As part of our mission to defend law and human rights, we closely monitor developments in the field of law and human rights in Türkiye. Below you can read and download the English (EN) edition of Issue 3 (5–11 October 2026).
Weekly Human Rights & Justice Developments in Türkiye
📌 Issue 3 | Date 5-11 October
🗓️ 12.10.2026
“As part of our legal and human rights advocacy mission, we closely monitor developments in law and human rights in Turkey. Within the scope of this work, we publish a weekly bulletin documenting/archiving the summary of the previous week.”
⚖️ ARBITRARY DETENTIONS AND ARRESTS
October 10
As part of an investigation into capital market transactions regarding a “fund fraud,” Sözcü journalists Mustafa Balcı and Şaban Sevinç, who shared a photo showing AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik and Osman Arıkan Nacar in the same frame, were arrested on charges of “publicly dissemination of misleading information.” Journalists İsmail Saymaz and Murat Ağırel, who were summoned for questioning under “disinformation” allegations in the same investigation, were released under judicial control measures.
October 7
Actress and presenter Berna Laçin was detained over a post she made on the X social media platform. She had expressed her reaction to İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay joining the AKP by posting “İzmir was occupied before as well, Do not fear!” on her social media account.
📰 FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE PRESS
October 10
Access was blocked to at least 88 accounts, including the Freedom of Expression Association, on grounds of “protecting national security and public order.” Among the accounts blocked were those of former YARSAV President Ömer Faruk Eminağaoğlu, software developer Fatih Kadir Akın, clinical psychologist Kıvılcım Kıran, journalists Hamdi Çelikbaş and Yiğit Uzun, and the Women’s Party. Founded in 2017 by lawyers and human rights experts, the association’s X account was also made invisible from Turkey.
October 5
Turkey blocked access to the X account of Sky News reporter Alex Crawford, who neither works nor lives in Turkey. The decision, taken as part of the “My Family is Safe” investigations, drew attention as part of a broad censorship wave covering thousands of accounts in September.
🏛️ JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE AND THE RULE OF LAW
October 10
Ankara Bar Association No. 2 President Atty. Gökhan Ağdemir, known for his closeness to the AKP, confessed on a program on Bengü Türk TV that they had lawyer members appointed as judges and prosecutors after consulting with the ministry. Ağdemir stated that “The ministry granted us a privilege; within 2 years, we helped 70 lawyer friends who were members of our bar association become judges and prosecutors,” indicating that they served as references for those wanting to become judges and prosecutors. YENİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir reacted with the words: “After pass-guaranteed bridges and flight-guaranteed airports, they have truly broadened their vision. Bar No. 2 with a judge guarantee!”
October 5
YENİ Party Istanbul Deputy Özgür Karabat alleged that some municipal council members were threatened through the judiciary to switch to the AKP. Karabat claimed on a live broadcast on Halk TV that individuals introducing themselves as acting on behalf of the AKP or affiliated with prosecutors told council members, “I will talk to the prosecutor, if you switch to the AKP, your file will be closed,” and that these meetings were conducted by going to their homes. Karabat also called on prosecutors to investigate and take action against those threatening people in their name, asking them to do so.
October 7
It was determined that 40 mayors have been arrested in operations targeting CHP municipalities since the March 31, 2024 local elections.
October 6
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that there was a rights violation regarding the 2020 arrest of journalist Müyesser Yıldız over her news reports and articles on military operations in Libya and Syria.
October 6
On July 31, 2025, the Constitutional Court (AYM) ruled that Tayfun Kahraman’s right to a fair trial in the Gezi trial had been violated. However, this decision was not implemented by the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court handling the case. Thereupon, the Constitutional Court issued a second violation ruling on Tayfun Kahraman’s second application.
⛓️ TORTURE AND MALTREATMENT
October 09
Mehmet Şirin Çelik, who is held in Elazığ No. 2 High Security Closed Prison and is on the IHD’s list of severely ill prisoners, was issued a report by the Forensic Medicine Institute stating that “he can maintain his life independently in prison,” despite suffering a brain hemorrhage on July 3 and being unable to walk due to paralysis.
October 08
The release of four women held in Ankara Sincan Women’s Closed Prison for over 30 years was postponed once again by decision of the Administration and Observation Board; the release of Nedime Yaklav, imprisoned for 34 years, was blocked for the 7th time, and that of Hicran Binici, Nuriye Adet, and Gülşen Adet, imprisoned for 33 years, was blocked for the 5th time for a duration of one year each.
October 08
The situation of 73-year-old severely ill convict Abdullah Tırpan, held in Metris Prison, is drawing backlash. Tırpan, a butcher for 55 years, was convicted of “membership in an organization” due to his alleged connection to the Gülen Movement based on grounds such as donations and subscriptions to legal institutions. Tırpan, who suffers from severe diabetes and has developed gangrene in his leg, is not released because the Forensic Medicine Institute ruled that “there is no harm in remaining in prison.” Deputy Mustafa Yeneroğlu pointed out that all actions cited as grounds for Abdullah Tırpan’s conviction were legal and under state supervision at the time they occurred, emphasizing that his sentence is contrary to law. Describing Tırpan’s detention under these conditions as an “enemy law,” Yeneroğlu stated that execution of the sentence should be suspended and he should be hospitalized immediately.
October 7
The Constitutional Court found dismissed prosecutor Hasan Dursun right, who was subjected to torture and ill-treatment in Sincan Prison when his hair was forcibly attempted to be cut. The High Court ruled that the prohibition of ill-treatment was violated, noting that the necessity of the force used could not be demonstrated and an effective investigation into the incident was not conducted.
⚧️ GENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS
October 05
Amnesty International launched an Urgent Action for the immediate and unconditional release of at least 23 LGBTI+ human rights defenders, including KAOS GL board and audit committee members Janset Kalan, Nedime Erdoğan, Umut Derin, and Selin Berghan, as well as journalist Tuğba Tekerek. In the petition addressed to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor and opened for signature worldwide, it was stated that rights defenders were interrogated and arrested on charges of “obscenity” and “violation of the Law on Associations,” and that their deprivation of liberty was arbitrary, punitive, and discriminatory. The petition also emphasized that allegations of physical and verbal abuse, degrading strip searches, threats, as well as inadequate access to healthcare, medication, and food during detention were documented.
👩 WOMEN’S RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
October 07
According to the We Will Stop Femicide Platform report, 28 women were killed by men and 19 women were found suspiciously dead in September; the rate of femicide increased by 21 percent compared to the previous month. It was determined that 50 percent of the killed women were murdered at home, 54 percent with firearms, and 4 percent despite protective orders under Law No. 6284. The platform emphasized that the inability to determine the pretext under which 23 women were murdered was a consequence of rendering violence against women invisible.
⚖️ CROSSBORDER JURISTS
This newsletter is prepared to objectively document and archive developments in human rights and justice.
