Turkey’s Human Rights Violations Reported by ECtHR
According to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Turkey remains a prominent violator of human rights in Europe, featuring in their 2024 annual report. With 21,613 unresolved cases, Turkey accounts for 35.8% of the total pending applications before the court. Russia follows with approximately 8,150 cases, indicating serious systemic issues within Turkey’s legal framework impacting citizens’ rights.
Frequent Breaches of the European Convention
The report reveals alarming statistics for Turkey, where 67 of 73 rulings found breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights. Violations included significant breaches concerning the right to liberty and security, freedom of expression, and personal privacy. These findings highlight Turkey’s chronic issues with fair trials, arbitrary detentions, and broad restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.
Declining Settlements and Renewed Criticism
The number of friendly settlements for Turkish cases has plummeted from three in 2023 to just one in 2024. Reports indicate a pattern of politically motivated judicial decisions and extensive pretrial detentions, frequently targeting journalists and activists under stringent counterterrorism laws.
Ongoing Defiance Against ECtHR Decisions
While Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç asserts a compliance rate of 89% with ECtHR rulings—significantly higher than the European average—critics claim these statistics mask a lack of meaningful reform. Procedures, they say, often fail to lead to the release or acquittal of detainees, prompting concerns about the authenticity of judicial reforms.
Concerns Over Impartial Representation at ECtHR
Concerns over the neutrality of Turkey’s representative, Judge Saadet Yüksel, linger in Strasbourg. Critics have labelled her a “Trojan horse” for the Turkish government due to her connections with the ruling party. Observers highlight that her rulings tend to favour the government, with her familial ties raising suspicions about her impartiality in cases involving dissenters.
According to the ECtHR, Turkey leads Europe in human rights violations, with 21,613 unresolved cases. Of 73 judgments, 67 showed breaches of the European Convention. Critics question the genuine nature of Turkey’s compliance, while concerns over Judge Saadet Yüksel’s impartiality rise, given her ties to the ruling AKP party.
Turkey’s alarming human rights record, as characterised by the ECtHR, persists amidst claims of reform and compliance. The disparity between reported adherence to rulings and the practical implications of these rulings intensifies scrutiny of the judiciary’s independence. Increasingly critical voices highlight systemic failures in Turkey’s legal landscape, undermining citizens’ rights and freedoms, with a need for substantive change apparent.
Original Source: nordicmonitor.com
