Turkey

Turkey is one of POMED’s focus countries. Our Turkey Program focuses on human rights, governance, and the struggle for democracy. The program produces research and analysis, convenes events and discussions, and engages with Washington policymakers and experts to raise awareness of Turkey’s political trajectory and to advocate for U.S. policies that promote a genuinely democratic, rights-respecting Turkey.

Tess McEnery

Zachary White

Featured Publications

Turkey

May 2023

Commentary

Rigging the Vote Won’t Be Easy for Erdogan (Foreign Policy)

Merve Tahiroğlu

May 2023

Snapshot

Snapshot – Turkey’s Elections: How Erdoğan Could Try to Engineer a Win and Stay in Power

Merve Tahiroğlu

Apr 2023

Expert Q&A ,
Video

Video Q&A – Safeguarding Turkey’s May Elections

Merve Tahiroğlu, Ertim Orkun

Apr 2023

Expert Q&A

Veysel Ok ile Soru-Cevap: Depremden Seçimlere Türkiye’de İnternet Sansürü

Merve Tahiroğlu, Veysel Ok

Apr 2023

Expert Q&A

Expert Q&A – Turkey’s Online Censorship Amid Earthquakes and Elections

Merve Tahiroğlu, Veysel Ok

Letters and Statements

Apr 2022

Joint Statement – Turkey’s Gezi Trial Verdict a Travesty of Justice

Feb 2021

Statement – POMED, Human Rights First, PEN America, and CPJ Respond to Release of ODNI Report on Murder of Jamal Khashoggi

Feb 2021

Statement – The United States Should Call on Turkey to End Unjust Prosecution of Osman Kavala and Henri Barkey

Dec 2020

Statement – Turkey Starts New Sham Trial of Political Prisoner Osman Kavala

POMED in the News

“This is a surprising decision [by a Turkish court to overturn the conviction of four human rights defenders] given the Erdogan government’s consistently abysmal human rights record. . . . [Coming on the heels of Simsek’s appointment,] it appears to be part of a trend that suggests a positive change in Erdogan’s approach to governance.”

Al-Monitor

, 06/06/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

“In terms of political freedoms and human rights and democracy, I think it’s going to be terrible . . . it’s only going to get worse, we’re only going to see more political prisoners moving forward. This might cause academics, civil society, leaders, and journalists to give up the fight moving forward, and I think that would be the worst thing for Turkey.”

VOA

, 06/02/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

Erdoğan is not irrational, which means he also understands something fundamental about Turkey’s NATO membership: it’s part of what gives him his clout. “Turkey’s power very much stems from the fact that it’s in NATO.”

Vox

, 05/28/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

“I think the opposition has calculated that its decision to prioritize the economic issues hasn’t really delivered the victory that they wanted.”

Huffington Post

, 05/26/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

“[Opponents have never been] this close in terms of public sentiment to winning an election, to unseating Erdogan.”

Huffington Post

, 05/12/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

“Given how much control Erdogan has over the judiciary, the bureaucracy, the media and other state institutions, it’s impossible for this to be a fair playing field.”

Washington Post

, 05/12/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

“Turkey has a very long track record of holding competitive elections…. “So for people from all walks of life, it’s a bare minimum that the country should have a free enough election where people feel, ‘We’ve picked our leader.’”

Washington Post

, 05/12/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

“I have a lot of confidence in the opposition’s ability to prevent or at least expose election security issues that might come up on Sunday…. They’ve really been prioritizing this issue and have been trying to get pro-opposition or independent monitors at polling stations throughout the country.”

Turkey Recap

, 05/11/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

“This election is up for grabs: [Muharrem] Ince’s decision not to run anymore has made it significantly more likely that we will have a winner this Sunday.”

France 24

, 05/11/2023

Merve Tahiroğlu

If the AKP tries [to manipulate the vote], Washington’s response will “hugely shape” the future of U.S.-Turkish relations. “People will note how the Biden administration, which talks a big talk about defending democracy, has or has not reacted.”