Erdogan’s Turkey silencing dissent, abusing terrorism charges – HRW report


Date posted: January 16, 2020

Turkey’s prolonged and arbitrary detention of journalists, human rights defenders, and politicians following the 2016 coup attempt have set back the country’s human rights record, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2020 published on Tuesday.

The prosecutions and convictions of lawyers, including those with a focus on human rights,  the HRW report said, points to the Turkish government’s abusive use of terrorism charges.

An estimated 119 journalists and media workers are in pre-trial detention or jailed on charges of “spreading terrorist propaganda” and “membership of a terrorist organization,” it said.

Tens of thousands of people have been jailed pending trial and some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others sacked or suspended from their jobs as part of a crackdown by the Turkish government following the July 15, 2016 coup attempt.

“Executive control and political influence over the judiciary in Turkey has led to courts systematically accepting bogus indictments, detaining and convicting without compelling evidence of criminal activity individuals and groups the Erdoğan government regards as political opponents,’’ the report said.

The largest number of those targeted by Ankara are alleged to have links with the Gülen movement, a religious group led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who the government accuses of masterminding the failed putsch. 

The two-year-long state of emergency rule following the failed coup attempt saw the escalating human rights violations, from arbitrary detentions to the permanent closure of civil society organisations.

An estimated 8,500 people, including elected politicians and journalist, remain in prison on remand or following conviction for alleged links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group that has been at war in Turkey for over three decades, the report said. 

The Turkish presidency’s judicial reform amendment package, which was adopted by parliament in October, while amending various laws, was “too generalized and vague to offer hopes of genuine measures to address the deep and pervasive deficiencies of Turkey’s justice system,’’ the report said. 

Turkish authorities continue to block websites and order the removal of online content while thousands of people in the country face criminal investigations, prosecutions, and convictions for their social media posts.

The report pointed to a dramatic rise in the number of prosecutions and convictions on charges of “insulting the president” since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s first election as president in 2014.

Between 2010 and 2017, 12,893 cases of insulting the president were filed with 12,305 being filed by lawyers representing Erdoğan.

The government of Turkey, home to 3.7 million Syrian refugees, has unlawfully deported some Syrians from the country’s commercial capital of Istanbul and other provinces to Syria, it said, “including after coercing some of them through violence, verbal threats and the threat of indefinite detention into signing voluntary return forms’’.

Source: Ahval , January 15, 2020


Related News

I feel fooled, upset, hurt

Recent statements by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan aired by the ATV TV station upset, surprised and hurt me. I felt fooled and surprised, because despite the decision made by the Cabinet two days ago, the prime minister made a clear statement: “There is no way back. The draft will be reviewed.” Everybody is taking a test now; only our Islamic attitude, stance, love, tolerance, humility and style will save us.

Gülen’s lawyer rejects ‘letter of alliance’ to PKK

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, whose ideas inspired the faith based Hizmet movement, denied claims made by the Sabah daily claiming that Gülen sent a letter of alliance to the PKK

Court rules for release of Zaman chief editor, Samanyolu manager arrested

A Turkish court ruled on Friday to release the editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily, five days after he was detained on charges of forming and leading an armed terrorist organization.

Hate towards Hizmet Movement as a political strategy

The Hizmet movement has broad support from every walk of life in the country. A very popular civic movement, many groups are sympathetic to the cause of the Hizmet. So, the image of the Hizmet had to be turned upside down.

Abrupt gov’t decision to revoke status of Kimse Yok Mu draws criticism

Turkey’s leading charity, Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), had its right to collect charitable donations abruptly rescinded on Tuesday, in what seems to be an arbitrary decision made during a Cabinet meeting, prompting harsh reactions from volunteers, lawmakers of the opposition parties and representatives of other civil society groups.

Kyrgyzstan: Antagonism Grows with Turkey Over Gülen Links

In the eyes of the government of Turkey, where Gülen is from, the sprawling building immaculately cast in the bright colors of the red Kyrgyz flag is little short of an incubator of terrorism and plots to subvert the state. Ankara’s antagonism to Gülen’s international influence has deep roots, and the Turkish government’s attempt to link the educator with the recent failed coup is intensifying that animosity. But Kyrgyzstan, which is host to at least a dozen Gülen-linked schools and one university, is holding its ground — up to a point.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

‘Consider your husband dead, start a new life,’ prosecutor tells detainee’s wife

Kimse Yok Mu meets Syrian refugees’ needs through sister families

Peace Islands Institute donates platefuls of generosity

Romania Refuses to Extradite Journalist to Turkey

Hizmet, politics and political parties

Purge accelerates Islamist radicalization in Turkey

Gülen says never considered establishing political party

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News