Opinions - Turkey

Turkish-American Relations in the Biden Era: A Pragmatic Stability

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 28 November 2024

The Biden administration marked in a period of relative stability for Turkish-American relations, despite limited personal engagement between President Biden and Turkish President Erdoğan. While the absence of direct presidential rapport marked a significant departure from the Trump era’s personal diplomacy, institutional ties under Biden remained resilient and productive.

The Intelligence Community’s Growing Hold on Turkey’s Foreign Ministry

by Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 16 November 2024

Under the leadership of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seeing a noteworthy shift, with a growing number of senior positions now occupied by National Intelligence Organization (MIT) officers and political appointees. This transformation is reshaping the ministry’s traditional role, aligning it more closely with intelligence and security functions than with conventional diplomatic practices.

The Turkish House: Buildings Don’t Make Diplomacy

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 28 October 2024

In September 2022, Turkey opened the Turkish House (Turkevi) in New York City, right across from the United Nations Headquarters. This impressive 35-story building was meant to enhance Turkey's diplomatic efforts and serve as a hub for international dialogue during major global events, particularly the UN General Assembly, typically hold in September. However, the question remains: has Turkevi somehow transformed Turkey's diplomatic engagement, or has it simply become just another skyscraper on New York City's skyline?

Turkey's Syria Calculations Amid U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Iraq

Mustafa Enes Esen

Washington and Baghdad have reportedly agreed on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, aligning with the U.S.'s broader tendency of disengaging from the Middle East. Under the proposed plan, the US troops are expected to leave Iraq by the end of 2026, with phased withdrawals that will likely have ripple effects beyond Iraq's borders. Turkey is likely to welcome the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, viewing it as a gain that could expedite the U.S.'s exit from Syria.

Turkey and Egypt Strengthen Bilateral Relations Amid Regional Crises

by Enes Esen, pubblished on 5 September 2024

On September 4, 2024, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi made an official visit to Turkey, signaling a deepening of relations between Egypt and Turkey. During the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, Turkish President Erdogan referred to el-Sisi as "my dear brother," and the leaders displayed a level of cordiality that marked a significant departure from past tensions.

Factionalization of Turkish Security Bureaucracy and Authoritarian Bargaining

by Haşim Tekineş, published 3 August 2024

The internal balance of power in the security bureaucracy directly influences Turkish politics. A perception of change in that balance can immediately escalate the tensions or affect alignments. So indeed, the graduation ceremony of new cadets from the war college on August 30 has once more polarized the politics in Turkey.

Reports - Turkey

TURKEY‘S MASS PURGE AS VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN ICCPR

October 23, 2024

'A gift from God' was one of Erdoğan's first descriptions related to coup attempt in July 15. At first no one realized that God's gift meant a chaotic environment in which he needed to declare a national emergency with no checks and balances and then transform Türkiye’s parliamentary democracy into an executive presidency.

Judicial Corruption in Türkiye

October 9, 2024

This submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) highlights severe issues undermining the integrity of Türkiye's judiciary, particularly focusing on rampant judicial corruption and impunity as well as human rights abuses which they facilitate. Based on the most recent incidents of corruption concerning members of the judiciary who serve in courts in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, this report seeks to examine the high-level corruption within the judiciary and the Turkish government’s failure or even willful ignorance in addressing it.

TURKEY'S GROWING ROLE IN GLOBAL COCAINE TRAFFICKING

September 17, 2024

This report focuses on Turkey's prominence as an emerging market for cocaine trafficking and organized crime in the last decade. Cocaine production in Latin America has dramatically increased since 2013, and Turkey’s status as an emerging market has attracted the attention of Latin American government officials on the front lines of the cocaine trade.

Weaponizing Financial Systems Erdoğan's Transnational Repression to Muzzle Dissidents Abroad

August 29, 2024

This report sets out to provide a comprehensive analysis of the tactics employed by the Erdoğan administration to achieve repressive goals abroad and the vulnerabilities and how they are enabled by the AML and CFT regulation in place.

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES BY THE ERDOGAN GOVERNMENT

June 15, 2024

This submission highlights the ongoing systematic actions and omissions by Turkish authorities against the so-called members of the Gulen Group, framed as crimes against humanity. It demonstrates the violations of recommendations that even Türkiye has supported.

UNVEILING THE BRUTAL REALITY: SYSTEMATIC TORTURE OF FORMER DIPLOMATS

May 15, 2024

This report offers an update to the United Nations Committee against Torture (the Committee) regarding the obstacles to implementing the Convention against Torture (the Convention) in Turkey. As a coalition formed by a collective of former Turkish diplomats, our focus is on the systematic torture faced by former diplomats detained at Ankara Police Headquarters. We delve into the Turkish context and present insights from our organization.

Videos - Turkey

PERSECUTORY CONFISCATION AMOUNTING TO CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN TURKEY

December 24, 2023

Yasir Gökçe

by Yasir Gökçe, published on 24 December 2023

instituDE Director Dr. Yasir Gokce eloborated on the widespread and systematic nature of property rights violations in Turkey as a part of CrimesAgainstHumanity targeting Gülen Movement, with reference to the recent instituDE report thereon.