, İstanbul Bar Association board member Av. Fırat Epözdemir was arrested on January 25, 2025. His detention was based on events from a decade earlier, with evidence allegedly fabricated from a case that had already been dismissed with a final non-prosecution decision. The first hearing of the trial will be held on March 4, 2025.

6. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on February 11, 2025 targeting nine municipalities governed by the main opposition party, CHP, in Istanbul, resulting in the detention of 10 individuals. In its statement, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office alleged that the detainees acted within the framework of ‘urban consensus’ under the instructions of a ‘terrorist organization’ during the March 31, 2024, local elections, aiming to enhance the organization’s influence in metropolitan areas. The ‘urban consensus’ was a legitimate election alliance formed between CHP and the DEM Party for the 2024 local elections. The detained municipal officials were arrested, sparking reactions from all opposition parties. Numerous CSOs issued statements condemning the arrests as unlawful, asserting that they violated election security and the right to vote and be elected.

7. On the morning of February 18, 2025, 52 people, including journalists, CSO representatives and politicians, were taken into custody following raids on their homes. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that the detentions were carried out as part of an investigation into the People’s Democratic Congress. The detainees were accused of participating in the founding of the People’s Democratic Congress, which is a civil-political alliance. After four days of detention, 30 of those people brought before the court were arrested. Among those arrested were five journalists working for critical media outlets or as independent reporters. Political parties, press and professional organizations, and CSOs stated that legitimate civil and political activities do not constitute a crime and condemned the arrests as unlawful and a violation of freedom of association and freedom of expression.

Barriers to Speech / Advocacy

Article 25 of the Constitution states that “Everyone has the freedom of thought and opinion. No one shall be compelled to reveal his/her thoughts and opinions for any reason or purpose; nor shall anyone be blamed or accused because of his/her thoughts and opinions.” According to Article 26, freedom of expression may be restricted for the purposes of “national security, public order, public safety, safeguarding the basic characteristics of the Republic and the indivisible integrity of the State with its territory and nation, preventing crime, punishing offenders, withholding information duly classified as a state secret, protecting the reputation or rights and private and family life of others, or protecting professional secrets as prescribed by law, or ensuring the proper functioning of the judiciary.”

Since 2013, however, the freedom of expression has been under increasing threat in Türkiye through arbitrary and restrictive legislative interpretations, pressure, and dismissals and frequent court cases against journalists, writers, and social media users. The number of people in Türkiye prosecuted and convicted for “insulting the president” has risen sharply. The Ministry of Justice published its report based on data from judicial units. According to the report, the number of files at the Chief Public Prosecutor Office in 2023 on allegations of “insulting the president” and “degrading the symbols of state sovereignty” was 25,520.

Türkiye’s Constitutional Court ruled that disciplinary penalties given by universities to members of the Academics for Peace, who have been dismissed from their positions in universities through decrees after signing a 2016 petition calling on Turkish authorities to initiate a peaceful solution to the Kurdish Turkish conflict, had violated their right to freedom of speech and expression. This is the second time that the Court ruled that there was a violation of rights of the academics. Accordingly, the Court ordered authorities to pay the academics non-pecuniary damages.

According to the 2024 statistics of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), a total of 28,800 applications were allocated to a judicial process against 47 European countries. Türkiye accounted for the highest percentage of pending applications, with 35.8% of the total. Specifically, there were 21,600 pending applications concerning Türkiye. In 2024, the ECHR delivered 1,102 judgments, 73 of which concerned Türkiye, making it the third most frequently judicated country that year. Of these 73 judgments, at least one violation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was found in 67 cases. The most frequently violated article was Article 5, which guarantees the right to liberty and security. The second most frequently violated right was freedom of expression, protected under Article 10 of the Convention.

A number of reports have documented restrictions on freedom of speech and advocacy in Türkiye. For example, the Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index ranked Türkiye 158 out of 180 countries. The State of the World’s Human Rights: April 2024, which was launched by Amnesty International, covered Türkiye, and mentioned:

• Baseless investigations, prosecutions and convictions of human rights defenders, journalists, opposition politicians and others.
• Anti-terror and disinformation laws used to curtail freedom of expression.
• Freedom of peaceful assembly being unlawfully restricted.
• Discriminatory and stigmatizing rhetoric against LGBTI people and refugees and migrants increasing in the run-up to the May presidential and legislative elections.
• Victims of human rights violations by state officials continuing to face a culture of impunity.

The Human Rights Watch 2025 World Report found that in 2024 human rights violations in Türkiye persisted, with increasing pressure on freedom of expression, judicial independence, and civil society. The government continued targeting critical media outlets, imposing censorship, and tightening control over digital spaces through restrictive social media regulations. Journalists, academics, and human rights defenders faced judicial harassment, arbitrary detentions, and prolonged trials. Women’s and LGBTQ+ rights deteriorated further, particularly following Türkiye’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. Discrimination and deportation concerns regarding refugees and migrants intensified, with reports of forced returns. Additionally, security operations against Kurdish groups were accompanied by allegations of human rights abuses, raising concerns about due process and fair treatment.

According to the fact sheet on Human Rights Violations Data in Türkiye, which was published by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) and Human Rights Association (HRA), as of December 10, 2024, at least 29 journalists and media professionals were in prison in Türkiye. Between January 1 and November 30, 2024, 43 journalists were detained, 11 journalists were arrested, and one journalist was prevented from entering the country. 141 people were also detained, 40 people were arrested, and 14 people were released on judicial control conditions as a result of their social media posts. In addition, at least 20 people, including 4 journalists, were detained and investigations were launched against at least 127 people, including 15 journalists, on allegations of “publicly disseminating misleading information.” The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) further imposed penalties (such as administrative fines, suspension of a certain programs or full broadcast activities) on 25 TV outlets.

According to the BİA Media Monitoring Report, press freedom faced severe violations in 2024. At least 25 journalists and five media outlets were attacked, while 82 media representatives—mostly targeted by the MHP and affiliated groups—were threatened amid judicial inaction. Ten journalists were imprisoned, and 57 reporters and YouTubers were detained and often faced police violence and judicial control measures like travel bans and house arrest. Authorities blocked access to 3,136 news reports and imposed three broadcast bans. Three journalists were also convicted of “insulting the President,” while 17 others face up to four years and eight months in prison. By the end of 2024, five journalists (Timur Soykan, Barış Pehlivan, İsmail Arı, Ceren Sözeri, Hazal Ocak) and six media outlets were on trial in lawsuits totaling 4,015,000 liras for alleged “violations of personal rights.” For example, Halk Bankası sued BirGün Newspaper and journalist Timur Soykan for 1 million liras over an article about a 550 million lira loan to the mafia.

The most significant obstacle to freedom of expression is the vague content of certain laws and regulation in the Turkish Penal Code, particularly the Anti-Terror Law. At least 15 articles of the Turkish Penal Code and several special laws contain provisions that limit and violate freedom of expression. The most restrictive regulations are Article 301 (denigrating the Turkish nation and the state), Article 299 (insulting the President), Article 216 (inciting people to hatred and hostility) and Article 220/6 (committing crimes on behalf of an organization without being a member of the organization) of the Turkish Penal Code and Articles 6 and 7/2 (making propaganda for a terrorist organization) of the Anti-Terror Law. Furthermore, with Law No. 7418, known as the “Censorship Law”, which amended the Press Law, the restrictions on journalists in particular have increased.

In January 2024, the Constitutional Court canceled some articles of Law No. 5651 (the Internet Law). The Constitutional Court found Article 9 of the law, which allows the blocking of access and removal of content on the grounds of a “violation of personal rights”, to be unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court noted that the article subject does not provide a gradual intervention method for restricting internet content on behalf of protecting personal rights and the article does not provide procedural safeguards to prevent arbitrary behavior of public authorities. The Law, which the government referred to as the “regulation to combat disinformation” and which the opposition labeled as the “censorship law,” had been approved on October 13, 2022.

Restrictions on speech continued in 2024, including the following cases, among others:

– In August 2024, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) blocked access to Instagram from Türkiye, citing alleged violations related to catalog crimes on the social media platform. Despite this restriction, a post wishing a “Happy Friday” was briefly shared from President Erdoğan’s Instagram account before being removed. Additionally, the Director of the Presidency’s Communications Department had previously condemned Instagram for blocking posts criticizing the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Shortly after the BTK’s decision, the Constitutional Court announced via its X account that it had annulled the presidential decree granting the Communications Directorate powers to combat misinformation. This tweet was subsequently deleted, and the court’s page was later taken offline. Amid ongoing debates about Instagram’s closure, the Chair of the Turkish Grand National Assembly’s Digital Media Commission described the related TikTok issue as a national security matter and claimed that the public demands TikTok’s closure. Instagram was reinstated in August 2024 by BTK after being inaccessible for eight days.

– The RTÜK revoked Açık Radyo’s license on October 16, 2024, after three decades of operation on terrestrial radio. Before the license revocation, a fine and a five-day program ban were issued by RTÜK on May 22, 2024 in response to statements made during a program aired on April 24, the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, in which a guest had referred to the “109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide” and mentioned a ban on commemorating events. RTÜK cited these remarks as the basis for its penalty. Despite the penalty, Açık Radyo continued its broadcasts and paid the first installment of the fine while filing a lawsuit to halt RTÜK’s enforcement. In response, RTÜK suspended the station’s terrestrial license on July 3, 2024, for its alleged non-compliance. Although Ankara’s 21st Administrative Court initially supported Açık Radyo’s appeal, the court later reversed this decision on August 8, 20242. RTÜK acted swiftly, enforcing the license cancellation on August 11 without waiting for an appeal process. The license revocation took full effect on October 16, and the station was forced to halt terrestrial broadcasts. Açık Radyo’s shutdown resonated deeply within Turkey’s civil society and among its listeners, with hundreds gathering outside the station’s office during its final broadcast on Oct 16, and listeners organized social media campaigns under the hashtag #AcıkRadyoSusturulamaz against the decision.

– On November 26, 2024, nine journalists, CSO representatives, as well as writers, poets, filmmakers, and cartoonists from different cities were detained by police and transferred to Eskişehir. The investigation, led by the Eskişehir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, accuses the detainees of “membership in a terrorist organization,” “terror propaganda,” and “financing terrorism.” After four days in detention, seven of them were released, while a journalist and a teacher remained under arrest.

​- On January 10, 2025, Akdeniz Municipality co-mayors, along with four municipal council members, were detained in Mersin’s Akdeniz district on charges including “membership in a terrorist organization,” “propaganda for a terrorist organization,” “violating the Law on the Prevention of Financing of Terrorism,” and “violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations.” On January 13, 2025, five of the six detained individuals were arrested by the Mersin 1st Criminal Court of Peace. ​Following the arrests, the Ministry of Interior suspended the mayor from his duties, appointing Akdeniz District Governor as the acting mayor (trustee). These actions led to protests and reactions from various political figures and parties, criticizing the arrests and the appointment of a trustee as an affront to the will of the people.

– ​On January 16, 2025, the Siirt 1st High Criminal Court concluded the retrial of Vetha Aydın Yüksel, a member of the Central Executive Board of the Human Rights Association (İHD) and former chair of its Siirt branch. Previously, Yüksel had been sentenced to six years and three months for alleged membership in an illegal organization. However, upon appeal, the 9th Penal Chamber of the Diyarbakır Regional Court of Justice overturned this verdict, deeming the sentence insufficient, and remanded the case for retrial. In the subsequent proceedings, the court imposed two separate sentences of six years and three months each, totaling 12 years and six months of imprisonment for Yüksel on the same charge.

– On January 20, 2025, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu participated in a panel discussion where he made remarks concerning Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. Subsequently, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation into İmamoğlu on charges of “threatening” and “targeting individuals involved in counter-terrorism efforts.”

– Birgun.net newspaper’s editorial coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with editör in chief Yaşar Gökdemir, were detained in a police raid on their homes on the night of February 8, 2025. The journalists were accused of violating Article 6 of the Anti-Terror Law, which criminalizes targeting individuals involved in counterterrorism efforts. The accusation was based on a news report published on birgun.net regarding Sabah newspaper’s news coordinator Abdurrahman Şimşek’s visit to Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. After being held in custody for a day, following their statements to the prosecutor, the journalists were released under judicial control measures.

– The talent manager Ayşe Barım was subjected to a travel ban on January 10, 2025 as part of an investigation launched against based on allegations of monopolization in the television and entertainment industry. Later, on January 24, 2025, she was detained on charges of “attempting to overthrow the government of the Republic of Türkiye or prevent it from performing its duties” based on allegations that she was one of the organizers of the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Although the draft bill on crime of “agents of influence” has not been adopted in Parliament, Barım was still accused of acting as an “influence agent”. This development has raised concerns, particularly among CSOs, media organizations, and journalists, that the draft bill on the crime of “agents of influence” might still be implemented in practice. On January 27, 2025, Barım was arrested and sent to prison under these charges. Following an appeal by her lawyers, the 8th Criminal Court of First Instance in Istanbul ruled for her release. However, upon the objection of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the 20th High Criminal Court overturned this decision and ruled for Barım’s continued detention. Following Barım’s arrest, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office began reviewing media broadcasts related to the 2013 Gezi Park protests. As part of this process, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) was instructed to identify media outlets that allegedly propagated the protests and contributed to the spread of social unrest. The prosecutor’s request poses a risk of new investigations being launched against multiple media outlets and opens the door to serious violations of freedom of expression and press freedom.

– At the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) Ordinary General Assembly Meeting in Istanbul on February 13, 2025, TÜSİAD High Advisory Council President Ömer Aras and TÜSİAD President of the Board of Directors Orhan Turan delivered opening remarks highlighting the increasing complexity and severity of social and political issues, particularly those affecting industrialists and businesspeople. Following their speeches, both TÜSİAD leaders were targeted by numerous politicians from the ruling party, including the Minister of Justice. Their remarks were accused of attempting to influence the judiciary and politics and interfering with the state. Immediately afterward, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an ex officio investigation against them on charges of “attempting to influence a fair trial” and “publicly spreading false information”. In response, TÜSİAD issued a statement affirming that the speeches aligned with the association’s mission and reiterated its emphasis on the rule of law. On February 19, in his speech at the parliament, the President of Türkiye accused TÜSİAD of inciting public unrest and attempting to provoke and pressure the state and judiciary. Just hours later, the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the detention of Orhan Turan and Ömer Aras under police supervision for questioning. The two leaders were taken from their homes and brought to the prosecutor’s office. They were then referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace with a request for judicial control measures. The judgeship ruled to impose a travel ban on both Ömer Aras and Orhan Turan as a judicial control measure. Subsequently, a lawsuit was filed against TÜSİAD President Orhan Turan and Ömer Aras on the charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information through the press and publications” and with a possible prison sentence of up to 5 years and 3 months.

Barriers to International Contact

There are no restrictions for Turkish CSOs to operate in other countries. However, when receiving/sending a grant from/to an international organization, CSOs must notify the appropriate government office. International CSOs operating in Türkiye must receive permission from the government prior to starting their activities.

Barriers to Resources

Foreign Funding

There are no limitations on foreign funding, but there is a notification requirement for foreign funding. Foundations must notify public authorities within one month after receiving the funding, while associations must notify the government before using the funding and before sending the funds.

The Regulation on Associations was amended on July 9, 2020 to require foreign foundations and associations to notify the government upon the receipt of donations in cash or in kind from abroad, even if the donation comes from its headquarters. Previously, funds originating from the headquarters were not subject to a prior notification.

There are cases where CSOs receiving foreign funding have been subjected to smear campaigns by media outlets and politicians. The enactment of the ‘agents of influence’ proposal in 2024 risks these smear campaigns easily turning into criminal investigations. This would make CSOs’ right to seek and secure funding for their activities insecure and could result in CSOs becoming more reluctant to utilize foreign funding.

Domestic Funding

CSOs face serious problems in their fundraising activities due to the highly restrictive and overly bureaucratic Law on Collection of Aid (No 1983, 23/6/1983). The Law requires permission for each fundraising activity by a CSO though an application procedure in which the CSO is requested to provide detailed information (e.g., amount of money to be raised, how it will be used, the timeframe of the activity, and where it will be conducted). The decision to grant approval or disapproval lies with the local state authority. Associations and foundations must obtain permission to collect donations in open public spaces and via internet (e.g., activities on the street, public campaigning, internet fundraising, etc.). In May 2022, the accounts of Nesin Foundation were blocked for breaching the Law of Aid Collection during a fundraising campaign for which no permit had been received. This incident highlighted the over-restrictive nature of that Law and the need for change.

While the Law on Collection of Aid does not apply to voluntary donations, and while CSOs do not have to secure an official permit to publish their bank account number on their website, most other online forms of soliciting donations are regulated. For example, associations cannot start up a SMS donation campaign or a fundraising campaign on their websites or social media accounts without getting permission. This results in a repressive environment for donation collection and income generating activities of CSOs. In addition to the challenges posed by legislation, there are also practices that make it more difficult to obtain permission to collect aid. CSOs applying for an aid collection permit, for example, have been asked to sign a protocol with the ministry regarding their area of work, even though the legislation does not require them to do so. The lack of a protocol is, moreover, used as a reason to reject the application. Certain CSOs may receive an exemption from the Law on Collection of Aid. However, as of February 2025, only 51 CSOs have such an exemption, which is strikingly few. Moreover, some of those CSOs with an exemption were founded by law and are administered by the state.

There is also a general lack of strategy and coordination among ministries, which impacts public funding. There is no regular and continuous public funding mechanism that supports the institutional infrastructure and activities of CSOs. There is also a lack of data on the total amount of annual public funding; the total budgets, modality, and forms of funding for CSOs are determined at the discretion of ministries. There is no standardized approach, code of conduct, or legislation on public funding mechanisms to support the capacities and activities of CSOs.

Economic activities of CSOs are permitted only if they are conducted by a separate corporate subsidiary. In this case, the CSO is obliged to register the subsidiary in the trade registry. Thus, the commercial enterprises of associations and foundations are treated as business corporations, and the corporate tax is levied on profits. This places burdens on CSOs that would undertake economic activities to create social benefit.

Barriers to Assembly

The legal framework for the exercise of assembly in Türkiye includes the Constitution; Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, which was adopted on October 6, 1983; the Regulation on the Implementation of Law on Meetings and Demonstrations, adopted on August, 8, 1985; Law No. 2559 on the Duties and Discretion of the Police; Law No. 3713 on The Prevention of Terrorism Acts; and Law No. 5326 on Misdemeanors.

Article 34 of the Constitution recognizes the right of citizens to organize an assembly and demonstration without having to obtain any prior authorization. However, Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations significantly limits the right to peaceful assembly with vague grounds for limitations. In accordance with Article 34 of the Constitution, rights to assembly and demonstrations may be restricted on the grounds of “preservation of national security,” “public order,” “prevention of crime,” and protection of “public morality” and “public health.” Although these restrictive measures are arguably in compliance with Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, they continue to be interpreted restrictively and in an arbitrary fashion.

Furthermore, under Article 10 of Law on Meetings and Demonstrations, all members of the organizing committee must sign a declaration 48 hour prior to the assembly and submit it to the district governor’s office during working hours. If they fail to do so, the government considers the assembly illegal and is authorized to take all measures to disperse it, which may include police intervention. The Law Amending the Law on Powers and Duties of the Police, Other Laws and Decrees, which Parliament passed in March 2015 and is widely referred to as the “Internal Security Reform Package,” strengthened police powers during demonstrations by extending police authority to detain anyone without consulting the prosecutor’s office.

In its judgment of September 28, 2017, the Constitutional Court held unconstitutional certain provisions of Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations – namely, provisions that require “ending assemblies and demonstrations before sunset and a ban on them from being carried out on public roads and not making daily lives of citizens difficult.” Law No. 7145 on the Amendment of Some Laws and Emergency Decrees, which was subsequently adopted on July 25, 2018, contains regulations on assemblies, demonstrations, and marches and replaced the phrase “meeting and walking must be dispersed before the sunset” with “to be ended one hour after the sunset of the sun, at the beginning of night time.” This amendment has been interpreted as a forward-looking change in accordance with the Constitutional Court’s decision.

Among the most significant restrictions on assemblies in 2024 in early 2025 were the following:

– In December 2024, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) and Human Rights Association (HRA) published a fact sheet on Human Rights Violations Data in Türkiye 2024. According to the data of the HRA Documentation Unit, between January 1 and November 30, 2024, law enforcement forces interfered in at least 207 peaceful meetings and demonstrations and 2,805 people, including 81 children, were detained and faced torture or other forms of ill treatment. Local governorships imposed bans on all demonstrations and events 83 times in 25 cities and in one district, with durations ranging from a minimum of one day to a maximum of 15 days.

– The police attacked trans activists who wanted to hold a press statement and march on November 20, 2024, the Day of Remembrance for Trans Victims of Hate Crimes, upon the call of Ankara Pride Week Committee. Four people, including a lawyer, were detained during the police crackdown on the march. The detainees were released after their statements were taken at the police station, and their medical examinations were coducted. Istanbul Governorate made a statement ahead of the planned marches as part of the “November 25th International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women” and announced that events on November 25-26, 2024 were banned. In the statement, it was reported that this decision was taken “based on the possibility that individuals who are sympathetic to terrorism may take part in these groups and abuse them for their own purposes.” Despite the governor’s ban, women’s organizations called for an evening gathering in Taksim’s Tünel Square. Police sealed off all side streets leading to İstiklal Avenue with barricades from midday, blocking access to the central pedestrian thoroughfare and evacuating the area. As the police did not allow gatherings in the vicinity of Taksim, groups of women moved towards the shoreline and gathered near Karaköy Pier. The police detained 169 women during and after the protest. Most of the detained women were released after their statements to the police and two of them were released after their statements to the prosecutor’s office. Five women who were referred to the court with the demand of arrest after their statements to the prosecutor’s office were released on judicial control conditions.

– On November 30 2024, nine people were arrested after protesting against President Erdoğan during his speech at the TRT World Forum for not suspending trade with Israel. The protesters were released a week later following an appeal against their arrest.

– The trial of 12 individuals, who were detained in house raids for allegedly attempting to march to Taksim during the May 1 celebrations in Istanbul, continued on January 7, 2025, at the Istanbul 25th Criminal Court of First Instance. The indictment accused them of “violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations,” “resisting law enforcement,” “intentional injury,” and “damage to property.” The court adjourned the hearing to June 24, 2025.

– In February 2025, the Gaziantep Governorship banned demonstrations across the province (including Organized Industrial Zones and the Gendarmerie Zone) for 15 days after more than 2,000 workers went on strike in the organized industrial zone. Mehmet Türkmen, the president of the Birteksen Union, who was involved in organizing the strikes, was arrested.

– A protest march to take place on February 9, 2025 on Istanbul’s Galata Bridge against the forced displacement in Gaza, which was organized by the main opposition party’s Istanbul branch, was blocked by the Istanbul Governorship. The Istanbul Governorship stated that permission was denied because the Galata Bridge is not among the designated locations for meetings and demonstration. However, the organizer of the demonstration pointed out that a similar rally on the same issue was held on January 1 on the Galata Bridge by pro-government groups and argued that the ban constituted a double standard. The protest took place at the Eminönü side of the bridge under heavy police control and restrictions.

– Similar to previous years, the government imposed numerous restrictions on gatherings and protests organized for March 8 International Women’s Day. On March 8, 2025, at least 24 women were detained in the rally in Kadıköy district in İstanbul. A day before, the Feminist Night March, which was organized for the 23^rd time, was banned in Istanbul. All public transportation lines and metro stations were closed in and around Taksim, and vehicle and pedestrian access to Taksim Square and İstiklal Avenue were blocked with barriers. The Istanbul Bar Association filed a lawsuit for the annulment of the decision of the Beyoğlu District Governorate to ban all gatherings and protests.

UN Universal Periodic Review Reports	Not available
Reports of UN Special Rapporteurs	Türkiye
European Commission Report	Türkiye 2024
U.S. State Department	2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
Fragile States Index Reports	Foreign Policy: Fragile States Index 2023
IMF Country Reports	Türkiye and the IMF
Human Rights Watch	World Report 2025
Amnesty International	Report 2024
TUSEV	Individual Giving and Philanthropy in Türkiye 2021 Tax Legislation Related to Foundations and Associations in Türkiye and Public Benefit Status: Current Situation and Recommendations Monitoring Matrix on Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development Tax Regulations Concerning Civil Society
International Center for Not-for-Profit Law Online Library	Türkiye
State of Emergency	The Expert Council on NGO Law: “Opinion on The Impact of The State of Emergency on Freedom of Association in Turkey”

While we aim to maintain information that is as current as possible, we realize that situations can rapidly change.  If you are aware of any additional information or inaccuracies on this page, please keep us informed; write to ICNL at ngomonitor@icnl.org.

Key Events

1. On April 28, 2022, Türkiye’s State Council Prosecutor determined that because Istanbul Convention was ratified by the Parliament, it cannot be annulled by a presidential decree. The President’s decision regarding the withdrawal from Istanbul Convention, therefore, was unlawful and Prosecutor requested the President’s decision be withdrawn. The President had issued the decree on March 21, 2021. However, on July 19, 2022, Türkiye’s Council of State, which is the highest administrative court in the country, ruled in favor of President’s unilateral decision. This came after a year of legal appeals filed by the leading opposition party and women’s rights groups, which urged the court to block the withdrawal.

2. On May 28, 2023, President Erdoğan won the presidential elections receiving 49.5% in the first round and 52.2 in the second round. Millet Alliance candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu received 44.9% of the votes in the first election and 47.8% in the second election. In the parliamentary elections, the AKP and MHP alliance won the parliamentary majority again.

3. Türkiye held local elections on March 31, 2024. In an unprecedented development, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) did not emerge as the leading party for the first time in its history. The Republican People’s Party (CHP) became the leading party for the first time since 1977. The CHP won a total of 35 provincial municipalities, including 14 metropolitan municipalities. Significantly, in major cities, such as Istanbul and Ankara, the CHP not only retained the mayoral positions but also gained a majority in the municipal councils. This contrasts with the previous local elections where the CHP had secured mayoralties without achieving a council majority. These results reflect a notable shift in the local political landscape and indicate changing voter dynamics and preferences across Turkey.

General News

Large crowds rally in Istanbul over jailing of Erdogan’s main rival (March 2025)
Hundreds of thousands of Turks protested in Istanbul against the jailing of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival, sustaining the largest demonstrations Turkey has seen in more than a decade. A letter from Imamoglu was read out at the rally to cheers from the crowd. The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups and some Western powers have all said the case against Imamoglu is a politicised effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan.

IBAHRI’s concern for Istanbul lawyers’ body (January 2025)
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) has expressed “deep concern” about a recent criminal investigation and lawsuit against the Istanbul Bar Association, its President İbrahim Kaboğlu, and the executive board. It has co-signed a statement calling on Turkish authorities to immediately cease legal proceedings against the Istanbul Bar Association. The statement from several legal and human-rights organisations also calls on Türkiye to respect its obligations under international law to ensure the independence of the profession and the right to freedom of expression.

İstanbul bans November 25 women’s rights demonstrations (November 2024)
Authorities in İstanbul have imposed restrictions on public transportation in Taksim ahead of planned November 25 demonstrations marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The İstanbul Governor’s Office banned all events in the Beyoğlu district, citing security concerns.

Enlargement reports 2024: Commission outlines progress and priorities for candidate countries (October 2024)
The Commission has adopted the 2024 enlargement reports, which offer a detailed assessment of the state of play and the progress made by countries seeking to join the European Union. The reports also provide guidance on key reform priorities for each country.

Instagram reopened in Turkey following 8-day ban (August 2024)
Access to Instagram was reopened in Turkey on August 10 following an eight-day ban that had begun on August 2. On the morning of August 2, Turkish authorities blocked access to the platform, citing failure to remove unlawful posts as justification for the ban. Although not explicitly stated, censoring of posts related to the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was strongly implied as the impetus for the ban.

Turkey blocks Instagram amid ‘censorship’ row (August 2024)
Turkey has blocked access to Instagram, the national communications authority said, after a top government official slammed the social media platform for “censoring” Hamas-related content. The communications authority BTK announced the block on Friday, without giving an explanation for the decision or stating the duration of the ban. The move follows comments by the Turkish presidency’s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, criticizing the Meta-owned platform for what he called its decision to block condolence posts on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Turkey approves ‘massacre law’ to remove millions of stray dogs (July 2024)
Turkish legislators have approved a law aimed at removing millions of stray dogs from the country’s streets that animal lovers fear will lead to many of the dogs being killed or ending up in neglected, overcrowded shelters. Some critics also say the law will be used to target the opposition, which made huge gains in the latest local elections. The legislation includes penalties for mayors who fail to carry out its provisions and the main opposition party has promised not to implement it.

Unlawful ban on May Day celebrations in Istanbul must be lifted (May 2024)
The Turkish authorities must urgently lift a ban on a planned May Day solidarity demonstration in Istanbul’s Taksim Square and allow people to gather in accordance with a recent ruling by Türkiye’s Constitutional Court, Amnesty International said. Trade unions, opposition parties and other civil society organizations have pledged to gather in Taksim Square despite a ban announced by the governor on April 23 and by the Minister of Interior on April 29.

Kurdish politicians convicted in unjust mass trial (May 2024)
A Turkish court’s conviction of 24 Kurdish politicians on bogus charges of crimes against the state follows a manifestly political and unjust trial, Human Rights Watch and the Turkey Human Rights Litigation Support Project said. The court sentenced the 24 politicians to prison terms ranging from 9 to 42 years, while acquitting 12 other politicians who had been on trial with them.

RSF decries draft amendment on “agents of influence” that threatens independent journalism (May 2024)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the Turkish government to abandon proposed amendment on “agents of influence” under which journalists working for internationally funded media could potentially be jailed. Such legislation would endanger independent journalism.

Turkey’s ‘Foreign Influence Agent Law’ alarms media and civil society (March 2024)
The planned “foreign influence agent law” of the Turkish government would be a major blow to rights and freedoms and take a toll on press and civil society. “Those who work on behalf of another state and create public opinion against Turkey will be put under the spotlight. Influence spying will be included in the Turkish Penal Code as a crime,” Yeni Safak wrote. This news alarmed rights groups and the opposition, since everyone critical of the government can fall under this definition.

Turkish parliament strips jailed opposition lawmaker of status (January 2024)
Turkey’s parliament stripped a jailed opposition lawmaker of his status following a judicial ruling, further complicating an unprecedented clash between two of the country’s top courts. Can Atalay, 47, was elected to parliament representing the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) – an ally of the large pro-Kurdish DEM party – while serving an 18-year prison sentence. Atalay was sentenced in April 2022 after being convicted of trying to overthrow the government by allegedly organizing the nationwide Gezi Park protests in 2013 with Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, also now jailed, and six others. The chair of Atalay’s party, Erkan Bas, branded the Court of Cassation move as “unconstitutional” and said parliament had also violated the constitution by stripping the jailed lawmaker of his status.

Türkiye elections marked by unlevel playing field yet still competitive (May 2023)
Characterized by a high turnout, Türkiye’s general elections were well-managed and offered voters a choice between genuine political alternatives, but the current president and the ruling parties enjoyed an unjustified advantage. Continued restrictions on fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression hindered the participation of some opposition politicians and parties, as well as civil society and independent media, international observers said in a statement.

Thousands dead, millions displaced: earthquake fallout in Turkey and Syria (February 2023)
Turkey’s death toll has climbed above 41,000, the country’s disaster authority has said. In Syria, already devastated by years of war, authorities have said more than 5,800 people died. According to Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s Europe director, relief workers were facing “the worst natural disaster in the region for a century”, adding that 26 million people need assistance across both countries.”

‘Disinformation’ tactics silence journalism (October 2022)
According to the BİA Media Monitoring Report of the July-August 2022 period, 126 media representatives faced trials. In the previous three months, at least five media representatives, including three women and one LGBTI+, were detained. The most important agenda of the three months was the “Disinformation Law.”

Turkey detains medical group head on ‘terrorist propaganda’ charge (October 2022)
Turkish police detained the head of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Sebnem Korur Fincanci, for allegedly “spreading terrorist group propaganda.” The state-owned Anadolu news agency said an investigation was launched over statements Fincanci made to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group-linked media last week on alleged chemical weapons use by the Turkish armed forces. The TTB described her arrest as a “political lynching” and said it was the final stage of pressure exerted by authorities on the medical group and its leaders. It demanded that she be released immediately after her statement is taken.

Turkey: Court upholds exit from treaty on violence against women (July 2022)
Turkey’s top administrative court on Tuesday ruled that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s move to pull Ankara out of a European treaty protecting women was lawful.

Turkey’s top appeals court upholds jail term for prominent opposition figure (May 2022)
Canan Kaftancioglu, the head of the CHP’s Istanbul branch, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison and was barred from politics for insulting President Erdogan and the Turkish government.

Top appeals court upholds jail term for prominent opposition figure (May 2022)
Canan Kaftancioglu, head of the CHP’s Istanbul branch, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison and was barred from politics for insulting President Erdogan and the Turkish government.

Philanthropist sentenced to life in Turkey in ‘travesty’ trial over Gezi Park protests (April 2022)
A Turkish court has sentenced a leading philanthropist to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of “attempting to overthrow the government by force” in connection with the Gezi Park anti-government protests in 2013. The court also handed out 18-year sentences to seven activists accused of assisting Kavala.

Council of Europe Congress highlights “generally degrading situation” of local democracy in Turkey (March 2022)
The 46-nation Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has reported a “generally degrading situation” with regard to local democracy in Turkey.

Osman Kavala case: Council of Europe launches proceedings against Turkey (February 2022)
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has taken a further step to launching sanctions against Turkey for not releasing philanthropist Osman Kavala. It has asked the ECHR to reexamine the case.

Erdogan tightens grip on media with circular on family values (January 2022)
A midnight circular from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls on media outlets and regulatory groups to take decisive steps to protect youth and children from Western-inspired programs and certain symbols.

Boğaziçi University students protesting: 14 detained (October 2021)
After two students of Boğaziçi University were arrested over their protests against appointed rector Naci İnci, several students gathered to protest. The police intervened before the students entered the university, detaining at least 14 students.

Turkish government increases pressure on social media (September 2021)
In the almost 20 years that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power, he has succeeded in bringing newspapers and television stations largely under his government’s control. In reaction, opposition politicians, activists and critics have used Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other such platforms to draw attention to problems. But Erdogan and his government are now tightening their grip on the internet.

Istanbul police attack peace rally, detain several (September 2021)
Turkish police attacked several people who wanted to attend a rally organized by the Istanbul Labor Peace and Democracy Forces to mark World Peace Day. The police encircled the journalists and HDP MP Musa Piroğlu with their shields and did not let them leave the Tünel Square.

Turkey to further ease coronavirus restrictions from July (June 2021)
Turkey further relaxed restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 from July 1 on. Lockdowns that had been imposed on Sundays and curfews from 19.00 GMT on weekdays would be lifted from July 1, Erdogan said after a government cabinet meeting. “Public transportation restrictions will also be lifted and public institutions will return to normal working hours,” Erdogan said.

Committee of Ministers of CoE gives warning to Turkey (June 2021)
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe gave a warning to Turkey at its meeting on June 7-9 that it will initiate the procedure for the violation of the European Convention on Human Rights against Turkey, since the the government did not implement the decision of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the violation of Osman Kavala.

Büyükada trial: Constitutional Court rules that rights advocate Eser’s arrest was unlawful (June 2021)
The Constitutional court has ruled that the arrest of İdil Eser, the former director of Amnesty Turkey, during the Büyükada trial caused a rights violation. The court has concluded that the state violated personal liberty and security, which is guaranteed by Article 19 of the Constitution, because Eser’s arrest was not lawful, and ordered it to pay 40,000 lira (4,663 USD) for immaterial damages. The court gave the judgment unanimously.

Exiled Turkish journalist attacked in Germany (July 2021)
A Turkish journalist who is critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government and has been living in exile in Germany said he was attacked and injured outside his home in suburban Berlin by three men who reportedly warned him to stop writing. Erk Acarer, a columnist for Turkey’s independent Birgun newspaper, said in a video posted on Twitter that the attack occurred late Wednesday in the courtyard of his home. The 48-year-old sustained some swelling on his head and was kept at a hospital for several hours for observation.

İstanbul Pride March: Several people detained (June 2021)
The Sub-Governor’s Office of Beyoğlu has banned the LGBTI+ Pride March to be held in Taksim. The police attacked the group that gathered in Taksim. Using plastic bullets, they took at least 20 people into custody.

Erdoğan reveals stricter COVID-19 measures during Ramadan (April 2021)
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan revealed a series of measures for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying that the country would be switching to partial lockdown in the first two weeks of Ramadan to decrease the coronavirus caseload.

Diyarbakır police detain dozens of women in early morning raid (April 2021)
Police detained dozens of women in early morning raids in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on April 5, including a reporter from Kurdish online news outlet Jinnews, representatives of political parties and the Rosa Women’s Association.

Hrant Dink murder: people sentenced to life in prison (March 2021)
After 14 years of drawn-out legal proceedings, a Turkish court has sentenced several people to prison for their role in the murder of journalist Hrant Dink.

Boğaziçi protests: police detain 12 students for carrying rainbow flags (March 2021)
A Boğaziçi student is under a disciplinary investigation for displaying a rainbow flag during protests. Today, students held a protest against this investigation and 12 of them, including the student in question, were detained for carrying rainbow flags.

Turkey sentences journalist to 27 years in jail (December 2020)
Turkish journalist Can Dundar has been sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for allegedly supporting terrorism and “military or political espionage.” Currently in exile in Germany, the former editor-in-chief of the Turkish opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet was tried in absentia.

Constitutional Court forwards Kavala’s application to General Assembly (December 2020)
Ahead of his first hearing on December 18, the First Section of the Constitutional Court has reviewed the individual application of arrested businessperson and rights defender Kavala and ruled that it shall be forwarded to the General Assembly.

Torture in Turkish prisons under scrutiny again following inmate’s death (October 2020)
The death of Serkan Tumay in a prison raised concerns on the prison conditions in Turkey once again. While Tumay’s family says that he was tortured by prison guards repeatedly and died as a result in Kırıkkale F-Type Prison, opposition deputies Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu and Gülizar Biçer Karaca asked Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül to explain how he died.

New Turkish indictment prolongs ‘torture’ for philanthropist Kavala (October 2020)
Ayse Bugra, the wife of jailed Turkish civil society leader Osman Kavala, said a new indictment accusing him of involvement in a failed military coup has shaken her belief that he can receive a fair trial and his years-long incarceration has been “torture” for their family. Kavala, who worked on cultural heritage projects and efforts to reconcile Turks with Kurds and Armenians, has spent almost three years in prison without a conviction.

PACE Rapporteurs Call for Release of Kavala (June 2020)
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE) rapporteurs have called for the immediate release of Osman Kavala following a judgment by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on May 12, 2020. Kavala, a businessperson and a rights defender, has been behind bars since October 18, 2017.

Six HDP co-mayors removed from duty (May 2020)
Six co-mayors from the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) were removed from their posts by the Interior Ministry. While all six were replaced by trustees of the Interior Ministry, three of the southeastern co-mayors were later detained. Meanwhile, the mayor of an eastern province was detained on charges related to an ongoing investigation.

Turkey Amends Criminal Procedure And Execution Provisions (May 2020)
The Law Amending the Law on the Execution of Sentences and Security Measures and Certain Laws No. 7242, which was published on the Official Gazette on April 15, 2020, amends a total of 11 laws, including the Law on the Execution of Sentences and Security Measures, the Turkish Criminal Law No. 5237 and the Criminal Procedure Law No. 5271. As per the Law, which was issued in scope of the various governmental measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Turkey, prisoners are granted leaves of absence until May 20, 2020.

Coronavirus stokes tensions between Erdogan and mayor (April 2020)
The coronavirus pandemic has rekindled rivalry in Turkey between President Tayyip Erdogan and Istanbul’s opposition mayor, with disputes over fundraising and a potential lockdown possibly endangering a coordinated effort to combat the outbreak. The central government in Ankara has said a money-raising campaign launched by the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, is illegal and it has threatened to prosecute those involved.

Turkish activist re-arrested hours after his Gezi Park acquittal (April 2020)
Turkish businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala was re-arrested, just hours after a court acquitted him and eight other defendants over the 2013 protests in Istanbul’s Gezi Park. The high-profile trial was closely watched by rights groups, who had accused the Turkish government of using the judicial system to crack down on dissenting voices. Kavala’s re-arrest was criticized by activists. Kavala had spent more than two years in pre-trial detention over the Gezi Park protests, which began over a plan to turn a small park in central Istanbul into a shopping mall.

Turkish Law on Social Media Delayed by Pandemic (April 2020)
The draft law on social media was dropped from the parliamentary schedule to make way for more urgent bills on the economy and health amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But civil society groups and opposition parties fear it will be back before long. The draft law obliges foreign social media companies with high internet traffic to appoint an official representative in Turkey to answer authorities’ demands concerning the content on their platforms.

Yiğit Aksakoğlu to be Released on Probation, Arrest of Osman Kavala to Continue (June 2019)
Announcing its interlocutory judgement, the court has ruled that Yiğit Aksakoğlu shall be released on probation with an international travel ban and the arrest of Osman Kavala shall continue. The next hearing will be held on July 18, 2019.

Civil Society Organizations from Germany: ‘Kavala and Aksakoğlu Should be Released’ (June 2019)
Seven organizations have released a joint statement on the Gezi Park trial which began today, demanding the case should be dropped.

CHP members say ruling party fears losing billions in grants to charities tied to government (May 2019)
Ekrem Imamoğlu of the Republican People’s party (CHP), who won the March vote, said a ‘beneficial relationship’ existed between the AKP government and the charities.

Turkish police use tear gas to break up Women’s Day march (March 2019)
Turkish police fired tear gas to break up a crowd of several thousand women who gathered in the evening in at the edge of Taksim Square in central Istanbul for a march to celebrate International Women’s Day. Hundreds of riot police blocked their path to prevent them from advancing along the district’s main pedestrian avenue. Police fired pepper spray and pellets containing tear gas to disperse the crowd, and scuffles broke out as police pursued the women into side streets off the avenue.

Minister Kasapoğlu launched 2019 Year of Volunteering (March 2019)
Ministry of Youth and Sports announced the 2019 Year of Volunteering. Youth and Sports Minister Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu announced the 2019 National Volunteering Strategy and steps to be taken in following months.

Turkish police use tear gas to break up Women’s Day march (March 2019)
Turkish police fired tear gas to break up a crowd of several thousand women who gathered in central Istanbul evening for a march to celebrate International Women’s Day. The crowd gathered at the edge of the city’s Taksim Square planning to hold a march. Hundreds of riot police blocked their path to prevent them advancing along the district’s main pedestrian avenue. Police fired pepper spray and pellets containing tear gas to disperse the crowd and scuffles broke out as they pursued the women into side streets off the avenue.

Minister Kasapoğlu launched 2019 Year of Volunteering (March 2019)
The “2019 Year of Volunteering” was announced by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Youth and Sports Minister Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu announced the 2019 National Volunteering Strategy and steps to be taken in following months.

Turkey academic jailed after raids on professors and activists (November 2018)
A court in Turkey has jailed an Istanbul academic pending trial following raids on professors and activists deemed to have links to an imprisoned prominent financier of civil society activities.

Ministry of Interior to collect information of association members (October 2018)
The new amendment to the Regulation on Associations has required that all associations operating in Turkey inform the Ministry of Interior about the personal identifying information of their members, including their occupations and educational backgrounds.

Turkey issues first decree for new executive presidential system (July 2018)
Turkey issued the first decree for the harmonization of current laws for the new executive presidential system on July 4.The 74-article decree, published in Turkey’s official gazette, stipulates the transfer of some powers of the cabinet to the president in line with the change, abolishing the office of Prime Minister.

The Start of a New Era in Turkey: Presidential System of Government (July 2018)
Following the general elections on Jun 24, 2018, Turkey prepares to adopt the “Turkish Model” Presidential System, the patent of which Mr. Erdoğan claims. It is explained that the new system aspires to speed up administrative proceedings by eliminating bureaucracy and enabling quick responses to the most pressing matters.

Understanding The “Turkish Model” Of Presidential System (July 2018)
Following the general elections on Jun 24, 2018, Turkey prepares to adopt the “Turkish Model” Presidential System, the patent of which Mr. Erdoğan claims. It is explained that the new system aspires to speed up administrative proceedings by eliminating bureaucracy and enabling quick responses to the most pressing matters.

Turkey ends state of emergency after two years (July 2018)
The Turkish government has ended the nationwide state of emergency that was imposed two years ago after a failed coup attempt, state media say.

Turkey election: Erdogan win ushers in new presidential era (July 2018)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is taking on extensive new executive powers following his outright election victory in Sunday’s poll. Parliament has been weakened and the post of prime minister abolished, as measures approved in a controversial referendum last year take effect.

Turkey ends state of emergency, but eyes tough terror bill (July 2018)
After prolonging the state of emergency seven times, Ankara finally ended the measure introduced after the 2016 coup attempt. However, the state now aims to keep many emergency powers in place with a new anti-terror law.

Turkey’s Erdogan says state of emergency may be lifted after June 24 elections (June 2018)
Turkey may lift a state of emergency, imposed shortly after a failed coup attempt in 2016, after the June 24 elections, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

Ministry of Interior: 624 Social Media Accounts Investigated in One Week (June 2018)
The Ministry of Interior has announced that 624 social media accounts have been investigated and legal action has been taken against 306 social media users over last week.

Q & A: Turkey’s Elections (June 2018)
Turkey will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, 2018, with a second-round run-off election for the presidency on July 8 if no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round

Turkey’s Data Protection Board Announces Exemptions from Registering with the Data Controller Registry (May 2018)
Turkey’s Data Protection Board (“Board”) has announced exemptions for certain data controllers, meaning they will not be required to register with the Data Controllers Registry (“Registry”). The exemption applies to associations, foundations, notaries, lawyers, public accountants, unions, political parties, as well as data controllers which process personal data through non-automatic means.

The Commission of Inquiry for State of Emergency Practices (May 2018)
Commission of Inquiry for State of Emergency Practices gave its initial decisions on the institutions which were closed with the statuary decrees. 6 Associations will be reopened because no terrorist linkigaes of associations have been identified.

Turkish government to extend state emergency for seventh time (April 2018)
Turkish government plans once more to extend the state of emergency for another three months after ratifying a Prime Ministry motion.

Ban on access to website violates freedom of expression: Constitutional Court (December 2017)
Turkey’s Constitutional Court has ruled to reverse a local court’s decision to ban access to a news website, which had posted a story criticizing the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK), on the grounds that “the ban is a violation of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.”

Turkey worst in world for jailed journalists for second year (December 2017)
Turkey was ranked as the country where the most journalists are imprisoned in the world for a second consecutive year, followed by China and Egypt, according to the latest annual report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Court arrests Turkish activist Osman Kavala over failed coup attempt (November 2017)
An Istanbul court has ruled for the arrest of a Turkish businessman and activist over alleged links to the July 15, 2016 coup attempt and the December 2013 corruption probes targeting senior government figures.

Turkish LGBTI activists condemn ‘illegal’ ban on events in Ankara (November 2017)
The Ankara governor’s office said on Sunday night (19 November 2017) it was imposing a ban on all LGBTI cultural events until further notice, citing threats to “public order” and the fear of “provoking reactions within certain segments of society,” days after it banned a festival on German-language gay films in the capital city.

News Archive

EU cuts Turkey funding after ‘democratic deterioration (November 2017)

‘Massive anxiety’ as Turkey cracks down on international NGOs (October 2017)

Arrest of rights activists ‘chills’ Turkey’s civil society (July 2017)

Turkey arrests two opposition journalists over alleged coup links (May 2017)

Turkey Blocks Wikipedia (May 2017)

As Turkey’s Democracy Takes a Hit, Civil Society Must Take Center Stage (April 2017)

State of emergency review body paves way for justice (January 2017)

Turkish PM cools down demands to reinstate death penalty (August 2016)

Turkey arrests novelist Aslı Erdoğan over ‘terror’ charges (August 2016)

Tayyip Erdogan hints at return of death penalty in Turkey (August 2016)

Turkey shuts down telecommunication body amid post-coup attempt measures (August 2016)

Europe and US urge Turkey to respect rule of law after failed coup (July 2016)

Turkey issues arrest warrants for 42 journalists after failed coup (July 2016)

In latest escalation, 102 media outlets closed by decree (July 2016)

Turkey’s Erdogan shuts schools, charities in first state of emergency decree (July 2016)

Turkey dismisses military, shuts media outlets in crackdown (July 2016)

President Erdogan texts 68 million people in fresh call for protests (July 2016)

Turkey coup attempt: State of emergency announced (July 2016)

Turkey to temporarily suspend European Convention on Human Rights after coup attempt (July 2016)

Turkey: Istanbul gay pride march banned over ‘security’ concern (June 2016)

Turkey jails Cumhuriyet journalists Can Dundar and Erdem Gul (May 2016)

Turkish LGBT group releases annual monitoring report on hate crimes (May 2016)

Erdoğan’s latest target is CSOs (April 2016) (Turkish)

How Turkey uses terrorism to justify its crackdown on the press (March 2016)

Turkey Seizes Newspaper, Zaman, as Press Crackdown Continuing (March 2016)

Ruling AKP creating its own NGOs (March 2016)

Two journalists arrested for story on trucks bound for Syria (November 2015)

Pro-Kurdish lawyer Tahir Elci shot dead in Turkey (November 2015)

Turkey Dominates Global Twitter Censorship (October 2015)

Political parties suspend election rallies over Ankara bombing (October 2015)

Journalists, legal experts decry Turkey’s media blackout (October 2015)

Water cannon used to disperse Istanbul gay pride parade (June 2015)

Turkey Lifts Ban on Access to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube (March 2015)

Turkey Passes Tough New Security Law (March 2015)

Security Bill Undermines Rights (October 2014)

Turkish Parliament to Consider New Protest Laws (October 2014)

Withdrawal of the Bill on the Right to Collect Aid by the Cabinet (September 2014) (Turkish)

Circular Issued after the Mining Incident (July 2014) (Turkish)

Action Plan of Right to Peaceful Freedom of Assembly (June 2014)

Turkish Parliament Approves Internet Crackdown (February 2014)

Listen to, Don’t Attack Protestors (June 2013)

Turkey spared from FATF Blacklist (February 2013)

Article on Turkey’s Expanding Role in Development Aid (February 2013)

Reconsider appointment to key rights body (December 2012)

Police fire tear gas at Republic Day protesters (October 2012)

Journalists targeted by smear campaign (September 2012)

Confirmed pre-trial detention of defender Osman Isci and 27 trade union members: Joint press release (July 2012)

NGO report slams Turkish government (May 2012)

European Union critical of human rights in Turkey (October 2011)

Activists prosecuted for criticising the judges (February 2011)

Human Rights Watch slams journalists’ arrests in Turkey (March 2010)

FIDH supports joint declaration of its member organizations in Turkey and Armenia (April 2010)

Turkey: Summary of Amnesty International’s Concerns in Turkey, July to December 2009 (March 2010)