HRW: Turkey's practices violate human rights

Human Rights Watch said in its report on rights and freedoms in Turkey that the re-election of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May 2023, as well as the results of the parliamentary elections, led to the strengthening of the authoritarian regime in Turkey, which routinely and arbitrarily punishes critics and political opponents and exercises strict control over the media and the courts.

The report indicated that broadcast stations affiliated with the ruling party in Turkey clearly favored the ruling parties and their candidates, and that continued restrictions on freedoms of assembly, association, and expression hindered the participation of some politicians, opposition parties, civil society, and independent media in the electoral process.

The report said that journalists face prosecution under the anti-terrorism law, including Kurdish journalists, as well as criminal defamation charges, including the widely used charge of “insulting the president,” which the European Court of Human Rights said violates the right to freedom of expression.

The report added that Turkey continues to illegally deport men and some boys to northern Syria, often after forcing them to sign voluntary return forms, despite a 2022 European Court of Human Rights ruling and a May 2023 Constitutional Court ruling that concluded that forced returns under the guise of voluntary repatriation represents a violation of human rights in several respects.

The report also talked about how the Turkish raids in October destroyed vital infrastructure and cut off water and electricity for millions in northern Syria.

Turkey continues to occupy lands in northern Syria, where its Syrian affiliated groups have violated civilian rights in those areas.

a.k

ANHA