Opinions - Turkey

All Quiet on the Syrian Front Until Trump’s Re-election

All Quiet on the Syrian Front Until Trump’s Re-election

by Enes Esen, published on 17 July 2024
On his return flight from the USA after attending the NATO Summit, Turkish President Erdoğan informed journalists that he had instructed Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to arrange a meeting with his Syrian counterpart, President Bashar al-Assad. Despite Erdoğan’s persistent efforts — and mediation from Russia and Iraq to mend fences between Ankara and Damascus — the Syrian leader remains reluctant to engage in a personal meeting.
Turkey's Divergence from NATO: A Complex Balance

Turkey's Divergence from NATO: A Complex Balance

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 13 July 2024
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s attendance to recent NATO Summit in Washington has not become the reiteration of Turkey’s commitment to the alliance. On the contrary, Turkey's position within NATO has become increasingly divergent, especially highlighted during the recent NATO summit in Washington
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.

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

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.

Halep Düştü! Dengeler Değişti, Türkiye’yi Ne Bekliyor?

December 2, 2024
Halep'in düşmesi ne anlama geliyor? Suriye yeniden dünya gündemine oturdu. Esad rejimi son yıllarda elde ettiği kazanımları kaybetmiş oldu. Peki bu Türkiye'nin hesaplamalarını nasıl etkileyecek? Ankara - Şam normalleşme girişimleri bu gelişmeden nasıl etkilenecek? Türkiye - Rusya ilişkileri ve Türkiye - İran ilişkileri nereye evrilecek? Bu gelimeleri ve daha fazlasını instituDE'den Dış Politika Analisti Haşim Tekineş sizler için analiz etti.

Erdoğan'dan Trump Hazırlıkları

November 22, 2024
instituDE'nin bu yayınında Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş, ABD Başkanlık seçimlerini kazanan Yeni Başkan Donald Trump'la şekillenecek ABD dış politikasında ne gibi değişiklikler olacağını, Ortadoğu'daki ülkelerin Trump'a yönelik politika değişiklerini, Erdoğan'ın da Trump yönetimine yönelik dış poliitika hazırlıklarını, İsrail-Hamas ekseninde Türkiye'nin duruşunu ve Rusya-Ukrayna savaşında son dönemde yaşanan gelişmelerle savaşan taraflara dışardan verilen destekleri ve olası sonuçlarını ele aldılar.

İran'a Karşı Türkiye-İsrail Cephesi mi?

October 31, 2024
Bu yayınımızda Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş Türkiye'de güdeme gelen gelişmeleri okumanın ve anlamlandırmanın güçlüğünü, çözüm süreci konuşuluyorken Tusaş'a yönelik PKK saldırısı yaşanması ve CHPli Esenyurt Belediye Başkanı'nın gözlatın alınarak yerine kayyum atanmasını, bu gelişmelere dair dış etkenleri, İran'ı zayıflatan gelişmeler karşısında Türkiye'nin konumlanma ve yeni olgulara hazırlanma olasılığını, İsrail'in İran'a yönelik misilleme saldırısını ve 5 Kasım'da yapılacak ABD başkanlık seçimlerinde son durumu ele aldılar.

Ankara'nın Göbeğinde Terör

October 24, 2024
instituDE'nin bu yayınında Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş, TUSAŞ'a yönelik terör saldırısını, Türkiye'nin BRICS üyelik başvurusunu ve İsrail'in Hamas ve Hizbullah'a yönelik savaşlarına dair vaziyeti ele aldılar.