About

Our work & expertise

Our work primarily involves submitting complaints to UN treaty bodies, supporting victims of human rights violations in Türkiye to obtain recognition and reparation. Our legal team carefully selects the cases we submit, prioritizing those with the potential for strategic impact, particularly in exposing systemic violations, or those involving urgent and tragic circumstances (in particular, detained mothers separated from their children).

We address a wide range of cases, including violations of the right to a fair trial, arbitrary detentions and convictions, breaches of the principle of legality and non-retroactivity in criminal law, torture, and infringements on freedom of expression and association. Additionally, we regularly work on urgent refoulement/deportations to Türkiye, cases of refoulement of Syrian refugees under the guise of so-called “voluntary returns,” and cases of enforced renditions/abroad abductions.

Among the notable cases we have supported is that of Orhan Inandi, which mobilized public opinion in Kyrgyzstan for months (abducted on May 30, 2021 in Bishkek and reappeared, tortured, on July 5, 2021 in Ankara).

Another striking example of cases we follow before the treaty bodies is the outrageous arrest of women and girls in May 2024 (Istanbul), which led to the detention of 50 people, including 16 children, who were held and mistreated without access to legal counsel for 16 hours.

Currently, we have 19 pending communications awaiting decisions.

Of the cases already decided, one of the most significant is that of Gökhan Açıkkollu, where the Human Rights Committee found inter alia a violation of his right to life following his death after 13 days in police custody, right after the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. His death was the result of torture and ill-treatment.

Türkiye ratified the ICCPR in 2003 and the First Optional Protocol in 2006, enabling victims to file individual complaints against Türkiye. Remarkably, only two individual complaints were registered with the Human Rights Committee against Türkiye between 2007 and 2016. By contrast, at least 45 complaints were registered between 2017 and 2024, reflecting a significant rise in cases submitted during recent years.

We intend to maintain international pressure on Türkiye by strategically utilizing all available UN mechanisms to advocate for social and legal change. This includes regularly submitting reports to treaty bodies during their reviews of Türkiye’s reports and situation. At least on a monthly basis, we provide updates to UN Special Procedures and regularly submit individual cases to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Additionally, we actively participate in sessions of the Human Rights Council and engage in regular meetings with UN Member States to regularly brief them on the evolving situation in Türkiye.

President's words

When in 2017 we started this adventure, in creating the International Association for Human Rights Geneva Advocacy in Geneva, I never imagined that we would go that far and that I would myself become such a passionate human rights defender.

Of course, this adventure started on a bitter note, in reaction to the worst human rights violations occurring in Türkiye for decades, taking the form of heavy torture, thousands of arbitrary detentions and dismissals, enforced disappearances, and social deaths of thousands in Turkish society. On the aftermath of July 15, 2016, the rule of law was trampled to foot, dreams were betrayed, families were destroyed, and everyone, from judges to simple housewives, was declared terrorists.

Since then, Türkiye has been largely recognized as a champion of the misuse of antiterrorist legal frameworks, both by the Council of Europe and United Nations human rights mechanisms with unimaginable numbers of arbitrary detentions.

There are days made of frustration, I must admit. Yet, in view of all the persons enduring unspeakable abuses, despair was and will never be an option.

I am proud of the progress made since 2017, and our team will remain committed to exposing daily human rights violations. We do not have the luxury of keeping silent; we must keep working for a fair and democratic Türkiye, respectful of human rights, with all victims getting access to truth and reparation.

Director's words

Since the creation of the United Nations ecosystem in 1945, Non-Governmental Organizations have played a crucial, and often decisive, role in the advancement and implementation of the ideals of the United Nations Charter. Their contribution played a decisive role in the development and implementation of all the mechanisms for the defense of human rights.

The International Association for Human Rights Advocacy in Geneva focuses its activities on defending the fundamental rights of victims, never wavering in the face of numerous challenges. The courage, vision, and generosity of our loyal members have enabled the emergence of one of the most expert NGOs in its field, particularly, but not exclusively, in the defense of victims targeted by the State of Türkiye.

IAHRAG has gained considerable expertise in the strategic use of UN human rights mechanisms. These range from:

• The Human Rights Council (and its subsidiary bodies, such as the Universal Periodic Review and Special Procedures)
• Treaty Bodies
• The defense of trade union freedoms (International Labor Organization)
• The rights of refugees (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
• The violations of the human rights of parliamentarians (Inter-Parliamentary Union)

Yet there were many obstacles, starting with the massive, impressive human rights violations committed by Türkiye, supported by a strategically calculated disinformation campaign against the Hizmet Movement, promoted by the Turkish Government within the country and internationally.

It’s well known that states don't have friends or enemies; they only have interests, often conflicting with the stringent requirements of respect for human rights. Despite this, IAHRAG has been able to successfully deploy a large number of political-diplomatic activities, known as “soft diplomacy.”

IAHRAG can take pride in getting it right, especially over the last three years. Each of our action areas has been strengthened:

• The Legal Desk
• The Refugee Desk
• Management
• The Political-Diplomatic Dimension

We're still looking for effective means of communication, and we are confident that we can rely on our committee, which has consistently supported us and will continue to do so.

We have strengthened our cooperation with some of the most important and credible human rights NGOs. Additionally, we have included in our action plan activities in solidarity with causes with which we wholeheartedly identify.

IAHRAG is now well-organized, dynamic, courageous, and ready to face the years ahead. One of the main aspects of our work presented in this report (the legal dimension) is a perfect illustration of this. Contributing to forging a new democracy in Türkiye is IAHRAG's paramount objective. In fact, this is more than a hope: it is our goal.

Our team

Our team is made up of dedicated professionals, including our President, Head of Office, Office Manager, four Human Rights and Advocacy Officers, and one Associate Human Rights Officer.

We bring our collective expertise to serve victims of human rights violations. Our goal is to help individuals achieve recognition of their rights and access to reparations.

With extensive experience in the mechanisms of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), our team is also equipped to provide victims with tailored advice on the most effective international avenues for recourse, whether through the Council of Europe or the United Nations.