UN Details Allegations Against Turkey
A coalition of United Nations special rapporteurs and two UN working groups has publicly accused the Turkish government of criminalizing young women and children in extensive counterterrorism operations. The accusations, detailed in a letter dated October 8, 2025, were released after Ankara failed to respond to the UN's request for clarification within the mandated 60-day period. The UN experts highlighted concerns over the use of secret evidence and coerced interrogations as part of these operations. The letter asserts that Turkey's broad counterterrorism laws are being applied to punish ordinary, lawful behavior, violating international human rights obligations.
Counterterrorism Raids and Detentions
The UN communication specifically points to two mass police operations conducted on May 7, 2024, and May 6, 2025. These raids reportedly led to 55 detentions in the first instance and 208 detentions in the second. Many of those detained were allegedly questioned over activities such as tutoring children, participating in Erasmus exchange programs, using secure messaging applications, or sharing apartments near university campuses. According to the rapporteurs, Turkish prosecutors have reclassified common student life and other ordinary activities as terrorism-related, based on perceived affiliations with the Gülen (Hizmet) movement. The Turkish government, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, designates the Gülen movement as a terrorist organization and attributes the July 15, 2016, coup attempt to it, a claim that the UN experts note has not been substantiated.
Concerns Over Legal Process and International Law
The UN experts expressed serious concerns regarding the legal processes employed in these cases. A 529-page indictment filed in June 2024 reportedly lacked evidence of violence or organized structure, instead portraying voluntary tutoring and student gatherings as proof of extremist activity. In September 2025, 19 young women were convicted in what became known as the 'girls trial'. The rapporteurs also raised alarms about arbitrary arrests and detentions, restrictions on the right to education and health, denial of fair trials, and psychological pressure exerted on minors during detention or interrogation. The UN states that these practices violate several international treaties ratified by Turkey, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention against Torture, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The UN has urged Turkey to cease practices that criminalize peaceful academic, religious, and social activities, to halt the surveillance and coercive questioning of minors, and to review counterterrorism laws that permit guilt by association.
6 Comments
Africa
This is absolutely horrifying. Criminalizing children is a new low for Turkey!
Habibi
Finally, the international community is noticing Turkey's authoritarian crackdown.
Muchacho
The focus on women and children is alarming and demands investigation. Yet, states often broaden counterterrorism laws in response to perceived existential threats, blurring lines between legitimate and overreaching actions.
Comandante
Another biased report from the UN. They always side against sovereign nations.
Mariposa
Secret evidence and coerced confessions? Sounds like a police state, not a democracy.
KittyKat
It's vital for international bodies like the UN to monitor human rights, but they also need to acknowledge the specific geopolitical challenges nations like Turkey face. A nuanced approach is required rather than outright condemnation.