Turkey 2025: Rights Report Documents Detentions and Torture

According to the annual report published by the Human Rights Association, known as the İHD, at least 1,842 individuals in Turkey were subjected to torture or ill-treatment during 2025. The organization also documented 6,719 cases of arbitrary detention, illustrating what it describes as a continued erosion of democratic rights. The Ankara-based group states that these figures reflect a persistent trend of authoritarian governance, where the judiciary and law enforcement are increasingly utilized to suppress social and political dissent.

The İHD, which has monitored rights violations since 1986, notes that while there were developments toward a peaceful resolution of the longstanding Kurdish conflict, these diplomatic steps were not accompanied by broader democratization efforts. The report warns that its data, compiled from association records and public information, likely underestimates the true scale of violations, as many cases never reach public attention or the organization's offices.

Violence in Public and Custodial Settings

The majority of reported ill-treatment occurred during police interventions at demonstrations, affecting 1,493 people. Additionally, 185 inmates reported similar abuse within prison facilities. The report further highlights serious concerns regarding safety in custody, documenting 20 suspicious deaths in detention facilities, including 16 in prisons. Two other sick prisoners died in hospitals while receiving medical treatment, underscoring the precarious conditions faced by those in the justice system.

Beyond state actors, the report records significant civilian violence, including the killing of 299 women and 64 children by men during the year. Another 471 deaths were classified as suspicious. These figures paint a broad picture of societal instability and security concerns that extend well beyond the political sphere, affecting fundamental human safety across the country.

Judicial Pressure on Civil Liberties

Restrictions on freedom of assembly were widespread, with authorities preventing 306 demonstrations and intervening in 268 others. Police detained 8,477 people during these events, and 1,112 were jailed pending trial specifically for their participation in public gatherings. Another 1,625 individuals were placed under judicial supervision, indicating a heavy legal footprint on the right to peaceful protest.

Freedom of expression faced similar constraints, with at least 507 people detained for expressing views through writing or speech. Journalists were subjected to intense legal scrutiny, with 303 facing investigations or court proceedings. By the end of 2025, 28 journalists remained behind bars, and authorities blocked access to 489 news reports. This environment has created a climate of self-censorship among media professionals and civil society actors.

Political Consequences and Local Governance

The legal pressure extended to local governance, where the government intervened in opposition-run municipalities. During 2025, 22 mayors and co-mayors were removed from office. Since the 2024 local elections, a total of 27 mayors, including five metropolitan leaders, have been dismissed. Elected administrations in 13 municipalities were replaced by government-appointed trustees, a move that the İHD characterizes as a significant shift in local political autonomy.

Prosecutors filed 9,348 cases against 8,005 people under laws criminalizing insults of the president and state institutions. Courts convicted 1,923 defendants, while deferring verdicts for another 2,127. According to GN geopolitics/rights (en-US), these actions illustrate a systematic use of legal tools to marginalize political opponents. The coming months will likely see continued legal battles as these cases progress through the court system, with observers watching for any judicial shifts or international reactions.