The Turkish government’s campaign against individuals accused of affiliation with the Gülen Movement has sparked a firestorm of criticism from international human rights experts.
In an extraordinary letter from United Nations Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts, Türkiye faces allegations of systematic human rights abuses, including mass arrests, torture, surveillance overreach, and transnational abductions. The breadth of these accusations underscores a deepening crisis in the country’s adherence to international human rights obligations.
The letter, addressed to the Turkish government in October 2024, represents the culmination of years of mounting evidence suggesting a sustained campaign of repression. It paints a damning picture of a government wielding counter-terrorism laws as a weapon against dissent, eroding fundamental freedoms, and silencing opposition under the guise of national security.
Mass Arrests: An Escalating Crisis
At the heart of the allegations are Türkiye’s mass arrests and detentions targeting individuals with suspected links to the Gülen Movement. Since the failed coup attempt of July 2016, which the Turkish government attributed to the movement, crackdowns have intensified. The UN letter reveals that between June 2023 and June 2024 alone, nearly 8,900 individuals were detained, with over 1,500 charged under terrorism-related offenses.
Alarmingly, the sweep of arrests has extended to children. In a shocking incident on 7 May 2024, 16 children and 34 adults were detained in Istanbul. The charges? Alleged affiliation with the Gülen Movement, based on financial or material support provided by their families or educators. These children were subjected to police interrogation without legal counsel, deprived of food, and reportedly tortured. One account alleges children were threatened with beatings severe enough to “make [them] vomit blood.”
Adults did not fare better. Detainees were held in appalling conditions, denied medical care for chronic illnesses such as Parkinson’s and diabetes, and, in some cases, barred from breastfeeding or caring for their infant children. Their alleged crimes often amounted to little more than everyday acts of kindness, such as assisting with rent or teaching English to students, which were interpreted as “material support” to the movement.
Operation Kıskaç: A Coordinated Clampdown
In July 2024, Turkish authorities launched a coordinated operation dubbed “Kıskaç 21-22-23,” leading to 183 arrests across the country. The operation targeted individuals allegedly affiliated with the Gülen Movement, including women accused of using religious teachings as a pretext for promoting the group’s ideology. Former military personnel were also detained without substantive evidence linking them to illegal activities.
The operation’s methods have drawn widespread condemnation. Videos released by Turkish security agencies show heavily armed police using disproportionate force during arrests, further underscoring the operation’s punitive nature. Critics argue that these actions are emblematic of a government intent on instilling fear and suppressing dissent.
Religious Groups Under Fire
One of the most troubling revelations concerns the targeting of religious and community groups, such as the “Morning Readings.” This forum for discussing religious texts became a focus of government surveillance and raids after an anonymous informant provided a flash drive containing screenshots of group discussions. Despite the lack of evidence linking the group to illegal activities, its members were subjected to surveillance, interrogation, and arrests under counter-terrorism laws.
The aggressive actions against such groups highlight a broader trend: the criminalization of peaceful assembly and religious expression in Türkiye. For many observers, this signals a dangerous conflation of religious practice with terrorism, undermining the right to freedom of belief and association.
Transnational Repression and Renditions
The Turkish government’s campaign against Gülen affiliates extends beyond its borders. The letter accuses Türkiye of engaging in state-sponsored abductions and forced returns of Turkish nationals from at least ten countries. Victims of these renditions often disappear for extended periods, held incommunicado, and subjected to torture aimed at extracting confessions.
Bilateral agreements with foreign governments have facilitated these actions, often under vague counter-terrorism cooperation frameworks. These agreements, the UN experts warn, undermine international norms, including the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face a real risk of torture or persecution.
Testimonies from victims describe chilling practices, including beatings, electric shocks, and threats to family members. Such accounts highlight a disturbing pattern of impunity for human rights violations carried out in the name of counter-terrorism.
The Weaponization of Terrorist “Grey Lists”
Another controversial tactic employed by the Turkish government is the use of terrorist “grey lists.” These lists, publicly accessible and disseminated online, include judges, journalists, activists, and other perceived dissidents. Individuals on these lists face not only reputational damage but also physical danger, as monetary rewards are offered for their capture.
The UN letter notes that many designations are made without evidence or due process, leaving those listed with no opportunity to appeal. The practice has created what critics call a “hitman economy,” where false accusations and vigilantism are incentivized.
Surveillance Overreach and the ByLock Scandal
The letter also highlights Türkiye’s misuse of surveillance powers, particularly concerning the encrypted messaging app ByLock. Authorities have treated the mere download of the app as evidence of Gülen affiliation, leading to thousands of arrests and convictions. However, the integrity of the ByLock data has been called into question, with allegations of tampering and misuse of proxy IP addresses that falsely implicate users.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has condemned Türkiye’s reliance on ByLock evidence, describing it as a violation of legal certainty and fair trial rights. Despite this, Turkish courts continue to uphold convictions based on the controversial data, raising serious doubts about judicial independence and the rule of law.
“We advise the Turkish judiciary to order retrials in all cases in which ByLock evidence was relied upon, and to urgently implement safeguards to address the existing disparities in cases relying on ByLock data procured by MİT,” the UN rapporteurs stated, emphasizing the need for comprehensive judicial reforms.
Türkiye’s Response: Dismissal, Not Dialogue
In response to the UN letter, the Turkish government issued a diplomatic note on October 30, refraining from directly addressing the allegations. Instead, it shifted focus to accusations against the Gülen movement, urging the UN’s Special Procedures “not to allow FETÖ and its members to abuse these mechanisms, and to dismiss their allegations.” The acronym FETÖ, used by Turkish authorities to label the Gülen movement as a terrorist organization, is widely regarded as derogatory.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s pursuit of Gülen movement affiliates began in 2013 after corruption investigations implicated him, his family, and his inner circle. Erdoğan dismissed the investigations as a Gülenist conspiracy and declared the movement a terrorist organization. Following the failed coup attempt of 2016, which Erdoğan accused the movement of orchestrating, the crackdown intensified. Fethullah Gülen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, denies any involvement in the coup or terrorist activities.
Calls for Accountability and Reform
The UN letter concludes with a series of pointed questions and recommendations, urging the Turkish government to uphold its international human rights obligations. Key demands include a review of counter-terrorism laws, investigations into allegations of torture, and measures to ensure judicial independence. The letter also calls for greater transparency in surveillance practices and safeguards to protect the rights of detainees, including children.
“While awaiting a reply, we urge that all necessary interim measures be taken to halt the alleged violations and prevent their re-occurrence and in the event that the investigations support or suggest the allegations to be correct, to ensure the accountability of any person(s) responsible for the alleged violations,” the rapporteurs added, underlining the urgency of addressing these issues.
A Dangerous Precedent
For many observers, Türkiye’s actions set a dangerous precedent for the global fight against terrorism. By conflating legitimate dissent and peaceful association with terrorism, the Turkish government risks normalizing practices that undermine human rights and the rule of law. The international community’s response to these allegations will test the strength of global human rights frameworks and the willingness of states to hold each other accountable.
As the world watches, the stakes are clear: the outcome of this crisis will not only define Türkiye’s human rights legacy but also shape the broader global struggle for justice and accountability in the face of repression.
Categories: Turkey Human Rights Blog