Politics
AK Party MPs stress accessibility, inclusive policies on disability day
Two Turkish lawmakers with disabilities from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) emphasized the importance of accessibility, inclusive policymaking and societal awareness as Türkiye marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Fatma Öncü, an AK Party deputy from Erzurum, and Serkan Bayram, an AK Party MP from Istanbul, explained that both representation and structural reforms remain essential for advancing disability rights across the country.
Öncü, Türkiye’s first deputy minister with a disability before being elected to Parliament, said she has not experienced accessibility problems in the Parliament building thanks to measures implemented by its administration. “Arrangements that consider accessibility needs of representatives are applied carefully,” she said. “At any point in life, individuals may face different needs. The issue is not labeling people but making public spaces accessible and fair for everyone.”
Öncü remarked that having individuals with diverse abilities in decision-making processes contributes not only to democratic representation but also to broader public awareness. “This is an important step for social equality and inclusiveness,” she said. She noted that past AK Party governments enacted significant constitutional and legal amendments on disability rights, but argued that the next stage requires stronger digital accessibility and better enforcement by local administrations. Artificial intelligence-based services and e-government platforms, she added, must be equally accessible to all citizens.
Türkiye has made substantial progress in public awareness, Öncü asserted, pointing to expanded social policies including family support programs, home care services, rehabilitation centers and social service institutions. Still, she argued that awareness should move beyond charitable sentiment. “There is a need for a transformation in mentality,” she said. “The widespread perception of disability as an individual challenge remains a fundamental issue. Türkiye must accelerate its transition to the ‘social model of disability,’ as reflected in global standards.”
Öncü described full accessibility as Türkiye’s most urgent challenge. “Accessibility is not limited to ramps,” she said. “Transportation, digital services, health care, urban planning, education and employment all fall under this concept.” She called for zero-tolerance enforcement of accessibility standards in public spaces, transportation systems and new buildings. She also said Türkiye should set strict deadlines for compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines for websites and mobile applications. A “personal assistance system,” widely used in parts of Europe, could also be introduced in the coming years to support independent living, she added.
Education and media play key roles in reshaping public perceptions, she said. “Disability should be addressed with a rights-based approach, not pity. Media is one of the strongest actors in driving social transformation.”
Istanbul deputy Serkan Bayram also underlined that awareness must be present every day, not only on Dec. 3. He described the government’s disability reforms as a “silent revolution,” adding that Türkiye aims to crown this progress during the “Century of Türkiye.” Bayram said greater representation is emerging in all branches of government, noting the presence of disabled lawmakers and judges. The next goal, he added, is broader inclusion in executive roles, including governors, ambassadors and ministers.
Bayram also noted efforts are underway to establish a U.N.-based Disability Rights Unit and proposed locating it in Istanbul, calling it the “U.N. Istanbul Project.” Globally, 10%-15% of the population has disabilities, he noted, and together with their families, they represent nearly half of society.
“We want a world where no one is left behind because of a disability,” Bayram said, adding that Türkiye has progressed significantly in integrating disabled youth into social life but still has more ground to cover.
Under the AK Party government, people with disabilities have been among the major beneficiaries of upgraded welfare programs, which previous governments severely neglected. After the Disabled Act was implemented in 2005, welfare provision programs for people with disabilities were diversified.
Those include monthly home care assistance for the carers of the disabled, a monthly disability allowance for disabled individuals and at-home health care provisions. Türkiye also offers free public transportation, tax deductions, exemptions and discounts on utility bills for the disabled, who also benefit from early retirement options.
Türkiye’s anti-disinformation body rejected claims that certain social groups have been systematically targeted in recent operations and denied reports suggesting new restrictions have been imposed on minority schools.
The Center for Countering Disinformation (DMM), under the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, said claims circulating on some social media platforms alleging that “certain social structures have been systematically and categorically targeted” in recent operations contained disinformation.
The center said judicial and administrative proceedings were not conducted on the basis of the name, nature or social affiliation of any group.
“All judicial and administrative processes are carried out by the competent authorities in accordance with relevant legislation, based on concrete incidents, unlawful acts and evidence obtained,” the DMM said.
It urged the public to rely on official statements and disregard what it described as deliberately circulated manipulative content.
Last week, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek noted recent investigations into organized crime groups target criminal acts rather than religious beliefs or communities.
“The fundamental criterion here is not the identity of any belief, religious structure or community, but criminal acts and structures connected to those acts,” Gürlek said in a social media statement. “Faith and religious values can in no way be turned into an instrument or shield for criminal activities.”
In a separate statement, the DMM also rejected reports suggesting that minority schools in Türkiye were being subjected to specific restrictions.
The center said posts circulating on some social media accounts and in media outlets that created the impression that minority schools were being “specifically targeted through various restrictions” contained disinformation and risked undermining social peace and cohesion.
No new measures beyond provisions already stipulated under relevant legislation have been introduced for minority schools, the DMM said.
It added that the schools continue their education and teaching activities.
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik on Tuesday sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing his government of fueling instability and conflict across the region.
“The Netanyahu ‘genocide network’ means nothing but more chaos and massacres for the entire region,” Çelik stressed in a statement on social media.
Çelik said Netanyahu has increasingly targeted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as he faces mounting pressure in Israeli domestic politics, arguing that the attacks stem from Erdoğan’s vocal opposition to Israel’s actions in the region.
He said Erdoğan’s stance represents what he described as an “alliance of humanity” against Israeli policies and called for those responsible for violations to be held accountable under international law.
Çelik also linked Israel’s military actions in Gaza with its policies and operations elsewhere in the region, including the occupied West Bank, Iran, Lebanon and Syria, describing them as parts of the same agenda.
Referring to recent developments in Syria, Çelik accused Israel of targeting the country whenever the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa takes steps aimed at strengthening Syria’s territorial and political unity.
“The Netanyahu network’s latest targeting of Syria has once again shown that Israeli policies are the greatest enemy of the peace and stability of the peoples of the region,” Çelik said.
He urged the international community to respond collectively to Israel’s actions in Syria and elsewhere in the region.
“Standing against the Netanyahu network means defending the dignity of all humanity,” Çelik said.
Earlier Sunday, Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement holding Israel responsible for obstructing efforts to establish peace in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israel has continued its genocide in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 73,000 Palestinians and wounding more than 174,000, most of them women and children. The offensive has also caused widespread destruction, damaging about 90% of the territory’s infrastructure.
Since Monday, the Israeli army has also continued earthmoving operations and work to reopen an old dirt road north of Wadi al-Raqad from the direction of Mariya village, using a bulldozer accompanied by a tank and a pickup truck, SANA said.
Southern Syria has witnessed recurring Israeli incursions and attacks for months, including raids, searches and arrests.
Türkiye on Wednesday marked World Humanitarian Day by stressing the need to protect United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers and ensure the rapid, safe and unhindered delivery of aid to people in need, with officials drawing particular attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In a statement marking Aug. 19, which was designated World Humanitarian Day by the U.N. General Assembly in 2008, the Foreign Ministry underscored the importance of safeguarding humanitarian personnel working in conflict zones.
The ministry said the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, at a time when a record number of humanitarian workers have been killed while carrying out their duties, demonstrates the critical importance of the principles represented by World Humanitarian Day, including the responsibility to save lives and protect civilians and aid workers.
“On the occasion of Aug. 19 World Humanitarian Day, we commemorate with gratitude U.N. personnel and humanitarian workers who lost their lives after being targeted while carrying out their duties,” the ministry noted.
Türkiye will continue working to deliver humanitarian assistance to those in need in Gaza and other parts of the world in line with its “people-centered foreign policy,” it added.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also marked the day, saying the international community was going through a period in which the “global conscience” was being severely tested.
Duran pointed to Gaza, where tens of thousands of people, many of them women and children, have been killed and access to basic necessities remains severely restricted, while humanitarian workers have also been targeted.
“Wherever they may be in the world, we will continue to stand with those facing oppression and extend a helping hand to those in need,” Duran said.
He also thanked humanitarian workers who put human life above all else and expressed hope for a world where humanitarian assistance is not obstructed, civilians are protected and justice is upheld.
Through its state and non-state organizations and institutions Türkiye has been a leading international donor of humanitarian assistance. Turkish assistance has been delivered to across five continents through operations coordinated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The assistance, including providing food, shelter, medical supplies, financial assistance and search and rescue equipment to regions affected by wars and natural disasters, has reached to more than 85 countries and communities worldwide.
Among these operations, Gaza has been the largest recipient of Turkish international humanitarian assistance, where AFAD has coordinated the delivery of 109,332 tons of aid through 14 aircraft and 21 ships following Israeli attacks on the enclave.
In addition, AFAD dispatched 25 “Kindness Trains” carrying 11,739 tons of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan, alongside six cargo flights; in Sudan, six ships delivered 10,206 tons of aid and 30,000 tents, while Pakistan received 9,079 tons of humanitarian assistance. Additional shipments included 3,000 tons of aid to Somalia and 730 tons to Lebanon.
Nearly 15,000 humanitarian aid trucks have also crossed into Syria, making it one of Türkiye’s largest long-term relief operations.
More recent disaster response missions have included 30 tons of humanitarian aid sent to Venezuela following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country in June. The shipment, transported aboard two military cargo aircraft, included 275 tents and 7 tons of medical supplies. Türkiye also supported Spain after severe flooding by sending 250 large-capacity waste containers and two street-cleaning vehicles to assist recovery efforts.
Alongside AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and other Turkish humanitarian organizations have expanded Türkiye’s global relief efforts. Kızılay said it reached 32.9 million people worldwide in 2025, including 11.2 million people abroad, delivering more than 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid and over 10 million hot meals in Gaza while continuing operations in Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Niger and Uganda.
During Ramadan 2026, Kızılay carried out humanitarian operations in 21 countries, providing iftar and sahur meals, food packages and emergency relief. In Gaza alone, it served 60,000 people daily through soup kitchens, while its 21st “Ship of Goodness” delivered aid to Egypt’s al-Arish Port for onward transport into the enclave. The organization also distributed assistance in Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile, the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation announced Ramadan aid programs spanning 66 and 86 countries.
Kızılay also dispatched 48 tons of humanitarian aid to Iran in April after receiving a request from the Iranian Red Crescent. The four-truck convoy carried shelter materials, hygiene kits and trauma supplies for civilians affected by ongoing attacks, with the organization saying further assistance would continue in line with humanitarian needs.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to humanitarian aid worldwide, pledging to continue standing with people in need, particularly in Gaza, as more than 300 million people struggle without access to basic necessities.
Marking World Humanitarian Day in a post on X, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue setting an example on an issue that transcends politics, drawing strength from its history and deeply rooted civilizational values.
He said Türkiye remains the world’s leading provider of humanitarian assistance relative to its national income.
Erdoğan pointed to the plight of more than 300 million people deprived of their most basic needs and struggling to survive under difficult conditions, saying the scale of suffering presents a reality that calls on the entire international community to shoulder responsibility.
He stressed that coming to the aid of the oppressed, orphans, vulnerable and needy, and standing by those who have no one else, is a responsibility rooted in Türkiye’s religious and humanitarian values.
Erdoğan pledged that Türkiye would continue extending its “hand of compassion” wherever people are in need.
He added that Türkiye would continue supporting those in need across many parts of the world, particularly in Gaza, while offering hope to people facing oppression and hardship.
Through its state and non-state organizations and institutions Türkiye has been a leading international donor of humanitarian assistance. Turkish assistance has been delivered to across five continents through operations coordinated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The assistance, including providing food, shelter, medical supplies, financial assistance and search and rescue equipment to regions affected by wars and natural disasters, has reached to more than 85 countries and communities worldwide.
Among these operations, Gaza has been the largest recipient of Turkish international humanitarian assistance, where AFAD has coordinated the delivery of 109,332 tons of aid through 14 aircraft and 21 ships following Israeli attacks on the enclave.
In addition, AFAD dispatched 25 “Kindness Trains” carrying 11,739 tons of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan, alongside six cargo flights; in Sudan, six ships delivered 10,206 tons of aid and 30,000 tents, while Pakistan received 9,079 tons of humanitarian assistance. Additional shipments included 3,000 tons of aid to Somalia and 730 tons to Lebanon.
Nearly 15,000 humanitarian aid trucks have also crossed into Syria, making it one of Türkiye’s largest long-term relief operations.
More recent disaster response missions have included 30 tons of humanitarian aid sent to Venezuela following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country in June. The shipment, transported aboard two military cargo aircraft, included 275 tents and 7 tons of medical supplies. Türkiye also supported Spain after severe flooding by sending 250 large-capacity waste containers and two street-cleaning vehicles to assist recovery efforts.
Alongside AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and other Turkish humanitarian organizations have expanded Türkiye’s global relief efforts. Kızılay said it reached 32.9 million people worldwide in 2025, including 11.2 million people abroad, delivering more than 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid and over 10 million hot meals in Gaza while continuing operations in Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Niger and Uganda.
Türkiye on Wednesday rejected any legal implications from Greece’s newly announced renewable energy spatial plan in the Aegean Sea, stressing that unilateral initiatives cannot alter Ankara’s longstanding legal position on disputes between the two neighbors.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said Greece’s “Special Spatial Framework for Renewable Energy Sources,” announced Wednesday and covering the Aegean Sea, would have no legal consequences for Türkiye regarding the interconnected disputes between Ankara and Athens.
He said this also applied to geographical formations whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece under international treaties.
“These and similar initiatives will not affect Türkiye’s legal position regarding Aegean issues,” Keçeli said.
The spokesperson reiterated Ankara’s position that unilateral actions should be avoided in enclosed or semi-enclosed seas such as the Aegean and Mediterranean, noting that international maritime law encourages cooperation among coastal states.
Keçeli stressed that Türkiye, as one of the two coastal states of the Aegean, remains ready to cooperate with Greece.
He also reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to resolving outstanding disputes through international law, equity and good-neighborly relations under the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness signed on Dec. 7, 2023.
Türkiye’s communications director Burhanettin Duran said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats and accusations against Türkiye and Syria reflect his government’s growing international isolation and domestic political concerns, pledging Ankara would continue opposing policies that threaten regional stability.
Responding to questions from Anadolu Agency (AA) about Netanyahu’s recent remarks targeting Türkiye, Duran said the Israeli leader was attempting to portray regional countries as threats to divert attention from criticism of his government’s policies.
“The threats and lies Netanyahu voiced against Türkiye and Syria in an interview are a new reflection of the Israeli prime minister’s growing international isolation, political fears and delusions,” Duran noted.
He said Netanyahu’s efforts to create what he called “imaginary threats and enemies” no longer had a significant impact on international public opinion, arguing that opposition to Israel’s policies was increasing.
Duran stressed Netanyahu was using hostility toward Türkiye as a political “lifeline” amid domestic concerns and approaching elections, while competing with more radical political factions in Israel.
He accused Netanyahu’s government of pursuing aggressive policies stretching from Gaza to Syria and Lebanon and of tolerating settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“The problem is not that people do not sufficiently understand Israeli policies, but that more and more people understand and reject them,” Duran said, adding that accusations against regional countries and large-scale public relations campaigns were therefore producing limited results.
Asked whether Netanyahu’s rhetoric could signal an expansion of Israeli military action toward Türkiye, he noted regional countries and the international community were increasingly opposing what Ankara sees as an Israeli strategy that fuels wider conflict.
“The entire region is coming together against a strategic destabilizing actor,” he said.
Duran argued that the Netanyahu government had largely abandoned diplomacy and dialogue, saying its approach increasingly equated security with continued military action rather than regional stability.
Türkiye’s opposition to those policies, he underlined, stems not from Ankara posing a threat to Israel but from Türkiye’s regional influence and its stance against actions that it believes undermine security and stability.
Duran also pointed to criticism of Netanyahu within Israel, saying opposition figures had described his anti-Türkiye rhetoric as irresponsible and damaging.
He described Türkiye as an experienced regional power and NATO member that has strengthened both its diplomatic influence and defense capabilities.
The Israeli government should instead pursue a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and refrain from further destabilizing actions, Duran said.
Asked how Ankara would respond to Israel’s policies, Duran said Türkiye would continue supporting countries pursuing peaceful policies in the region, particularly Syria.
“We are a cautious, coolheaded and powerful country,” he said, adding that Türkiye had the ability to protect its national security while avoiding what he described as attempts to drag the region into further confrontation.
“Türkiye will never allow anyone to disturb the peace of our nation and our friends,” he emphasized.
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