Opinions - Turkey

Shifting Geopolitics of Turkey-Israel Relations After Assad

Shifting Geopolitics of Turkey-Israel Relations After Assad

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 20 December 2024
The fall of the Assad regime marks a critical juncture in regional geopolitics, fundamentally altering the dynamics between Turkey and Israel. Historically, their relationship has oscillated between pragmatic alliances and ideological rifts. Yet, with their common enemy removed, the regional balance of power has shifted, creating new challenges and testing the resilience of their already fragile ties.
Turkey’s Prospects in Syria Depend on Peace

Turkey’s Prospects in Syria Depend on Peace

by Enes Esen, published on 12 December 2024
Both Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the YPG are classified as terrorist organizations by Turkey, yet these two groups have consolidated power across the Syrian landscape in the last couple of weeks. Nonetheless, the joy has been palpable both among Turkey's decision-makers and within the broader public, following the triumph of the HTS.
Ankara Eyes Opportunities Amid Syria’s Turmoil

Ankara Eyes Opportunities Amid Syria’s Turmoil

by Enes Esen, published on 1 December 2024
Syrian rebel forces launched their largest offensive against the Assad government in years on Wednesday, capturing Aleppo and advancing south toward Hama. While it is clear that Ankara had prior knowledge of the Syrian opposition’s offensive, dubbed "Stopping the Aggression," it appears to have underestimated the scale and rapidity of the regime’s collapse in Aleppo.
Turkish-American Relations in the Biden Era: A Pragmatic Stability

Turkish-American Relations in the Biden Era: A Pragmatic Stability

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 28 November 2024
The Biden administration marked in a period of relative stability for Turkish-American relations, despite limited personal engagement between President Biden and Turkish President Erdoğan. While the absence of direct presidential rapport marked a significant departure from the Trump era’s personal diplomacy, institutional ties under Biden remained resilient and productive.
The Intelligence Community’s Growing Hold on Turkey’s Foreign Ministry

The Intelligence Community’s Growing Hold on Turkey’s Foreign Ministry

by Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 16 November 2024
Under the leadership of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seeing a noteworthy shift, with a growing number of senior positions now occupied by National Intelligence Organization (MIT) officers and political appointees. This transformation is reshaping the ministry’s traditional role, aligning it more closely with intelligence and security functions than with conventional diplomatic practices.
The Turkish House: Buildings Don’t Make Diplomacy

The Turkish House: Buildings Don’t Make Diplomacy

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 28 October 2024
In September 2022, Turkey opened the Turkish House (Turkevi) in New York City, right across from the United Nations Headquarters. This impressive 35-story building was meant to enhance Turkey's diplomatic efforts and serve as a hub for international dialogue during major global events, particularly the UN General Assembly, typically hold in September. However, the question remains: has Turkevi somehow transformed Turkey's diplomatic engagement, or has it simply become just another skyscraper on New York City's skyline?

Reports - Turkey

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.
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.

Videos - Turkey

Erdoğan ve Bahçeli Cepheyi Mi Guçlendiriyor?

October 18, 2024
by Ali Dinçer and Haşim Tekineş, published on 18 October 2024
Bu hafta Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş Türkiye'de yeniden konuşulmaya başlayan çözüm süreci mevzuunu, konunun Orta Doğu'daki şiddet sarmalı ile irtibatını, AB finansmanı ile Türkiye'deki geri gönderme merkezlerinde yaşanan hak ihlallerini ve Kanada-Hindistan arasındaki diplomatik krizi ele aldılar.

Dışişleri'ne Silahlı Güç

September 26, 2024
by Ali Dinçer and Haşim Tekineş, published on 26 September 2024
Bu yayınımızda Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş, haftanın öne çıkan dış politika gündemlerinden İsrail-Hizbullah gerilimi bağlamında Lübnan'da savaşa yaklaşan vaziyeti, Dışişleri Bakanlığı'nda silahlı donanımı olan bir güvenlik biriminin kurulmasına ilişkin son düzenlemeyi ve F-35 savaş uçağı projesinden çıkarılan Türkiye'nin bu uçakları alabilmesine yönelik ileri sürülen S-400'lerden bir biçimde vazgeçmeyi içeren bir çözüm önerisini ele aldılar.

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.