When the Turkish President declared in an infamous speech that “Old Turkey no longer exists. This Turkey is new Turkey”, the story of Turkish authoritarianism had once and for all taken on a new character. Since July of 2016, the Turkish government has improperly imprisoned 160,000+homemakers, teachers, NGO workers, academics, judges, prosecutors and journalists. Once upon a time, the Republic of Turkey was lauded by insiders and outsiders for constituting a powerful model for democratization. In New Turkey, however, silence against the regime’s draconian laws, mass imprisonment, and frequent violations of universal human rights has become the norm. In a regime which ranks as the worst upholder of the rule-of law including Eastern Europe & Central Asia, 200+ media outlets have been shut down and 308 journalists and numerous human rights defenders, politicians, including Ilhan Isbilen, Hidayet Karaca, Buşra Erdal, Selahattin Demirtaş and Osman Kavala are held as political prisoners of the state. As a prominent journalist and recipient of international awards, Ahmet Altan was among the political prisoners who resist the regime’s unlawfulness. He was jailed for five years as a result of the crackdown on freedom of expression in Turkey. We are a group of lawyers, judges, academics, journalists, and hundreds of activists who cherish democratic ideals and universal human rights. We are prisoners of conscience wanted by the Erdogan’s regime, relatives of political prisoners, and victims who have lost their jobs, property and even family members to the current administration which has been described as a Mafia State. We are the Advocates of Silenced Turkey. We, the Advocates, have made it our mission to champion the rights of Silenced Turkey until universal human rights and democratic governance are established and sustained as the utmost priorities of the Republic of Turkey. In this regard, we have been the voice of voiceless people of Turkey by means of more than 200 human rights projects. We have shared the stories of the victims of grave human rights violations and persecution in Turkey through the personal belongings of them in The Social Genocide exhibition held in over 4 locations so far. We are also sharing the lives and experiences of persecuted people of Turkey with books. Among those books are the life stories of Gokhan Acikkollu and Halime Gulsu who died of torture in during incarceration in Turkey’s jails. In order to shed light on hideous assaults and rights violations in jails that women face, we have recently conducted a survey which will be reported to international entities and presented in conferences. Furthermore, as AST, we have been gathering prominent human rights experts to only discuss the human rights issues but also recommend solutions at our signature event, the Freedom Convention. For more work we do as human rights defenders please see this report closely. Thank you for all the support you do to help us achieve our humanity goals!

From 2016 to 2023, in the midst of the human rights crisis, numerous individuals fell victim to grief, stress, and illness. As of November 2023, we have documented 952 casualties attributed to the state of emergency (OHAL) and decree laws (KHK), which include 90 children. This encompasses suspicious deaths in prisons, those who took their own lives, and those who lost their lives while trying to flee Turkey across the Meric and Aegean, encountering denial to return to their home countries. The numerous state-sanctioned human rights abuses in Turkey are too extensive to enumerate. AST engages in a range of activities, from organizing conferences and panels to writing reports submitted to relevant organizations and committees. Collaborating with other organizations is crucial for sharing causes, learning from others' stories, and amplifying our own narratives. In response to the pandemic and global crises, AST has adapted its strategies, incorporating virtual protests, panels, and written works, including reports and books. Survivor interviews are shared through books, providing a platform for the voices of those persecuted. AST encourages people to write letters to decision-makers and focuses on youth empowerment, recognizing the significant role young advocates play. Collaboration between youth and adults is essential in all aspects of our activities, including the use of art and music to advocate for human rights. In 2024, AST remains committed to being the voice of the voiceless, defending fundamental rights, educating and motivating human rights advocates, urging leaders to prioritize human rights, and convening groups for collaborative action. Let us unite in the fight against violence, inequality, and injustice. Through solidarity and political unity, we can amplify our strength, break down prejudices, and work towards a world free from violence and injustice. Thank you for being part of this crucial cause. AST GIVES A VOICE TO THE VOICELESS The Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) are committed to combating human rights abuses and injustices within Turkey. AST consists not only of legal experts but also includes relatives of political prisoners and victims who have faced job loss, property confiscation, and the loss of family members under the current oppressive administration. AST actively participates in various human rights initiatives, which encompass the creation of reports submitted to relevant committees, councils, and entities. AST organizes conferences, documents all forms of violence and injustice experienced by the Turkish people, arranges exhibitions, produces documentaries, and hosts art competitions. Committed to advancing democracy and human rights in Turkey, AST is dedicated to expanding its efforts in raising awareness and advocating for the cause.

Executive Summary: This special report highlights the concerns raised by Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatović, Flags Non-Implementation of Judgments from ECHR, Venice Commission, and Turkish Constitutional Court as Serious Threat to Rule of Law, Public Trust and Constitutional Order. Commissioner issued a comprehensive Memorandum on March 5, 2024, assessing the state of freedom of expression, media, and human rights defenders in Turkey calling for urgent measures to address these challenges, emphasizing alignment with international human rights standards.

This report, issued by the Advocates of Silence Turkey (AST), details an alarming misuse of counterterrorism laws in Turkey to systematically target and dismantle philanthropic efforts supporting the Gülen Movement. It demonstrates how the government’s relentless crackdown on these humanitarian activities not only violates basic human rights but also showcases a broader intolerance towards any form of support for the movement. Through detailed analysis of specific cases, this document highlights the severe consequences of these actions, including arbitrary detentions, legal overreach, and the stifling of essential philanthropic work. Among the numerous cases analyzed, the stories of individuals like Halime Gülsu, Nihat Toktar, Hatice Yıldız, and Halit Dumankaya exemplify the profound personal tragedies behind these statistics. Halime Gülsu, denied essential medical treatment while imprisoned, tragically lost her life, underscoring the dire human cost of these policies. Nihat Toktar, arrested for simply distributing bread to students in need, and Hatice Yıldız, detained for aiding her imprisoned daughter, highlight the indiscriminate targeting of those providing basic humanitarian support. Halit Dumankaya’s case, where a respected business leader was imprisoned for alleged affiliations, further illustrates the scope of the crackdown. These stories, along with hundreds of others not detailed in this report, paint a vivid picture of the widespread human cost of this crackdown. Each narrative underscores the devastating impact of Turkey’s misuse of counterterrorism measures on ordinary lives, compelling an urgent need for a reconsidered approach that respects human rights and the rule of law. Key Findings: • Misapplication of Justice: Individuals have been charged under counterterrorism without concrete evidence, relying heavily on affiliations or baseless accusations. • Suppression of Philanthropy: Philanthropic activities, especially those directed towards families affected by government purges, have been criminalized, portraying acts of charity as terrorism. • Media and Judicial Bias: There is significant governmental influence on both media and judiciary, which undermines the objectivity in reporting and adjudicating cases related to the Gülen Movement. • Human Rights Violations: The aggressive enforcement of counterterrorism laws has led to severe human rights violations, including the denial of medical care, inhumane detention5 The Crackdown on Humanitarian Aid in Turkey conditions, and unwarranted seizures of property. This report calls for international attention and intervention with specific recommendations: 1. Establish independent monitoring bodies to oversee Turkey’s adherence to international human rights obligations. 2. Urge the Turkish government to revise its counterterrorism laws to ensure they cannot be misused to target humanitarian actions. 3. Encourage international human rights organizations to increase support for individuals and families affected by the crackdown in Turkey. In conclusion, the systematic targeting of individuals under the guise of counterterrorism not only disrupts lives but also severely impacts Turkey’s legal and social fabric, questioning the integrity of its commitment to upholding fundamental human rights and freedoms. The global community must respond, ensuring that humanitarian principles guide our actions and that those facing persecution are not forgotten. This is essential for upholding the dignity and rights of all individuals and for maintaining the social cohesion necessary for any functioning democracy.

"BEYOND TURKEY’S BORDERS: UNVEILING GLOBAL PURGE, TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION, ABDUCTIONS" is an enthralling expose on the grave human rights violations carried out by the current Turkish government. This gripping report unveils a hidden world of abductions, enforced disappearances, and torture under the regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This report is not merely a recounting of events, but a powerful call to action for every reader who values justice and human rights. Every page is replete with compelling evidence: eyewitness accounts, victims' testimonies, and a thorough examination of the aftermath of abductions. It unveils the regime's strategy of denying involvement while deliberately silencing opposition voices. It offers an enlightening portrayal of how dissidents are abducted, tortured, and coerced into confessions, while the regime celebrates these actions as achievements. The narrative does not stop at Turkey's borders. The report brings to light the regime's daring kidnappings from abroad, the victims' harrowing experiences, and the Turkish government's audacious denials. This report breaks the silence around this inhumane treatment of dissidents who are forced to withdraw their complaints under relentless pressure. This crucial report provides a human face to the victims of these oppressive practices, making it an emotional journey as well as an educational one. It uncovers how Turkey's actions starkly violate fundamental human rights and international laws. Yet, it goes beyond documenting these wrongs – it makes an impassioned plea for justice and the urgent need to protect human rights. The report is a must-read for everyone who seeks to understand the current human rights landscape in Turkey and for those inspired to take action against these atrocities. By reading this report, you're not just gaining insight into a hidden crisis; you're joining a global movement committed to upholding human rights and championing justice. This isn't just a report – it's a call to action. Stand with AST as we strive for a future where respect for human rights, rule of law, and democratic principles are upheld in Turkey, ensuring the protection and well-being of all its citizens. Get your copy now, and take your first step towards making a difference.

The jails in Turkey have long been mentioned in the same breath as inhumane actions and the breach of even the most basic rights, especially against the political prisoners. The violations have reached to unprecedented levels in parallel with the emergence of the current political-Islamist authoritarianism. The oppressive regime under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s rule instrumentalized the country’s legal system to muzzle the political dissidence, turning the prisons into concentration camps. The number of inmates behind the bars has reached historic highs. Hosting convicts much more than their capacities, the prisons, which were already substantially subpar, have fallen way below the minimum acceptable standards for human dignity. Patients in particular bore the most of the brunt of this precipitated deterioration of the prison conditions and the wrath of the Turkish regime against its opponents.

Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) prepares reports to record and document crimes against human dignity, such as torture and ill-treatment, which have become systematic in Turkey. The report in your hand is the second part of the study, which was prepared in order to register those who were involved in this crime, their instigators, those who encouraged the crime by praising it, and those who protected the torturer public officials by abuse of power. The report aims to be a record so that torturers will one day be held to an independent legal account. Hundreds of torture victims apply to human rights organizations in Turkey to fight for their rights every year. Still, many victims are not so eager or willing to seek their rights due to safety considerations. The loss of confidence in the independence of the judiciary is one of the import- ant reasons for this reservation. The judiciary, which is under Erdoğan’s influence, has become unable to investigate the allegations of torture, to judge the suspected torturers and to control them. Finally, the report, titled "The Reality of Torture in Different Dimensions in Turkey as of June 26, 2021" and prepared by the İstanbul branches of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) and the Human Rights Association (İHD), stated that the prosecutors who did not investigate the torture and the judges who acquitted torture suspects ignoring victim statements and related evidence were all a part of the systematic torture. According to the report, although receiving applications was restricted in 2020 due to measures against the pandemic, 605 people applied to TİHV on the grounds that they were exposed to torture and ill-treatment. Of the 562 victims, 283 stated that they were subjected to torture in official detention centers and 73 in police stations. In addition, 134 persons were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment while in detention and transport vehicles of law enforcement officers. 31 of the applications were made by relatives of the inmates while 12 applications came from abroad. The remaining incidents reportedly took place in buildings belonging to MİT and the Chief of Staff. One person died suspiciously while in custody. According to the findings of the İHD Documentation Unit in the report, in 2020 alone, 383 people, including 10 children, were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment in official detention centers. This number is at least 86 in the first five months of 2021, and 1 person died suspiciously in custody. In the aforementioned report, according to the data of the İHD Documentation Unit, the number of people who claimed to have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in unofficial places of detention and other places of detention in 2020 was 397, 28 of which were children. At least 2,980 people were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment as a result of the intervention of the security forces in the social demonstrations. Data from the TİHV Documentation Center showed that at least 2,144 people were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and 65 people were injured as a result of the intervention of law enforcement officers in actions and activities within the scope of freedom of assembly and demonstration in 2020. In the first five months of 2021, at least 2,153 people were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and 23 people were injured as a result of the intervention of law enforcement forces. TİHV Documentation Center also makes note of Yusuf Bilge Tunç, who was kidnapped in Ankara on 8 August 2019 and has not been heard of ever since then. Likewise, former Prime Ministry Legal Counsel Hüseyin Galip Küçüközyiğit, who was forcibly abducted on 29 December 2020, was found in Sincan Prison on 13 September 2021, after being subjected to 9 months of illegal detention and interrogation with torture. According to the data of Solidarity With Others, apart from the abductions and illegal interrogations in the country, 95 Turkish nationals from 23 countries were abducted and brought to Turkey between 2016 and 2020, in violation of international law, and their statements were forcefully taken in clandestine interrogation centers under torture. It turned out that they were first handed over to the police and then put in prison after being tortured into confessing to crimes they didn't commit.