Press Statement on the Inauguration of instituDE

by instituDE, published on the May 15, 2020

We are pleased to announce the inauguration of the Institute for Diplomacy and Economy (instituDE). instituDE is a platform established by a group of former Turkish diplomats, who served at various posts in different parts of the world.

instituDE members are deeply concerned by the widespread human rights violations, erosion of the rule of law, weakening of democratic institutions and oppressive policies and practices against opponents in Turkey. In this respect, prevalent practice of torture to prisoners, including the one suffered by our diplomat colleagues last year, should be addressed most urgently.

We are also worried that backsliding in Turkish democracy has deepened as Turkey deviated from its historical western alliance to the extent where its NATO membership is questioned. We firmly believe that  peace, prosperity and stability can only be established by embracing democratic norms and values, along with restoring the rule of law. To this end, accession process with the EU  should be immediately reinvigorated by genuinely ensuring freedom of the press and the independence of the judiciary.

In this regard, instituDE aims to contribute to the efforts in ending grave human rights violations and building democracy in Turkey. We intend to publish analyses and commentaries on a broad range of areas with a focus on foreign policy, economy and human rights.

We will share our publications, podcasts and videos via our Twitter and YouTube accounts as well as our website.