Human Rights in Turkey: 2024 in Review
11.03.2025
By SCF
Source:https://stockholmcf.org/human-
The Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) today released its latest report “Human Rights in Turkey: 2024 in Review,” which highlights the most important developments in the area of human rights in Turkey during the year 2024.
Throughout the year Turkey continued its downward trajectory in democracy and human
rights under the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
With near-
According to Freedom House, Turkey is among the top 10 countries that have seen the sharpest decline in freedoms over the past decade. Turkey’s score has dropped by 22 points since 2014, placing it alongside Venezuela in the seventh spot on the list of countries that have experienced the worst democratic backsliding.
Approximately 21,600 applications from Turkey are pending before the European Court
of Human Rights (ECtHR), making it the highest case-
Throughout the year, the Erdoğan government escalated its repression of perceived
adversaries, with the Gülen movement remaining a primary target. Tens of thousands
of people were detained, prosecuted or imprisoned on terrorism-
According to a statement from the Turkish justice minister, a total of 705,172 people
have been investigated on terrorism-
Following the death of Fethullah Gülen on October 20, 2024, government-
The Kurdish political movement and opposition groups also faced relentless crackdowns.
Mass detentions, politically motivated trials and forced removals of elected mayors
were routine. The government retaliated for opposition victories in the March 31
local elections by seizing control of municipalities, particularly those won by pro-
Turkey’s transnational repression of critics abroad persisted in 2024, with the National
Intelligence Organization (MİT) continuing illegal renditions. Since 2016, at least
118 dissidents have been abducted. In a high-
Press freedom in Turkey deteriorated further in 2024, with journalist associations
calling it “a lost year.” Press freedoms were under increasing legal and political
pressure, marked by detentions, police violence and censorship. Eighty-
The government systematically weaponized its control over state regulatory bodies, such as the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), imposing heavy fines and broadcast bans to silence critical reporting.
The enormous gulf between Turkey’s constitutional provisions for the protection of human rights and the grim reality on the ground continued to grow. Political prisoners, including thousands of people jailed on vague terrorism charges, were subjected to harsh conditions, medical neglect and arbitrary denial of parole. Over 700 prisoners died in the first 11 months of 2024, highlighting the dire state of detention facilities. Children were not spared either — 759 minors under the age of 6 were forced to live in prison with their incarcerated mothers.
Turkey is ranked the worst performer in Europe in terms of impunity, according to the 2025 Atlas of Impunity, a global index that assesses impunity across the five dimensions of unaccountable governance, abuse of human rights, economic exploitation, conflict and violence and environmental degradation.
The deterioration of labor rights continued, with at least 1,897 workers losing their lives in workplace accidents due to weak safety standards and poor enforcement. Underage labor exploitation was rampant in vocational schools, where students were forced to work long hours under unsafe conditions for meager wages.
Minority groups, including Kurds, Alevis and Syrian refugees, faced escalating discrimination,
hate speech and physical attacks. Syrians were subjected to violent mob attacks,
forced deportations and anti-
Turkey has not been doing well in protecting the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBT) community. It was ranked 47th out of 49 countries, followed only by Azerbaijan and Russia, according to the 2024 edition of the Rainbow Index.
About Stockholm Center for Freedom
SCF is a non-
Committed to serving as a reference source by providing a broad perspective on rights violations in Turkey, SCF monitors daily developments, documents individual cases of the infringement of fundamental rights and publishes comprehensive reports on human rights issues.
SCF is a member of the Alliance Against Genocide, an international coalition working to exert pressure on the UN, regional organizations and national governments to act on early warning signs and take action to prevent genocide.