Suggested Amendments to the 2025 European Parliament Report on Türkiye

Date: February 2026

Stichting De Facto Justice has submitted a series of amendment proposals to the European Parliament’s 2025 Draft Report on Türkiye, urging the institution to adopt clearer and more decisive language regarding ongoing systemic human rights violations in the country. The submission highlights persistent concerns related to the rule of law, judicial independence, and the protection of fundamental rights, particularly in the aftermath of the 2016 state of emergency.

The organisation emphasises that emergency decree-laws (KHKs) issued during and after the state of emergency have produced long‑lasting structural consequences for tens of thousands of individuals. These measures included mass dismissals of public servants, the closure of civil society organisations, and severe restrictions on basic rights. According to the submission, these practices remain incompatible with Türkiye’s obligations under the ICCPR, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Convention against Torture.

A key focus of the proposals is the continued misuse of counter‑terrorism legislation against individuals alleged to be associated with the Gülen movement. Stichting De Facto Justice notes that courts have relied on non-criminal “association indicators” such as the use of encrypted messaging applications or routine banking activities—an approach the European Court of Human Rights rejected in its landmark Yalçınkaya v. Türkiye judgment. The organisation calls on the European Parliament to explicitly urge Türkiye to fully implement this ruling without delay.

The submission also raises concerns about the non‑implementation of binding judgments from both the ECtHR and the Turkish Constitutional Court. Persistent non-compliance by lower courts, it argues, undermines legal certainty and perpetuates violations of the right to a fair trial and effective remedy.
Stichting De Facto Justice further highlights the lack of effective domestic remedies for individuals affected by KHK measures, as well as the targeting of legal professionals, academics, and civil society actors. The organisation also draws attention to documented cases of transnational repression, including forced returns, abductions, and the misuse of international cooperation mechanisms.

The organisation urges the European Parliament to incorporate these concerns into its final report and to call on Türkiye to ensure comprehensive and non-discriminatory review of convictions, restore the rights of those affected by emergency measures, and align domestic judicial practice with binding international human rights standards.