Opinions - International Law and Human Rights

Imamoğlu’s Presidential Bid and Rising Tensions in Turkey

Imamoğlu’s Presidential Bid and Rising Tensions in Turkey

by Enes Esen, published on 25 February 2025
Ekrem Imamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul from the opposition Republican Party, has announced his candidacy for Turkey’s presidential election. More than 110 parliamentarians have already endorsed his bid. This early announcement raises questions regarding the urgency: with three years remaining until the scheduled elections, such an announcement is highly atypical in Turkey.
The United States and the Liberal International Order: A Legacy of Contradictions

The United States and the Liberal International Order: A Legacy of Contradictions

by Yasir Gökçe, published on 17 February 2025
The liberal international order is far from perfect, but it remains the best framework for addressing global challenges. If the U.S. continues to undermine it, the world risks descending into a fragmented, lawless order where might makes right.
Turkey’s Coup Narrative Under UN Scrutiny and Lessons for the European Court in the Yasak Case

Turkey’s Coup Narrative Under UN Scrutiny and Lessons for the European Court in the Yasak Case

by Yasir Gökçe, published on 14 February 2025
The glaring inconsistencies in Erdoğan’s official narrative of the July 15 coup attempt—through which he claims victimhood and justifies repression—have long been evident to those familiar with the events before, during, and after the coup. The fact that a semi-judicial UN body has now highlighted and documented these discrepancies is highly significant.
ABD Dışişleri Bakanlığı'nın 2023 Yılına İlişkin Türkiye İnsan Hakları Uygulamaları Raporunda Öne Çıkan Hususlar

ABD Dışişleri Bakanlığı'nın 2023 Yılına İlişkin Türkiye İnsan Hakları Uygulamaları Raporunda Öne Çıkan Hususlar

by instituDE, published on 29 April 2024
ABD Dışişleri Bakanlığı'nın 2023 yılına ilişkin Türkiye İnsan Hakları Uygulamaları Raporunda öne çıkan hususlar
Turkey Is In The Critical Junction: Modernize Customs Union With Rule of Law or Else

Turkey Is In The Critical Junction: Modernize Customs Union With Rule of Law or Else

by Mehmet Demirbaş, published on 19 April 2024
On April 17, 2024, the Dutch parliament made a significant decision concerning Turkey. It urged the Dutch government to condition negotiations aimed at modernizing the customs union agreement between Turkey and the European Union. This resolution was prompted by Turkey's failure to adhere to the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights regarding Osman Kavala, Selahattin Demirtaş and others.
Avrupa Birliği’nin Göç ve İlticaya Dair Yürürlüğe Girecek Yeni Paktı

Avrupa Birliği’nin Göç ve İlticaya Dair Yürürlüğe Girecek Yeni Paktı

by Mehmet Bozkaya, published on 8 April 2024
Uluslararası Göç Örgütü verilerine göre 2014’ten bu yana Avrupa’ya ulaşmaya çabalarken yaşamını yitiren veya kaybolanların sayısı 29 bini geçmiş bulunuyor. Bu kayıpların ve Avrupa Birliği (AB)’nin 2015 yılında karşılaştığı göçmen krizinin bir neticesi olarak, AB’nin yeni iltica ve göç reformu düzenlemesi 2020 Eylül’de önerildi. Yasa paketinin Haziran 2024’te yapılacak AB Parlamento seçimlerinden evvel, Nisan 2024’te kabul edilmesi öngörülmektedir.

Reports - International Law and Human Rights

Navigating Supply-Change Security: NIS2 and Beyond

Navigating Supply-Change Security: NIS2 and Beyond

by Dr. Yasir Gökçe, Thomas Krüger and Stefan Hartmann, published on 26 March 2026
This report provides a structured analysis of supply chain security under NIS2 and related frameworks. Section 2 outlines the legal and normative landscape, including EU-level, national-level, and entity-level risk assessment obligations, and examines how NIS2 interacts with CRA, GDPR, DORA, and relevant ISO standards.
TURKEY‘S MASS PURGE AS VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN ICCPR

TURKEY‘S MASS PURGE AS VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN ICCPR

by instituDE, published on 23 October 2024
'A gift from God' was one of Erdoğan's first descriptions related to coup attempt in July 15. At first no one realized that God's gift meant a chaotic environment in which he needed to declare a national emergency with no checks and balances and then transform Türkiye’s parliamentary democracy into an executive presidency.
WEAPONIZING FINANCIAL SYSTEMS: ERDOĞAN'S TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION TO MUZZLE DISSIDENTS ABROAD

WEAPONIZING FINANCIAL SYSTEMS: ERDOĞAN'S TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION TO MUZZLE DISSIDENTS ABROAD

by Dr. Yasir Gökçe, Mayra Russo and Sara Kezia Heinonen, published on 29 August 2024
This report sets out to provide a comprehensive analysis of the tactics employed by the Erdoğan administration to achieve repressive goals abroad and the vulnerabilities and how they are enabled by the AML and CFT regulation in place.
ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES BY THE ERDOGAN GOVERNMENT

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES BY THE ERDOGAN GOVERNMENT

by instituDE, published in June 2024
This submission highlights the ongoing systematic actions and omissions by Turkish authorities against the so-called members of the Gulen Group, framed as crimes against humanity. It demonstrates the violations of recommendations that even Türkiye has supported.
UNVEILING THE BRUTAL REALITY: SYSTEMATIC TORTURE OF FORMER DIPLOMATS

UNVEILING THE BRUTAL REALITY: SYSTEMATIC TORTURE OF FORMER DIPLOMATS

by instituDE, published on May 2024
This report offers an update to the United Nations Committee against Torture (the Committee) regarding the obstacles to implementing the Convention against Torture (the Convention) in Turkey. As a coalition formed by a collective of former Turkish diplomats, our focus is on the systematic torture faced by former diplomats detained at Ankara Police Headquarters. We delve into the Turkish context and present insights from our organization.
PERSECUTORY CONFISCATION AMOUNTING TO CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: CASE OF THE GÜLEN GROUP

PERSECUTORY CONFISCATION AMOUNTING TO CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: CASE OF THE GÜLEN GROUP

by Yasir Gökçe, Hakan Kaplankaya, Harun Reşit Halisoğlu and Mehmet Bozkaya, published on 6 November 2023
This report aims to reveal and analyze the criminal acts and/or omissions of the Turkish authorities against individuals alleged to be affiliated with, connected to, or members of the Gülen Group in the context of violations of the right to property as crimes against humanity.

Videos - International Law and Human Rights

AİHM'den Yeni İhlal Kararı

May 5, 2026
by Hakan Kaplankaya and Haşim Tekineş, published on 5 May 2026
Bu videoda Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi’nin (AİHM) Büyük Daire’den çıkan Yasak kararını ve bu kararın Türkiye’deki davalar açısından ne anlama geldiğini ele alıyoruz.

Çok Uluslu NATO Karargahı Ne Anlama Geliyor?

April 1, 2026
by Mustafa Enes Esen and Haşim Tekineş, published on 1 April 2026
NATO Adana'da Çok Uluslu Kolordu kuruyor? Peki bunun anlamı ne?

İran için Tehlikeli Senaryolar

February 5, 2026
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 5 February 2026
Amerika ve İran arasında gerginlik artıyor. Taraflar diplomatik çözüm arasa da, uzlaşı kolay değil

AİHM, Siyaset ve İnsan Hakları

January 14, 2026
by Haşim Tekineş and Hakan Kaplankaya
Hukukçu-Avukat Hakan Kaplankaya AİHM'nin Türkiye'deki hak arama mücadelesindeki önemini değerlendirdi.

AİHM'de 'Yasak' Duruşması: Kanunsuz Suç ve Ceza Olur mu?

May 11, 2025
by Hakan Kaplankaya, published on 11 May 2025
AİHM'de Şaban yasak duruşmasını mercek altına alıyoruz! Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi’nin bu önemli davasında neler yaşandı? Kanunsuz suç ve ceza olur mu?

Meloni's Deal with Erdoğan: Energy, Migration, and Silence

May 1, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 1 May 2025
This video breaks down the real reason behind Italy's silence: gas, migration, and Libya. With Russia out of the picture, Italy is turning to North Africa for energy and is desperate to control migration flows from Libya. But in Libya, Turkey calls the shots.