Opinions - Turkey

Recent Unrests Show Turkey is a Powder Keg

Recent Unrests Show Turkey is a Powder Keg

by Enes Esen, published on 2 July 2024
In several cities in Turkey, mobs have attacked Syrian refugees and ransacked their businesses. This chain of events was apparently sparked by the abuse of a child by a Syrian man in Kayseri. The mobs in the city, wanting to take justice into their own hands, turned their anger toward Syrians. Later, it was revealed that the abuse victim was not Turkish but Syrian. Nonetheless, protests spread to different cities such as Hatay and Istanbul, where large communities of Syrians reside. The protests against Syrians in Turkey have calmed down for now.
Turkey's Deployment of Syrian Mercenaries in Africa

Turkey's Deployment of Syrian Mercenaries in Africa

Turkey has recently deployed hundreds of Syrian mercenaries in Niger. As early as January, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Turkish authorities were recruiting fighters from northern Syria, particularly from the "Sultan Murad" brigade, a faction closely associated with Turkey.
The Limits of Turkish Armed Drones: Allies are Irreplaceable

The Limits of Turkish Armed Drones: Allies are Irreplaceable

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 31 May 2024
Turkey has made remarkable strides in defense technology, particularly with its drone program. The Bayraktar TB2 and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have proven their effectiveness in various conflict zones, from Libya to Nagorno-Karabakh to Ukraine.
Long-Term Bets in Turkish Politics

Long-Term Bets in Turkish Politics

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 21 May 2024
While the post-election balance of power has significantly increased the stakes for both the AKP and the opposition, Turkish politics has, at least for now, entered a period of détente and dialogue rather than a new spiral of political tension. But make no mistake, this is not a return to democracy and normalcy in Turkey.
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
No Breakthrough in Iraq but Insights for Turkey’s Upcoming Summer Offensive

No Breakthrough in Iraq but Insights for Turkey’s Upcoming Summer Offensive

by Mustafa Enes Esen published on 26 April 2024
President Erdoğan's long-anticipated visit to Iraq unfolded on Monday, where he was warmly welcomed by Iraqi President of Republic Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Sudani in Baghdad. The visit culminated in the signing of 26 memoranda of understanding in various fields including energy, trade, water management, security cooperation, military training, and agriculture. Later on the same day, he also paid a visit to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil.

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

Transnational Repression: Weaponizing Financial Systems

September 25, 2024
by Dr. Yasir Gökçe, Haşim Tekineş, Mayra Russo and Sara Kezia Heinonen, published on 25 September 2024
In this episode, Dr. Yasir Gökçe, Mayra Russo, Sara Kezia Heinonen and Haşim Tekineş discussed our report published in August on weaponizing financial systems by Turkey against its opponents. The co-authors of the report shared more details over this abuse of Turkey.

Mısır'la Yeni Bir Sayfa

September 5, 2024
by Ali Dinçer and Haşim Tekineş, published on 5 September 2024
Bu yayınımızda Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş Mısır-Türkiye normalleşmesini, Sisi'nin bu haftaki Türkiye ziyaretini ve Türkiye'nin BRICS'e katılma niyetini değerlendirdiler.

BM'den AİHM'e Yusuf Bilge Tunç Uyarısı

August 23, 2024
By Hakan Kaplankaya and Haşim Tekineş, published on 23 August 2024
Bu yayınımızda Hakan Kaplankaya, Ağustos 2019'da kaçırılan ve kendisinden hala haber alınamayan KHK'lı Yusuf Bilge Tunç hakkındaki AİHM'in verdiği olayda ihlal olmadığı kararını, konuya ilişkin BM İnsan Hakları Komitesi'nin 19 Ağustos 2024'te verdiği kararı ele aldı.

Rusya İşgal Altında

August 16, 2024
by Ali Dinçer and Haşim Tekineş, published on 16 August 2024
Haftanın önemli uluslararası gündemlerinden Ukrayna'nın Rusya topraklarına girmesini, Gazze'de şiddetin devam edişini, ateşkes görüşmelerini, Biden'ın görevdeki son üç ayında Gazze savaşına dair adım atma olasılığı, Mahmut Abbas'ın Türkiye temasları ile ABD seçim sürecine dair son gelişmeleri ele aldılar.

Gazze ve İnstagram

August 10, 2024
by Haşim Tekineş, Ali Dinçer and Harun R. Halisoğlu, published on 18 August 2024
Ali Dinçer, Harun Reşit Halisoğlu ve Haşim Tekineş Türkiye'nin Uluslararası Adalet Divanı'nda görülen #Gazze soykırım davasına müdahil olmasını, #CHP'nin #Paris çıkarmasını, #İngiltere'de yaşanan sokak olaylarını ve Türkiye'de bu hafta getirilen #İnstagram yasağını ele aldılar.

Haftanın Ortası - Suikastler, Savaşlar ve Seçimler

August 1, 2024
by Ali Dinçer and Haşim Tekineş, published on 1 August 2024
Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş'in haftanın öne çıkan uluslararası gündemlerini ele aldıkları yeni yayınımızda, İsrail'in Hamas liderlerine yönelik suikast saldırıları, Erdoğan'ın İsrail'e yönelik açıklamaları, bölgesel savaş senaryoları ve ABD seçim sürecine ilişkin son gelişmeler değerlendirildi.