It has been suggested that Human rights of Kurdish people in Turkey be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

The Republic of Turkey was one of the first nations to ratify the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in April 1949.^[1] It has also signed the European Convention on Human Rights in 1954^[2] and as such the Turkish Constitution guarantees the fundamental human rights of all Turkish citizens and affirms the secular and democratic nature of the Turkish republic. Turkey has also ratified the 1987 European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Punishment in 1988.^[3] Nevertheless, its practical human rights record has long continued to attract attention, both internally and externally. Turkey is currently in the accession negotiations with the European Union, but there are still concerns raised by certain NGOs and the EU, especially with regards to the freedom of expression and the situation of ethnic minorities. Turkey is a secular, republican parliamentary democracy. ... Presidential flag of Turkey. ... There have been ten Presidents of the Republic of Turkey since its inception. ... Ahmet Necdet Sezers mom (born September 13, 1941 in Afyonkarahisar) is the tenth and current President of the Republic of Turkey. ... This is a chronological list of every government formed by the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Turkey. ... Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan (born February 26, 1954), became the Prime Minister of Turkey on March 14, 2003. ... The Grand National Assembly (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi in Turkish) is the unicameral parliament of Turkey which carries out legislative functions. ... Bülent Arınç (1948) is a Turkish politician and the 22nd Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey. ... Political parties in Turkey lists political parties in Turkey. ... Elections in Turkey gives information on election and election results in Turkey. ... The next Turkish president will be elected by parliament in May 2007. ... Turkeys 16th general election is scheduled to be held on 4 November 2007, at the end of a full five-year term. ... Foreign relations of the Republic of Turkey are primarily with the Western world and its neigboring countries. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The National Security Council (Milli Güvenlik Kurulu (MGK) in Turkish) is a powerful body that unites the top civilian and military leaders, and issues ‘recommendations’ to the government upon all matters vaguely defined as touching on the security of the state of the Turkish Republic. ... // Since the establishment of the republic in 1923, there has been a strong tradition of secularism in Turkey. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Provinces of Turkey are called iller in Turkish (singular is il, see Turkish alphabet for capitalization of i). ... The provinces of Turkey are divided into 923 districts (ilçeler; sing. ... Below each region you will find associated Cities with the region. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... Eleanor Roosevelt with the Spanish version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ... The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, also known as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), was adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe[1] in 1950 to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey The Constitution of Turkey was enacted in 1982 during military dictatorship, replacing the previous Turkish constitution enacted in 1961. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... This article concerns secularity, that is, being secular, in various senses. ... Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      For other uses, see Republic (disambiguation). ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... NGO is an abbreviation or code for: Non-governmental organization Nagoya Airport (IATA code) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A minority or subordinate group is a sociological group that does not constitute a politically dominant plurality of the total population of a given society. ...

Overview

Part Two of the constitution is entitled the Fundamental Rights and Duties and is its bill of rights. Article Twelve guarantees "fundamental rights and freedoms", which are defined as including the right to life, security of person and right to property in Articles 17, 19 and 35, respectively. Many of these entrenched rights have their basis in international bills of rights, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Turkey was one of the first nations to ratify in April 1949.^[4] This article is about the general concept of a bill of rights. ... The term right to life is a political term used in controversies over various issues that involve the taking of a life (or what is perceived to be a life). ... Security of person is a right guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948. ... // Use of the term The concept of property or ownership has no single or universally accepted definition. ... This article is about the general concept of a bill of rights. ... Eleanor Roosevelt with the Spanish version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ...

In 2005, there have been 2302 applications lodged against the Republic of Turkey before the European Court of Human Rights and consequently 290 judgments on the merits have been issued affirming 270 violations and 9 non-violations.^[5] European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by... A judgment or judgement (see spelling note below), in a legal context, is synonymous with the formal decision made by a court following a lawsuit. ...

Individual rights

Right to life

There have been no applications of the capital punishment in Turkey since 1984 and the practice was formally abolished for offences during peacetime in 2002, and for offences during wartime in 2004.^[6] Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted criminal by the state as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital offences. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Gender equality

In the 1930s, Turkey became one of the first countries in the world to give full political rights to women, including the right to elect (in 1930) and to be elected (in 1934), to every political office. Image of a woman on the Pioneer plaque sent to outer space. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Article 10 of the Turkish Constitution bans any discrimination, state or private, on the grounds of sex. Turkey was one of the first countries to elect a female prime minister, Tansu Çiller in 1995. It is also the first country which had a woman as the President of its Constitutional Court, Tülay Tuğcu, who is still in office. In addition, Turkish Council of State, the court of last resort for administrative cases, also has a woman judge Sumru Çörtoğlu as its President. Since 1985, Turkish women have the right to freely exercise abortions in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy and the right to contraceptive medicine paid for by the Social Security. This is in contrast with the policies of certain EU countries, such as Poland and Ireland, that ban abortion and deny this right to women. Modifications to the Civil Code in 1926 gave the right to women to initiate and obtain a divorce, a right still not recognized in Malta,^[7] an EU country. Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey The current Constitution of Turkey, ratified in 1982, establishes the organization of the government of the Republic of Turkey and sets out the principles and rules of the states conduct along with its responsibilities towards... Manifestations Slavery · Racial profiling · Lynching Hate speech · Hate crime · Hate groups Genocide · Holocaust · Pogrom Ethnocide · Ethnic cleansing · Race war Religious persecution · Gay bashing Pedophobia · Ephebiphobia Movements Discriminatory Aryanism · Neo-Nazism · Supremacism Kahanism Anti-discriminatory Abolitionism · Civil rights · Gay rights Womens/Universal suffrage · Mens rights Childrens rights · Youth... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A prime minister is the very most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... Tansu Çiller Tansu Çiller (IPA: (born 9 October 1946) is an economist and politician in Turkey. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Turkish Constitutional Court is a lower level civilian court that reviews the constitutionality of laws and decrees. ... Tülay TuÄŸcu (born June 12, 1942) is a high ranked Turkish judge. ... The Turkish Council of State is the highest court in the Republic of Turkey and is based in Ankara. ... The supreme court in some countries, provinces, and states, is the highest court in that jurisdiction and functions as a court of last resort whose rulings cannot be appealed. ... Administrative law (or regulatory law) is the body of law that arises from the activities of administrative agencies of government. ... Sumru ÇörtoÄŸlu (born on May 13, 1943 in Tokat), is a high ranked Turkish judge and currently Chief Justice of the Turkish Council of State. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Birth control is the practice of preventing or reducing the probability of pregnancy without abstaining from sexual intercourse; the term is also sometimes used to include abortion, the ending of an unwanted pregnancy, or abstinence. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... For the record label, see Divorce Records. ...

Nevertheless, in remote parts of the country, such as Southeastern Anatolia, older attitudes prevail amongs the local Kurdish population, and women still face domestic violence, forced marriages, and so-called honor killings.^[8] Nearly all of these so-called honor killings take place among the Kurdish population and persons found guilty of this crime are sentenced to life in prison per the Turkish Penal Code.^[9] State authorities engaged in stamping out such practices are often accused of racism and of trying to suppress Kurdish culture.^{[citation needed]} To combat this, the government and various other foundations are engaged in education campaigns in Southeastern Anatolia to improve the rate of literacy and education levels of women.^[10] Languages Kurdish Religions Predominantly Sunni Muslim also some Shia, Yazidism, Yarsan, Judaism, Christianity Related ethnic groups other Iranian peoples (Talysh Baluch Gilak Bakhtiari Persians) The Kurds are an ethnic group who consider themselves to be indigenous to a region often referred to as Kurdistan, an area which includes adjacent parts... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... An honor killing (Sindhi: ڪارو ڪاري) is most commonly the murder of a female, and sometimes her love-interests or other associates, for supposed sexual or marital offenses. ... Manifestations Slavery · Racial profiling · Lynching Hate speech · Hate crime · Hate groups Genocide · Holocaust · Pogrom Ethnocide · Ethnic cleansing · Race war Religious persecution · Gay bashing Pedophobia · Ephebiphobia Movements Discriminatory Aryanism · Neo-Nazism · Supremacism Kahanism Anti-discriminatory Abolitionism · Civil rights Gays/Transsexes/Intersexes rights Womens/Universal suffrage · Feminism Mens/Fathers rights... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... World literacy rates by country The traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write, or the ability to use language to read, write, listen, and speak. ...

Recently critics have pointed out that Turkey has become a major market for foreign women who are coaxed and forcibly brought to the country by international mafia to work as sex slaves, especially in big and touristic cities.^[11] Sexual slavery is a special case of slavery which includes various different practices: forced prostitution single-owner sexual slavery ritual slavery, sometimes associated with traditional religious practices slavery for primarily non-sexual purposes where sex is common or permissible In general, the nature of slavery means that the slave is...

In 2002, the Turkish government banned involuntary virginity testing (which involves a manual inspection of the hymen by a doctor or older woman) and its use as a requirement for employment or university admission. However, critics complain that the ban is not uniformly enforced. [^[12]

Freedom of expression and freedom of the press

See also: Censorship in Turkey

Article 26 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression. However, there have been particular concerns over the restrictions on the publication and diffusion of material relating primarily to highly sensitive political subjects. According to the writers' advocacy group International PEN, roughly 60 writers, publishers and journalists have been brought charged under the 301st Article of the Turkish Penal Code that states: "A person who publicly insults being a Turk, the Republic or the Turkish Grand National Assembly, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term of six months to three years." Even though certain high-profile cases (such as Orhan Pamuk or Elif Şafak, both about assertions related to the Armenian Genocide, an event that is disputed by Turkey) have ended in acquittals, the outcome of other cases are unclear. Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was convicted under Article 301 and given a suspended 6-month sentence, shortly before being assassinated on January 19, 2007. Freedom of press in Turkey is regulated by several laws, including the Article 301 which took effect in June 2005. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Logo of International PEN International PEN, the worldwide association of writers, was founded in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere; to emphasise the role of literature in the development of mutual understanding and world culture; to fight for freedom of expression; and to act as... Article 301 is a controversial article of the Turkish penal code, taking effect on June 1, 2005, and introduced as part of a package of penal-law reform in the process preceding the opening of negotiations for Turkish membership of the European Union (EU), in order to bring Turkey up... The Republic of Turkey is a country located in Southwest Asia with a small part of its territory (3%) in southeastern Europe. ... The Grand National Assembly (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi in Turkish) is the unicameral parliament of Turkey which carries out legislative functions. ... Ferit Orhan Pamuk (born on June 7, 1952 in Istanbul) is a Nobel Prize-winning Turkish novelist. ... Elif Åžafak, aka: Elif Shafak, (born 1971, Strasbourg, France) is a writer of Turkish descent. ... Armenian Genocide photo. ... Hrant Dink (Armenian: , IPA: [][1]) (September 15, 1954 – January 19, 2007) was a Turkish-Armenian editor, journalist and column writer. ...

Articles 27 and 28 of the Constitution guarantee the "freedom of expression" and "unhindered dissemination of thought". However, alinea 2 of Article 27 affirms that "the right to disseminate shall not be exercised for the purpose of changing the provisions of Articles 1, 2 and 3 of [the] Constitution", articles in question referring to the unitary, secular, democratic and republican nature of the state. A map showing the unitary states. ... Secularity is the state of being without religious or spiritual qualities. ... Democracy (literally rule by the people, from the Greek demos, people, and kratos, rule[1]) is a form of government. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      For other uses, see Republic (disambiguation). ...

Since the liberalization of the audiovisual market in 1991, Turkey has developed an extremely vibrant and dynamic media. There are thousands of newspapers, TV channels and radio stations in the country, and they are guaranteed freedom in their editorial decisions by the constitution. The state-owned TRT has been broadcasting short programmes in a number of minority languages, including Bosnian and Kurdish, since 2003. For the Kurdish language programmes, this is rather symbolic in terms of the number of minutes of programmes per week. 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... List of television stations in Turkey // A Animal Planet Turkey ATV ATV Avrupa B BJK TV C Cem TV Cine 5 CNBC-E CNN Türk ComedyMax Ç Çay TV D Discovery Channel TR Discovery Channel Turkey Dizi DiziMax DMC Paketi Doğu TV Dost TV Dream Türk Dream TV... This is a list of radio stations in Turkey. ... Corporate logo of the Turkish Radio-Television Corporation Old Corporate logo, 1980s-2001 // Introduction The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (Türkiye Radyo Televizyon Kurumu, TRT), founded in 1964, is a national publicly-funded broadcaster based in Turkey. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Nevertheless, it has been claimed that the Turkish authorities appear to interpret this freedom in a more restrictive way compared to other modern secular states of the European Union and North America. All independent observers note that even though the non-Turkish media enjoys the same freedom as their Turkish counterparts, this is not true for media in Kurdish. World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The Kurdish language is a language spoken in the region called Kurdistan, including Kurdish populations in parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. ...

Press freedom groups have raised concerns over the use of criminal defamation laws to punish those who criticise authorities.^[13][14]

Freedom of conscience

Although its population is overwhelmingly Muslim, Turkey is a secular country per Article 3 of its constitution, and thus has no official religion. Secularism in Turkey originates from Atatürk's 'Six Arrows' of Republicanism, Populism, Laïcité, Reformism, Nationalism, and Statism. There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... This article concerns secularity, that is, being secular, in various senses. ... Motto of the French republic on the tympanum of a church, in Aups (Var département) which was installed after the 1905 law on the Separation of the State and the Church. ... Mustafa Kemal Atatürks six great principles (in Turkish Altı Ok) while founding the modern Turkish Republic. ... Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, with an emphasis on liberty, rule by the people, and the civic virtue practiced by citizens. ... Motto of the French republic on the tympanum of a church, in Aups (Var département) which was installed after the 1905 law on the Separation of the State and the Church. ... Reformism (also called revisionism or revisionist theory) is the belief that gradual changes in a society can ultimately change its fundamental structures. ... Eugène Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolising French nationalism during the July Revolution. ... Statism (or Etatism) is a very loose and often derogatory term that is used to describe: Specific instances of state intervention in personal, social or economic matters. ...

Article 24 of the Turkish Constitution guarantees all residents of Turkey the right to adhere to any religion or philosophical belief, with some exceptions made for their expression in public spaces. The Constitutional Court has interpreted secularism in a way that doesn't allow for a person to wear religious symbols (e.g. a head scarf or a cross) in governmental and public institutions, and particularly while attending schools and universities. Nevertheless it must be noted that, in its decision on November 10, 2005, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled that such a ban was "legitimate" to prevent the influence of religion in state affairs.^[15] Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey The Constitution of Turkey was enacted in 1982 during military dictatorship, replacing the previous Turkish constitution enacted in 1961. ... // Overview Part Four, Section Two of the Turkish Constitution has established the Constitutional Court of Turkey that statutes on the conformity of laws and decrees to the Constitution, and it can be seized by the President of the Republic, the government, the members of Parliament or any judge before whom... Iraqi girl wearing the hijab Hijab (Arabic: حجاب) is the word used in the Islamic context for the practice of dressing modestly, which all practicing Muslims past the age of puberty are instructed to do in their holy book, the Quran. ... November 10 is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 51 days remaining. ... European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by...

Conforming with the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court and the Council of State on secularism, faith-based schools are banned and all schools must follow a secular curriculum. Religious education may only be given by appointed teachers who have studied at Turkey's secular universities. In practice, only Sunni theology is taught. Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. ... Turkish Constitutional Court is a lower level civilian court that reviews the constitutionality of laws and decrees. ... The Turkish Council of State is the highest court in the Republic of Turkey and is based in Ankara. ... In education, a curriculum (plural curricula) is the set of courses and their contents offered by an institution such as a school or university. ... This is a list of universities in Turkey. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Theology (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογια, logia, words, sayings, or discourse) is reasoned discourse concerning religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ...

There is a de-facto domination of Sunni school of Islam within Turkish society, despite the protections offered by formal secularism. Sunni imams are nominated and paid by the state directorate of religious affairs. The Alevis pray in Cemevis, but the government funds only the building of mosques. Even though there have been attempts to expand state religious funding to Alevites, they are not considered a different muslim school, but as part of the Sunni branch. Madhhab(مذهب) (Madhahib, pl) is an Islamic term that refers to a school of thought or religious jurisprudence (fiqh) within Sunni Islam. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... The Diyanet Ä°ÅŸleri Bakanlığı (en: Presidency of Religious Affairs) is the highest, islamic, religious authority in Turkey. ... Alevis are adherents of a branch of Islam, related to Shia Islam and practised mainly in (majority Sunni) Turkey, among both Turks, Zazas, and Kurds. ... A cemevi (Turkish: cemhouse) is a Turkish meeting-house, where cems (gatherings) are held. ... A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...

The situation of the non-Muslim minorities has also been open to criticism. The government doesn't nominate, nor pay for, any non-Muslim religious leaders. However, it must be noted that, most of these minorities prefer electing their own spiritual leaders and would be equally offended if the state were to do so for them. Turkey has been criticized by Greece, the European Union and several human rights NGOs for its refusal to recognize the Ecumenical title of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Istanbul and the closing of the Greek Orthodox theological school in Heybeliada (Halki), Istanbul. The word ecumenical comes from a Greek word that means pertaining to the whole world. ... The Patriarch of Constantinople is the Ecumenical Patriarch, the first among equals in the Eastern Orthodox Communion. ... Greek Orthodox Church can refer to any of several hierarchical churches within the larger group of mutually recognizing Eastern Orthodox churches: the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is also the first among equals of the Eastern Orthodox Communion. ... The Halki seminary was, until its closure by the Turkish authorities in 1971, the main school of theology of the Eastern Orthodox Churchs Patriarchate of Constantinople. ... Heybeliada or Heybeli Ada (Greek: Χάλκη Chalki) is the second largest of the Princes Islands in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ...

Gay rights

Main article: Gay rights in Turkey

Homosexual sexual relationships between consenting adults in private is not a crime in Turkey. The age of consent for both heterosexual and homosexual sex is eighteen. On the other hand, the criminal code has vaguely worded prohibitions on "public exhibitionism" and "offenses against public morality" that are sometimes used to discriminate against the LGBT community. As of 2006, Turkey neither has a law permitting homosexuals to get married, nor does it have a law against the discrimination of Turkey's LGBT community. The human rights of LGBT people in Turkey is one of the more controversial human rights issues in Turkey. ... Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes,[1] when used with reference to criminal law the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be capable of legally giving informed consent to any contract or behaviour regulated by... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Homosexuals have the right to exemption from military service, if they so request, only if their "condition" is verified by medical and psychological tests, which often involves presenting humiliating, belittling graphic proof of homosexuality, and anal examination.^[16] LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Persecution Violence This box:      The militaries of the world have a variety of responses to homosexual and bisexual orientations. ...

Disabled citizens

In recent years, the Turkish parliament has approved certain major laws to fight against and end discrimination against the disabled. However, this has not shown the desired effects on the ground because of a lack of economic resources and the absence of awareness programs.

In one particular case, Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI), an advocacy group for people with mental disabilities, has criticized the treatment of the mentally ill in a report called "Behind Closed Doors: Human Rights Abuses in the Psychiatric Facilities, Orphanages and Rehabilitation Centers of Turkey".^[17] As a result of this criticism, Turkey's largest psychiatric hospital, the Bakırköy state hospital in Istanbul, has announced that it has abolished the use of "unmodified" ECT procedures.^[18] Bakırköy is a middle class suburb of Ä°stanbul, Turkey on its European side. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ... Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are induced by passing electricity through the brain of an anaesthetised patient. ...

Conscientious objectors

The issue of conscientious objectors is highly controversial in the country. Turkey and Azerbaijan are the only members of the Council of Europe that refuse to recognize the right to conscientious objection. In January 2006, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey had violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights that prohibits degrading treatment in a case dealing with conscientious objection.^[19] Another conscientious objector, Mehmet Tarhan, was sentenced to four years in prison by a military court in 2005 for refusing to do his military service, but he was later released in March 2006. In a related case, journalist Perihan Mağden was tried by a Turkish court for supporting Tarhan and advocating conscientious objection as a human right; but she was acquitted. A conscientious objector is an individual whose personal beliefs are incompatible with military service, or sometimes with any role in the armed forces. ... European flag of the Council of Europe which is also adopted by the European Union. ... European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by... The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, also known as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), was adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe[1] in 1950 to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. ... Mehmet Tarhan (born 1978) is a gay anarchist and a conscientious objector who was imprisoned for refusing military service in Turkey. ... // Overview In Turkey, compulsory military service applies to all male citizens from twenty to forty one years of age (with some exceptions). ... Perihan MaÄŸden (born 1960) is a Turkish writer of prose and poetry and is a columnist for the newspaper Radikal. ...

Group rights

Ethnic groups

Turkish society contains elements from every ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire. Some Turks are descended from non-Turkic Ottoman ethnic groups who adopted a Turkish identity and some of them also see themselves as still belonging to one of those minority groups, often as a sub-group within the main Turkish society. Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI...

According to Article 66 of the Turkish Constitution, "everyone bound to the Turkish state through the bond of citizenship is a Turk". The Constitution affirms the principle of the indivisibility of the Turkish Nation and of constitutional citizenship that is not based on ethnicity. Consequently, Turkish refers to all citizens of Turkey. It considers that since all Turkish citizens have the same rights and benefits of citizenship, there is no such nomenclature as minority in Turkey, except for the three minorities recognized by the Treaty of Lausanne signed before the proclamation of the Republic: Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities. Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey The Constitution of Turkey was enacted in 1982 during military dictatorship, replacing the previous Turkish constitution enacted in 1961. ... Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city or town but now usually a country) and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. ... The definition of a minority group can vary, depending on specific context, but generally refers to either a sociological sub-group that does not form either a majority or a plurality of the total population, or a group that, while not necessarily a numerical minority, is disadvantaged or otherwise has... Borders as shaped by the treaty The Treaty of Lausanne (July 24, 1923) was a peace treaty that settle a part of the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire that reflected the consequences of the Turkish Independence War between Allies of World War I and Turkish national movement, (Grand National Assembly... Islam and Judaism: This article is part of a series on Jewish history and discusses the history of Islam and Judaism, as they have interacted with each other for 1200 years, from the seventh century up until the end of the 19th century. ...

Until recent reforms, there were many legal restrictions on publishing in languages other than the only official one, Turkish, and publications in minority languages were not allowed. Since then, minorities have the right to publish and diffuse media, such as newspapers or audiovisual channels, in their own languages and operate private courses that teach any language spoken in Turkey. Turkish is still the only language that can be used in schools and universities as a first language. As concerns the Kurdish language, all such courses were closed down in 2004 by the owners. It must be noted, however, that those courses were shut down because of a grave lack of attendance and interest, and thus making the observers wonder the true extent of the demand for a separate Kurdish ethnic identity, rather than a Turkish one. Many buildings were rented for such courses by activists "in anticipation of a flood of students that never came." Kurdish language activists counter that the desire to learn Kurdish is there, but it must be taught in public schools.^[20] “Native Language” redirects here. ...

There have been certain calls by certain NGOs that Turkey should adopt the definitions of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. If Turkey were to become a signatory to this treaty, it would have to accept and subsidise the education of minorities in their own first languages, and that for at least all the period of mandatory education. However, it must be noted that, even France, a founding member of the European Union, has refused to apply this treaty within its territory following a ruling by its own Constitutional Court that has affirmed that doing so would be contrary to the principle of the indivisibility of the Republic and the nation affirmed in the First Article of the French Constitution. In addition to France, many other EU countries, namely Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Portugal have also refused to ratify this treaty. To this day only 21 member states of the Council of Europe out of 49 have proceeded with ratification.^[21] NGO is an abbreviation or code for: Non-governmental organization Nagoya Airport (IATA code) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... // The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) is a European treaty (CETS 148) adopted in 1992 under the auspices of the Council of Europe to protect and promote historical regional and minority languages in Europe. ... “Native Language” redirects here. ... A republican guard giving directions to visitors at the front entrance of the Constitutional Council The Constitutional Council (Conseil Constitutionnel) was established by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on 4 October 1958. ... The current Constitution of France was adopted on October 4, 1958, and has been amended 17 times, most recently on March 28, 2003. ... European flag of the Council of Europe which is also adopted by the European Union. ...

Kurdish people

See also: PKK, Casualties of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict, and Village guards

During the 1980s and 1990s, Turkey displaced a big number of its citizens in Southeastern Anatolia from rural areas, allegedly to protect them from guerilla violence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) ^{[citations needed]}, that is considered as a terrorist organization by the US, the European Union and many other states. Turkey has claimed that the actions of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) included burning of 'deserted' villages in order for the PKK not to use them as outposts or hiding places. Human rights of Kurdish people in Turkey is the analysis of the human rights of Kurds in Turkey. ... The Congress for Freedom and Democracy in Kurdistan (Kadek), formerly known as the Kurdistan Workers Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK ) was one of several militant groups fighting for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey, northern Iraq, Northern Syria and western Iran. ... AyÅŸe Konakçı Primary School in Tavas, Denizli: A notable form of remembrance for the memory of the teachers killed by the PKK has been to give the names of each to an educational etablishment Kurds on March 30, 2006 carry the coffin one of the people who died during... Village guards (Turkish: Koruculuk) are paramilitaries. ... The Congress for Freedom and Democracy in Kurdistan (Kadek), formerly known as the Kurdistan Workers Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK ) was one of several militant groups fighting for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey, northern Iraq, Northern Syria and western Iran. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) (Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri (TSK)) consists of the Army, the Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry) and the Air Force. ...

Clashes between Turkish and PKK militants have resulted in some 30,000 casualties according a report by the United States Department of State titled "Terrorist Group Profiles". Estimates suggest that 3 million people remain internally displaced and unable to return to their villages.^{[citation needed]}

It has been claimed that the scale and importance of those bombings and of the displacements of civil population were out of proportion for a state's peaceful policy towards its citizens^{[citation needed]}. In several of its rulings, the European Court of Human Rights has condemned Turkey of human rights violations against its citizens of Kurdish origin. European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by...

Certain academics have claimed that successive Turkish governments adopted a sustained genocide program against Kurds, aimed at their assimilation. Desmond Fernandes, a Senior Lecturer at De Montfort University, breaks down the policy of the Turkish authorities into the following categories: Genocide is the mass killing of a group of people as defined by Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG) as any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or... Cultural assimilation (often called merely assimilation) is an intense process of consistent integration whereby members of an ethno-cultural group, typically immigrants, or other minority groups, are absorbed into an established, generally larger community. ... De Montfort University (DMU) is one of two universities situated in the city of Leicester, England. ...

1. Forced assimilation program, which involved inter alia a ban of the Kurdish language, and the forced relocation of Kurds to non-Kurdish areas of Turkey;
2. The banning any organizations opposed to category one;
3. The violent repression of any Kurdish resistance.

The genocide theory remains, however, a minority view among historians, and is not endorsed by any nation or major organisation. The Kurdish language is a language spoken in the region called Kurdistan, including Kurdish populations in parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. ...

Workers' rights

The Constitution affirms the right of workers to form labor unions "without obtaining permission" and "to possess the right to become a member of a union and to freely withdraw from membership" (Article 51). Articles 53 and 54 affirm the right of workers to bargain collectively and to strike, respectively. However, rates of membership in labor unions are quite low, due to the fact that Turkish economy still experiences difficulties with corruption and massive numbers of workers not declared to the Social Security. Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey The Constitution of Turkey was enacted in 1982 during military dictatorship, replacing the previous Turkish constitution enacted in 1961. ... In classical economics and all micro-economics labour is one of three factors of production, the others being land and capital. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers... A Collective agreement is a labor contract between an employer and one or more unions. ... Turkeys economy is an industry and traditional economy where agriculture sector that in 2005 still accounted for 30% of employment. ...

Turkey has had a standard state-run pensions system based on European models since the 1930s. Furthermore, since 1996, Turkey has a state-run unemployment insurance system, obligatory for all declared workers. Unemployment benefits are payments made by governments to unemployed people. ...

International criticism

Turkey has been criticized by a number of international human rights NGOs for its violations of certain rights of its citizens.^[22] The European Union has been the biggest critic of Turkey's human rights record and this has hindered Turkey's accession process to join the EU. The European Court of Human Rights has also issued many rulings highly critical of Turkey's human rights record and other NGOs, such as the Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch, have also been critical of Turkey.^[23] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by... NGO is an abbreviation or code for: Non-governmental organization Nagoya Airport (IATA code) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) comprising a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights.[1] Founded in the UK in 1961, AI compares actual practices of human rights with internationally accepted standards and demands compliance where these... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ...

The current AKP-led government has tried on certain occasions, but failed, to strengthen legal provisions that are more restrictive, such as making adultery a criminal offence that is in line with orthodox Islamic teaching. Proponents of the proposal however, claimed that the law in question would have prevented the practice of polygamy, which can still be encountered in remote rural areas^{[citation needed]}. In any case, in the light of the recent jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court that had struck down a similar provision for being unconstitutional in 1992, all jurists agree that it would have done so again, even if it were to become law. The Justice and Development Party: (Turkish: Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi or AKP, or AK Parti; the former of the two abbrevations is the official one, while the latter is mostly preferred by its supporters; since the word ak in Turkish means white, clean, or unblemished and therefore gives a... Islam (Arabic: ; ( ▶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... A jurist is a professional who studies, develops, applies or otherwise deals with the law. ...

See also

• Turkish Constitution
• Accession of Turkey to the European Union
• Human rights in Europe
• International Freedom of Expression Exchange
• List of prosecuted Turkish writers

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey The Constitution of Turkey was enacted in 1982 during military dictatorship, replacing the previous Turkish constitution enacted in 1961. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The human rights situation in Europe on the whole is good, although there are several human rights problems ranging from the treatment of asylum seekers and the Roma to reports of police brutality. ... International Freedom of Expression eXchange. ... Several Turkish writers (fiction writers, journalists, etc) have been prosecuted in Turkey. ...

References

• [1] The current constitution in English from the Office of the Prime Minister, Directorate General of Press and Information
• [2] Report of State Party - Turkey by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, 2001

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (established December 14, 1950) protects and supports refugees at the request of a government or the United Nations and assists in their return or resettlement. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ...

External links

• 2005 Human Rights report on Turkey - US Department of State
• Human Rights overview of Turkey during 2005 - Human Rights Watch
• Censorship in Turkey - IFEX
• Kurdish Human Rights Project
• Women for Women's Human Rights"
• Forum 18 religious freedom analyses
• Amnesty International on Turkey
• Noam Chomsky on Human Rights Week 2002
• Time article on Turkish Human Rights