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 21 pending communications before UN Treaty Bodies 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

Director's words

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.