Opinions - Turkey

Turkey Between Washington and Beijing: Erdoğan’s Calculated Visit to China

Turkey Between Washington and Beijing: Erdoğan’s Calculated Visit to China

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 8 September 2025
Today, Turkey’s overtures to non-Western initiatives are no longer surprising to the US and Europe. Yet, what does this visit say about Turkey’s place in the shifting balance between the United States and China?
Op-Ed: The Perils of AI-Driven Policing in Turkey

Op-Ed: The Perils of AI-Driven Policing in Turkey

by Yasir Gökçe, published on 27 August 2025
In recent years, Turkey has embarked on a sweeping integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into law enforcement and justice systems. From automated traffic enforcement to predictive criminal analytics, these systems promise efficiency—but at what cost to civil liberties, transparency, and the rule of law?
Azerbaijan–Armenia Deal is Also a Win for Turkey

Azerbaijan–Armenia Deal is Also a Win for Turkey

by Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 8 Augustus 2025
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign today a peace agreement at the White House in Washington. This agreement reflects a notable geopolitical shift in the South Caucasus. With Russia’s diminished influence in the region following the wars in Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine, Turkey is well placed to expand its influence in the Caucasus.
Why Turkey Terminated the Pipeline Agreement With Iraq

Why Turkey Terminated the Pipeline Agreement With Iraq

by Mustafa Enes Esen, pulished on 26 July 2025
Turkish President Erdoğan announced this week that Turkey would terminate its pipeline agreement with Iraq, effective in one year. The move followed a painful agreement between the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over revenue-sharing. This would normally have led to the reopening of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, which was shut down following an arbitration ruling against Turkey in March 2023.
Turkey’s Growing Alignment with Pakistan Risks Friction with India

Turkey’s Growing Alignment with Pakistan Risks Friction with India

by Enes Esen, published on 29 May 2025
India’s perception is that Ankara is not only favoring Islamabad diplomatically, but also materially bolstering its defense capacity in ways that impact the regional military balance. For Turkey, engaging Pakistan should not necessarily come at the expense of ties with India. Yet Turkey’s current policy risks reinforcing precisely that trajectory.
KRG’s Energy Deals Will Likely Proceed Without a Turkish Route

KRG’s Energy Deals Will Likely Proceed Without a Turkish Route

by Enes Esen, published on 23 May 2025
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has announced a landmark deal with two American companies, HKN Energy and WesternZagros, to develop oil and gas fields in northern Iraq. Nonetheless, the government in Baghdad promptly declared the deal null and void, while the KRG maintained that it was both legal and legitimate under Iraq’s constitution.

Reports - Turkey

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.
SUCCESSION: THE QUESTION OF POWER TRANSITION IN ERDOGAN’S TURKEY

SUCCESSION: THE QUESTION OF POWER TRANSITION IN ERDOGAN’S TURKEY

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 6 December 2023
His electoral victory in May 2023 gave President Erdoğan five more years to further consolidate his power, eviscerate institutions, fill the bureaucracy with yes-men and expand his corruption network. This, of course, raises questions about the Turkish political system’s chances of recovery, the prospects for democratization after Erdogan and the regime’s tolerance for his demise.
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.
EURASIANISTS IN TURKEY AND THEIR MEDIA ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE

EURASIANISTS IN TURKEY AND THEIR MEDIA ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE

by Enes Esen, Servet Akman, Ahmet Kalafat and Bahadır Gülle, published on 27 February 2023
Most of the Russian propaganda in Turkey is not overtly conducted by Russian state-affiliated media outlets. Eurasianists in Turkey carry out the Kremlin’s bidding to influence Turkish public opinion in favor of Russian war efforts. They blame the West, specifically NATO and the US, for instigating the war in Ukraine and causing regional instability. They also attack Turkey's political opposition for their milder views on NATO and the US and recommend that the Turkish government prioritize its relations with Russia.

Videos - Turkey

ABD Türk SİHA'sını Düşürdü

October 7, 2023
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 7 October 2023
Dış Gündem'de bu hafta Haşim Tekineş Türkiye'nin Suriye'deki PKK/YPG hedeflerine yönelik operasyonları esnasında bir Türk SİHA'sının NATO müttefiki ABD tarafından vurularak düşürülmesini çeşitli boyutlarıyla ele aldı.

Erdoğan'ın Tunus'ta Unuttuğu Dostları

October 5, 2023
by Haşim Tekineş and Mehmet Çelik, published on 5 October 2023
Dışı İçi Bir'de bu hafta Haşim Tekineş ve Tunus'ta görev yapmış eski diplomat Mehmet Çelik Tunus'un demokratikleşme serüvenini, ülkenin otoriterleşmeye savrulmasını ve Tunus'ta yaşanan son gelişmeleri ele aldılar.

Tarihi Erdoğan - Netanyahu Görüşmesi

September 29, 2023
by Haşim Tekineş and Servet Akman, published on 29 September 2023
Dışı İçi Bir'de Haşim Tekineş ve Servet Akman BM Zirvesi çeçevesinde Erdoğan'ın New York'ta gerçekleştirdiği temasları, Netanyahu ile 20 Eylül'de gerçekleştirdiği görüşmeyi, Türkiye-İsrail ilişkilerini ve İsrail'de yaşanan hukuk reformu çerçevesinde yaşanan son gelişmeleri ele aldılar.

Yalçınkaya Kararı: AİHM'den Uyarı

September 27, 2023
by Haşim Tekineş and Hakan Kaplankaya
Dış Gündem'in bu yayınında Haşim Tekineş ve Hakan Kaplankaya AİHM'in 26 Eylül'de açıkladığı Yalçınkaya davasını tüm yönleriyle ele aldılar.

AİHM'den tarihi Bylock ve BankAsya kararı: Kimler için emsal olacak?

September 27, 2023
by Hakan Kaplankaya, published on 27 September 2023
instituDE üyesi ve insan hakları uzmanı Hakan Kaplankaya katıldığı programda AİHM'in dün açıkladığı Yalçınkaya kararını ve olası sonuçlarını değerlendirdi.

Yalçınkaya Kararı İçin Geri Sayım Başladı

September 13, 2023
by Hakan Kaplankaya, published on 13 October 2023
instituDE HukukGünlüğü'nün bu bölümünde Hakan Kaplankaya AİHM'in 26 Eylül 2023 tarihinde açıklaması beklenen Yalçınkaya kararına ilişkin beklentileri, olası sonuçlarını ve benzer davalarda yargılananların için genel af kapsamına alınma olasılığını ele aldı.