STRASBOURG — At the fourth annual “Justice Meeting” in Strasbourg, human rights advocates gathered once again to shine a spotlight on the ongoing erosion of the rule of law in Turkey. The event, held in front of the Council of Europe headquarters on Tuesday morning, included a performance followed by the formal submission of three letters addressed to European officials.
The letters were hand-delivered to European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) President Mattias Guyomar, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, and Human Rights Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty. Signed by representatives of six leading human rights organizations and supported by the logos of 16 European NGOs, the letters voiced urgent concerns over systematic rights violations in Turkey—especially since the 2016 coup attempt.
A System in Decline
The letters cited mounting evidence of state-sponsored repression, noting that Turkey has repeatedly failed to comply with rulings from international bodies such as the ECHR and the United Nations. Despite numerous judgments, Turkey has not taken “meaningful steps” to restore justice or uphold the rule of law, the letters warned.
The letter to Human Rights Commissioner O’Flaherty highlighted alarming developments in 2025, including the politically motivated arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and the detention of other elected opposition officials. “These actions reflect the deterioration of Turkey’s democratic checks and balances,” the letter said.
Another growing concern is digital censorship. The documents claimed that over 112,000 social media accounts—many belonging to exiled journalists—have been taken down since 2023, allegedly in cooperation with major platforms like Meta and X (formerly Twitter).
The scale of repression is staggering: more than 702,000 people have reportedly faced vague terrorism-related investigations, resulting in over 350,000 detentions—often without reliable evidence. In addition, some 130,000 public employees have been dismissed, and hundreds of children have either grown up behind bars or been deprived of parental care.
Defiance of ECHR Rulings
The letter to Secretary General Berset referenced the ECHR’s Grand Chamber ruling in Yüksel Yalçınkaya v. Turkey, which found that convictions based solely on digital communication apps, union membership, or educational ties violated basic rights. Nevertheless, Turkish courts have continued to issue new verdicts using the same flawed evidence, in what the letter called “a direct challenge” to Strasbourg’s authority.
The authors urged the Council of Europe to exert greater pressure on Turkey and push for tangible compliance with ECHR decisions.
Legal Intimidation Normalized
The letters also painted a grim picture of how dissent is being crushed inside Turkey. Intimidation tactics such as pretrial detention, midnight police raids, public shaming, and remote imprisonment have become routine, often accompanied by asset seizures ordered by politically influenced courts. The targeting of defense lawyers has escalated, with the Istanbul Bar Association reportedly facing dissolution simply for demanding accountability.
“Turkey is deliberately weaponizing anti-terror laws to suppress legal advocacy, weaken bar associations, and block access to fair defense for political detainees and government critics,” one letter charged.
Cross-Border Crackdowns
The human rights groups warned that Ankara’s authoritarian reach now extends beyond its borders. In October 2024, four Turkish nationals under international protection were allegedly abducted in Nairobi, Kenya, and forcibly returned to Turkey—violating both international law and UN precautionary measures. The Strasbourg-based institutions were urged to intervene in ongoing cases involving cross-border abductions.
Justice Delayed, Hope Diminished
In their message to ECHR President Guyomar, the advocates emphasized that effective legal remedies are no longer available within Turkey. They called on the court to stop requiring exhausted domestic appeals in cases where political motives clearly stall or block proceedings—especially in cases involving members of the Hizmet movement.
The letter also criticized the Court for issuing low compensation in some rulings without properly evaluating the unique circumstances of each case, warning that such decisions could damage the Court’s credibility.
Citing the case of Yusuf Bilge Tunç, a forcibly disappeared Turkish civil servant, the letter expressed disappointment over the Court’s approach of treating Turkey “as if it were a functioning democracy governed by rule of law,” which many victims see as dangerously out of touch.
Finally, the letter raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest within the Court, noting that initial assessments of applications are conducted by legal officers appointed and paid by member states. The ECHR was urged to implement safeguards to ensure their independence and impartiality.
The Justice Meeting in Strasbourg concluded with a renewed plea for Europe’s institutions to respond to the crisis in Turkey—not just with statements, but with concrete action.
