The 2016 coup attempt and two-year State of Emergency saw what has been termed a ‘purge’ of Turkish society, and the oppression of many rights and freedoms which should have been protected under the Turkish Constitution and International Law. For instance: the right to freedom of expression; the right to freedom of assembly; the right to a fair trial; the right to presumption of innocence; freedom from arbitrary detention; freedom from torture; freedom from discrimination; and the right to freedom of movement. As noted, with recognition of this abolition of human rights, there was optimism when the Turkish government decided not to renew the State of Emergency for an eighth time.
Yet as the past year has revealed, the Turkey purge and the rampant human rights abuses has not subsided with the lapse of the State of Emergency. The State of Emergency in itself has had disastrous consequences for all sectors of Turkish society, consequences which lasted well past July 19 2018 and that will likely last far into the future. Moreover, constitutional amendments which entered into force in June 2018, alongside a new anti-terrorism Law No.7145 which was enacted in July 2018, effectively made the State of Emergency redundant. Turkey was transformed into a one-man-regime under President Erdoğan of the AKP, and emergency decrees were cemented into law. Thus, the end of the State of Emergency was only symbolic, with very little effect on the everyday lives of Turks.
This Platform for Peace and Justice report gives a comprehensive analysis of the measures undertaken during the State of Emergency and the lasting impacts of said measures. It shows how very little has changed over the past year since the State of Emergency ended in July 2018.
The report is divided into six chapters:
-Bans on Events and Assemblies
-Dismissals and Shutdowns
-Press Freedom
-Arbitrary Detentions
-Expansive Presidential Powers
-Policy recommendations
