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Turkey Turkey: Constitutional Court Ruling Upholds Headscarf Ban Religion and Expression Rights Denied, Broader Reform Agenda Endangered The decision by Turkey’s Constitutional Court to cancel constitutional amendments that would have opened the way for women to wear a headscarf in universities is a blow to freedom of religion and other fundamental rights, Human Rights Watch said today. The court ruled on June 5 that the Turkish parliament had violated the constitutionally enshrined principle of secularism when it passed amendments to lift the headscarf ban on university campuses. The amendments were adopted by an overwhelming majority of parliament. June 6, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Turkey: Court Shows Bias, Dissolves Lambda Istanbul Human Rights Group Ordered Closed on Procedural Grounds A Turkish court’s decision to disband a human rights organization defending lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people shows that official repression poses a serious threat to democratic rights and freedom of association, Human Rights Watch said today. June 2, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version “We Need a Law for Liberation” Gender, Sexuality, and Human Rights in a Changing Turkey
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-316-1 May 22, 2008 Report Also available in
Download PDF, 532 KB, 127 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release Turkey: Homophobic Violence Points to Rights Crisis EU Should Insist on Reforms to Counter Persisting Inequality and Abuses Turkey should urgently change law and policy to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people from extensive harassment and brutality on the streets, in homes, and in state-run institutions, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Human Rights Watch also called on the European Union to make Turkey’s membership aspirations contingent on ending endemic abuses and guaranteeing equal rights and protection for LGBT people. May 22, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version The Netherlands: Discrimination in the Name of Integration Migrants’ Rights under the Integration Abroad Act In the past years, the authorities in the Netherlands have introduced a series of measures with the stated aim of better integrating its migrant population. One of these measures is the integration test administered to would-be family migrants from some countries before they can join spouses or family members in the Netherlands. This report documents how the overseas integration test is discriminatory, in that citizens from certain countries are exempt altogether, and the test, coupled with increased financial requirements, targets primarily would-be family migrants from two of the three largest “non- western” migrant communities in the Netherlands – Moroccans and Turks. May 15, 2008 Background Briefing Turkey: Government Amendments Will Not Protect Free Speech Article 301 Should Be Abolished The government’s proposed revision to the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which has been used to investigate and prosecute hundreds of people for peacefully expressing themselves, will not remove the article’s restrictions on free speech, Human Rights Watch said today. The government’s draft revision of the article is likely to be considered by the Turkish parliament in the coming days. April 17, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Letter to Turkish Government concerning Harassment of Lambda Istanbul Human Rights Watch writes to express concern regarding the recent incursion by Istanbul city police into the headquarters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human rights organization Lambda Istanbul. We urge the Turkish government to respect the right to freedom of expression and association, and to halt harassment of legitimate human rights organizations. April 16, 2008 Letter Also available in
Printer friendly version Turkey: End Harassment of Gay Rights Groups A police raid on a Turkish human rights organization is the latest incident in an escalating pattern of harassment of gay rights groups, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter to Turkish Minister of Interior Besir Atalay, Human Rights Watch called on the government to cease official harassment of groups working on sexual orientation and gender identity issues, and to ensure training of all criminal-justice officials in human rights principles. April 16, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Letter to the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference Urging the Organisation to Improve and Strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism Human Rights Watch writes to urge Dr. Ihsanoglu to use his position as Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to support measures at the upcoming Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal on March 13-14 that would improve and strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism. In particular, we urge the OIC to consider two amendments to the Convention in order to narrow its overbroad definition of terrorism and to make absolutely clear that there is no sanction in Islam for deliberately attacking civilians, whatever the circumstances or justifications. March 11, 2008 Letter Also available in
Printer friendly version Turkey: Urge Visiting Sudanese Leader to End Atrocities When Sudanese President Omar El Bashir arrives in Ankara on January 21 for a state visit, the Turkish government should publicly urge him to end the ongoing atrocities in Darfur, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the Turkish government. January 20, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Hrant Dink: A Courageous Voice Silenced 1954-2007 January 18, 2008 Special Focus Also available in
Printer friendly version Letter to the government of Turkey Regarding President al-Bashir's Upcoming Visit The government of Turkey should make it clear to President al-Bashir that he must end the atrocities and abuses continuing in Darfur. He must end direct or indiscriminate attacks on civilians, take immediate steps to reign in and disarm the janjaweed militia, and immediately and proactively facilitate deployment of the hybrid peacekeeping force. He must also ensure those responsible for past and continuing crimes are brought to account, including Haround, Kosheib, and Hilal. If you fail to do so then you are failing in your responsibilities to those suffering in Darfur. January 18, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Turkey: End Legal Action Against Gay Rights Group Attempt to Close Lambda Istanbul Endangers Basic Freedoms A legal challenge by the governor of Istanbul seeking to close down Lambda Istanbul, a gay rights organization, threatens basic freedoms of association and expression, Human Rights Watch said today. October 16, 2007 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Turkey: Human Rights Concerns in the Lead up to July Parliamentary Elections This briefing paper examines the implications of military interference for human rights, as well as a number of other current human rights concerns, including restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, the harassment and prosecution of Kurdish political parties, ongoing problems of impunity for state officials, and police ill-treatment. July 19, 2007 Background Briefing Also available in
Turkey: Military Meddling Mars Run-Up to Elections As EU Equivocates, Government Stalls on Human Rights Reforms As Turkey prepares for parliamentary elections on July 22, the Turkish military’s interference in the political arena has threatened progress on human rights in the country, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today. July 18, 2007 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Reply Letter to the Swiss Government Regarding the Swiss Government’s Use of Diplomatic Assurances Against Torture for Extraditions to Turkey Human Rights Watch remains extremely concerned about the efforts of the Swiss government to extradite to Turkey a number of Kurds currently resident in Switzerland. A letter from the President of the Swiss Confederation, Micheline Calmy-Rey, suggests that the Swiss government has departed from its previous principled position against reliance on diplomatic assurances against torture and ill-treatment and now seeks to carve out an exception to justify the use of unreliable “no torture” promises specifically in the extradition context. June 28, 2007 Letter Turkey: Dink Murder Trial a Test for Judiciary The Turkish judiciary must hold accountable any security forces found responsible for negligence or collusion in the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, Human Rights Watch said today. Evidence that will be heard in the trial, which starts on July 2, may raise serious questions about possible involvement of the security forces in the killing. June 28, 2007 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Turkey: Ongoing Restrictions on Freedom of Expression Human Rights Watch Letter to the Turkish Prime Minister We are writing you today to express our deep concern about continuing restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey. The prosecution of journalists and writers for expressing their views has helped to foster a climate of hostility against those who ask critical questions about the status quo in Turkey. The murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink has deepened our concerns. April 13, 2007 Letter Also available in
Printer friendly version European Parliament: Condemn Complicity in Illegal CIA Activity The European Parliament should condemn European complicity in the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) program of “extraordinary renditions” and secret detention of prisoners, Human Rights Watch said today. February 12, 2007 Press Release Printer friendly version Turkey: Outspoken Turkish-Armenian Journalist Murdered Prosecutions for Speech Created Hostile Environment for Media The Turkish government should fully investigate the murder of the influential and outspoken Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, Human Rights Watch said today. Dink, a commentator and critic of Turkey’s human rights record and the slow progress of its reform efforts, was the editor of Agos (Furrow), a bilingual Turkish- and Armenian-language newspaper. January 20, 2007 Press Release Printer friendly version |
 
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