Opinions - International Law and Human Rights

Turkish-Made Killer Drones in Africa and Mounting Civilian Causalities

Turkish-Made Killer Drones in Africa and Mounting Civilian Causalities

by Enes Esen, published on 15 December 2023
Turkey typically displays utter indifference to the involvement of their drones in the killing of civilians in Africa, whether the incidents are allegedly accidental or intentional. As usual, there was not a word from the Turkish government on the latest strike in Nigeria.
Birleşmiş Milletler Gazze’de Ne Yapıyor?

Birleşmiş Milletler Gazze’de Ne Yapıyor?

by Mehmet Bozkaya, published on 28 November 2023
7 Ekim’de Hamas’ın İsrail’e beklenmedik ve büyük ölçekli saldırısının ardından, her iki taraftan binlerce sivil yaşamını yitirdi. Devam eden savaşın kurbanı olan dikkat çekici bir grup ise Filistinli mültecilere on yıllardır temel hizmetler sağlayan Birleşmiş Milletler görevlileri. Sivillere, sivil hedeflere, sağlık görevlilerine ve sağlık tesislerine silahlı çatışma hukuku kurallarında hususen koruma verilmiş olsa da, şu ana kadar 100’den fazla Birleşmiş Milletler görevlisi hayatını kaybetti.
The ICC’s New Stance on Cyber Operations: Challenges and Implications

The ICC’s New Stance on Cyber Operations: Challenges and Implications

by Dr. Yasir Gökçe, published on 27 September 2023
The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) chief prosecutor, Karim A. A. Khan, published an op-ed in Digital Front Lines, highlighting the ever-increasing use of cyberspace in modern warfare and denoted the potential for the ICC to prosecute cyber operations as international crimes defined in the Rome Statute.
Loneliness Kills

Loneliness Kills

by Ömer Güler, published on 22 September 2023
I am writing this article because reading "The Lonely Century" made me better understand the persecution that I and millions of others have been suffering in Turkey after the failed, or as many argue, staged or controlled, 15 July coup attempt in 2016.
The Putin Predicament: South Africa's Legal Conundrum with the ICC

The Putin Predicament: South Africa's Legal Conundrum with the ICC

by Yasir Gökçe, published on 31 August 2023
In March 2023, the international legal arena witnessed an unprecedented case as the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking the first time a sitting head of state from a non-state party faced such action without a Security Council referral. This pivotal development raised complex questions, especially when combined with President Putin's invitation to South Africa for the BRICS Summit in August 2023.
Navigating Legal Complexities: ECOWAS' Military Intervention in Niger

Navigating Legal Complexities: ECOWAS' Military Intervention in Niger

by Yasir Gökçe, publieshed on 14 Augus 2023
The potential employment of military force by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore democracy and order in Niger marks a pivotal moment in the Sahel region's pursuit of democratic governance. ECOWAS faces the challenge of balancing its commitment to democratic norms with the principle of non-interference in sovereign affairs. The prohibition of the use of force is a fundamental principle enshrined in the United Nations Charter, and any deviation from this principle requires a robust legal basis to ensure compliance with international norms.

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

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.

ZERO DAY: Can a Cyberattack Start a Real War?

April 14, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş and Yasir Gökçe, published on 14 April 2025
In this video, we explore the chilling reality of cyberwarfare through the lens of Netflix’s new thriller Zero Day, starring Robert De Niro. We dive into how international law treats cyberattacks, whether they can trigger the right to self-defense, and what the rules are when the battlefield is no longer physical.