Opinions - Turkey

Azizler ve domuzlar üzerine (in Turkish)

Azizler ve domuzlar üzerine (in Turkish)

Uyanır uyanmaz telefonuma gelen mesajları farkettim. Sabahın erken saatlerinde polislerin hakkımdaki yakalama kararıyla eve geldiğini haber veriyordu iki yıldır görüşemediğim annem. Bir yıl önce, yine bir Şubat günü, yine benimle ilgili gelmişlerdi; ancak bu sefer ziyaretin farklı bir meseleden dolayı olduğunu tahmin edebiliyordum.
À l’ONU, la Belgique appelle la Turquie à « garantir l’indépendance du système judiciaire » (in French)

À l’ONU, la Belgique appelle la Turquie à « garantir l’indépendance du système judiciaire » (in French)

Le 28 janvier 2020, le troisième cycle de l’Examen périodique universel de la Turquie a eu lieu devant le Conseil des droits de l’homme des Nations unies à Genève. L’événement fait partie d’un mécanisme unique permettant la mise en avant du bilan en matière des droits humains de chaque membre de l’ONU tous les cinq ans.
The plight of the dismissed people after reunification in Germany! (in English)

The plight of the dismissed people after reunification in Germany! (in English)

"How many people were fired when the reunification happened in Germany?" This question has been persistently used as a cliché answer by the Turkish officials whenever they are asked about the wide-ranging purges in public sector in Turkey.
DIŞİŞLERİ BAKAN YARDIMCISI FARUK KAYMAKÇI'NIN BM #UPRTurkey TOPLANTISINDAKİ AÇIKLAMALARINA İLİŞKİN DEĞERLENDİRME (in Turkish)

DIŞİŞLERİ BAKAN YARDIMCISI FARUK KAYMAKÇI'NIN BM #UPRTurkey TOPLANTISINDAKİ AÇIKLAMALARINA İLİŞKİN DEĞERLENDİRME (in Turkish)

@TC_Disisleri Bakan Yardımcısı @frkkymkc'nın BM #UPRTurkey toplantısında kağıttan okumaya çalışırken İngilizcesiyle alay konusu olup haklı bir üne kavuştuğu konuşma metni, aslında en öncelikli olarak içerik açısından skandal mahiyetteydi.
Sayın Prof. Dr. Baskın Oran'ın cevabi e-posta mesajına cevabımdır! (in Turkish)

Sayın Prof. Dr. Baskın Oran'ın cevabi e-posta mesajına cevabımdır! (in Turkish)

"Sayın Hocam, E-posta mesajıma yanıt verme nezaketi gösterdiğiniz için teşekkür ederim. Agos'taki yazınızda "toptancı yaklaşım" ve bazı hususları "eksik bırakma" şeklinde iki hata yaptığınızı kabul etmenizi ve bir sonraki yazınızda bu hususlara değinme taahhüdünde bulunmanızı önemsiyorum.
BİR ÜYEMİZİN ULUÇ ÖZÜLKER'İN AÇIKLAMALARINA CEVABI (in Turkish)

BİR ÜYEMİZİN ULUÇ ÖZÜLKER'İN AÇIKLAMALARINA CEVABI (in Turkish)

Uluç Özülker'in "dil bilmiyorlar", "herhangi bir backgroundları yok" dediği ve "terörist!" olarak nitelediği ihraç olmuş 600 diplomattan birisi olmam cihetiyle, şahsım adına bu hayâsız şarlatanlığa bir cevap hakkı doğdu. Esasen ailemin bana verdiği terbiye icabı övünmek maksadıyla geçmişimi sayıp dökmekten ar ederim, ama haysiyet cellatlığına soyunan birtakım uzaktan kumandalı adamların yüzlerine bazı şeyleri çarpmak vacip oldu.

Reports - Turkey

Electrifying Turkey's Roads: EV Adoption Scenarios & Their Impact on Oil Imports

Electrifying Turkey's Roads: EV Adoption Scenarios & Their Impact on Oil Imports

by Baki Kaya, Ömer Güler, Harun Güngör, and Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 10 September 2025
This study evaluates, through long-term projections to 2053, the potential impact of increased EV penetration on Turkey’s energy landscape. It provides a comparative assessment of how changes in the share of EVs within the total vehicle fleet, across several scenario frameworks, could influence fuel demand and petroleum import volumes. A second, closely related objective is to measure the scale of Turkey’s oil dependency in order to establish a basis for examining its policy implications.
Geopolitical Constraints of Turkey's Energy Hub Ambitions

Geopolitical Constraints of Turkey's Energy Hub Ambitions

by Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 8 July 2025
This study focuses on the geopolitical dimensions and constraints shaping Turkey’s ambition to become a natural gas hub. The emphasis is on Turkey’s diplomatic relations with key supplier countries, the political instability across the wider Middle East, and the limited capacity of neighboring states to produce and export gas reliably—factors that collectively can make or undermine Turkey’s hub ambitions.
MODERNIZING THE TURKEY–EU CUSTOMS UNION: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

MODERNIZING THE TURKEY–EU CUSTOMS UNION: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

by instituDE, published in March 2025
The Turkey–EU Customs Union, established in 1995, has been a defining feature of trade relations between Turkey and the European Union. Over the past three decades, the global economic landscape has evolved significantly, necessitating a modernization of the agreement to address new trade realities, regulatory developments, and emerging geopolitical challenges.
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.
JUDICIAL CORRUPTION IN TÜRKİYE

JUDICIAL CORRUPTION IN TÜRKİYE

by instituDE and Arrested Lawyers, published on October 2024
This submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) highlights severe issues undermining the integrity of Türkiye's judiciary, particularly focusing on rampant judicial corruption and impunity as well as human rights abuses which they facilitate. Based on the most recent incidents of corruption concerning members of the judiciary who serve in courts in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, this report seeks to examine the high-level corruption within the judiciary and the Turkish government’s failure or even willful ignorance in addressing it.
TURKEY'S GROWING ROLE IN GLOBAL COCAINE TRAFFICKING

TURKEY'S GROWING ROLE IN GLOBAL COCAINE TRAFFICKING

by Dr. İmdat Öner, Halil Çavuş, Ömer Güler and Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 17 September 2024
This report focuses on Turkey's prominence as an emerging market for cocaine trafficking and organized crime in the last decade. Cocaine production in Latin America has dramatically increased since 2013, and Turkey’s status as an emerging market has attracted the attention of Latin American government officials on the front lines of the cocaine trade.

Videos - Turkey

What is the PKK? Inside Turkey’s Recent Peace Talks

March 12, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 12 March 2025
Turkey has initiated a new round of talks with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a.k.a. PKK. PKK's founding leader called the group to lay down their weapons and dissolve the organization. The PKK has declared a ceasefire. Turkey seems to be closer to peace more than ever. Yet, ironically, the country is getting more and more authoritarian every passing day. The question is whether the authoritarian peace is possible?

Ve Ticaret Savaşları Başladı!

March 5, 2025
by Mehmet Demirbaş and Haşim Tekineş, published on 5 March 2025
Amerikan Başkanı Donald Trump Kanada, Meksika ve Çin'e gümrük vergileri koydu. Trump AB'ye de vergi koyacağını belirtiyor. Bu vergiler Amerika'yı, dünya ekonomisini ve Türkiye'yi nasıl etkileyecek?

Why Is Erdoğan Unhappy with the US-Russia Talks?

February 20, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 20 February 2025
US President Donald Trump decided to initiate direct talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Turkey-Turkmenistan Gas Deal: Challenges and Opportunities

February 19, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 19 February 2025
The Turkish government announced this week a deal between Turkey’s state-owned #pipeline operator BOTAŞ and Turkmenistan’s Turkmengaz. Although it is an important deal, it has still significant challenges.

BM Akın Öztürk'ü Haklı Buldu!

February 14, 2025
by Hakan Kaplankaya and Haşim Tekineş, published on 14 February 2025
İnsan Hakları Uzmanı Hakan Kaplankaya ve instituDE Analisti Haşim Tekineş Birleşmiş Milletler Keyfi Tutuklamalar Çalışma Grubu'nun Akın Öztürk hakkında verdiği tutuklanmasının haksızlığına, keyfi olduğuna ve maddi temeli bulunmadığına dair ihlal kararını ele aldılar. Kararda insanlığa karşı suçlara ada atıf yapılması önemli.

AİHM'den Yunanistan Puschbacklerine İhlal Kararı | Yasak Başvurusu Büyük Dairede

January 8, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş and Hakan Kaplankaya, published on 8 January 2025
Bu yayınımızda insan hakları uzmanı Hakan Kaplankaya ve instituDE analisti Haşim Tekineş AİHM'in Yunanistan'ın Türkiye'ye geri ittiği sığınmacılar hakkında verdiği yeni ihlal kararını, Yasak başvurusunun Büyük Daire'ye sevkedilmesini ele aldılar.