Politics
Türkiye slams US human rights report over ‘unfounded’ allegations
Türkiye on Saturday dismissed the U.S. State Department’s 2024 Human Rights Report as “unfounded,” accusing Washington of echoing “manipulative rhetoric” from terrorist groups and misrepresenting Ankara’s counterterrorism and refugee policies.
“We reject the repeated unfounded allegations concerning Türkiye in the 2024 Human Rights Report released by the US Department of State,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.
Noting that Türkiye has been effectively fighting all forms and manifestations of terrorism in line with the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, the statement said that the claims in the report “are far from reality.”
“We also deeply regret the inclusion in the report of baseless and unfounded claims put forward through the manipulative rhetoric of the FETÖ terrorist organization,” it said.
“Türkiye’s counter terrorism operations in Syria are carried out on the basis of the right of self defense and with the utmost care for the civilian population and infrastructure. It is entirely wrong to portray these operations outside this just and legitimate framework,” it further said.
Noting that the country has welcomed millions of refugees for years and met their basic needs, the statement said that Türkiye serves as an “exemplary country with a comprehensive and sustainable global migration management policy that is based on human dignity.”
The report, without substantial evidence, hurled several accusations toward Türkiye, from arbitrary or unlawful killings to torture and “transnational repression” linked to Türkiye’s fight against the PKK terrorist group and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). It also claimed that Türkiye forced Syrian refugees to return home.
A senior official from Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) also criticized the report, accusing Washington of distorting facts and unfairly targeting Ankara.
Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Yayman said the report served “no purpose other than to distort the truth and smear Türkiye.” “We will continue, together with our nation, to uphold the rule of law, protect freedoms, and govern our country in a strong, safe and just manner,” Yayman wrote Sunday on his Next Social account.
Yayman said the report’s claims about Türkiye were “baseless and meaningless,” describing it as biased and hostile. He added that the findings were an attempt to undermine Türkiye’s commitment to law, security and human rights.
Highlighting his country’s alignment with international law and democratic norms, Yayman said Türkiye was determined to defend the rights and freedoms of all its citizens.
“As we conduct our fight against terrorism to protect our people’s security, we will also continue to safeguard human rights and the rule of law, whether you like it or not,” he said. “With its policies prioritizing human dignity and opening its doors to millions of refugees, Türkiye continues to be a country that balances freedom and security.”
Yayman also accused Washington of hypocrisy. “Those who try to lecture us on law and human rights should first look in the mirror,” he said. “They should be ashamed of their own record on democracy and rights. Those who remain silent on Gaza cannot speak to us.”
The next session of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee of the Parliament will be convened on Tuesday in Ankara. The committee, which aims to move forward with the terror-free Türkiye initiative involving disarmament of the terrorist group PKK, had a significant group of guests: families of people killed in PKK attacks and veterans of security forces maimed in counterterrorism operations and attacks. This fourth session of the committee differed from earlier ones in that civilians, as well as nongovernmental actors involved in the initiative, were given a voice. Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş also attended the committee’s meeting.
Assuring the families that suffered most from the PKK is key for officials overseeing the process, as opponents of the initiative propagandize that the state bargained with the PKK for disarmament and brand it as a betrayal of those families and veterans.
Addressing the opening of the new session, Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş once again reiterated that Türkiye did not negotiate with the PKK to convince it to lay down arms and will not, in the future. He also warned that certain circles might attempt to undermine the process.
Kurtulmuş said Türkiye owed “each martyr and their families” and hailed how resilient they had been, as well as how proud they had been of their sacrifices. Since the 1980s, the PKK has killed thousands of people, particularly in southeastern Türkiye, in terror attacks targeting security personnel as well as civilians. At the height of its campaign in the 1990s, the terrorist group often ambushed soldiers in mountainous territories in the southeast and, despite intensified counterterrorism operations, continued its attacks well into the early 2000s. Its attacks relatively decreased after the capture of its leader, Abdullah Öcalan, in 1999, but it remained a significant threat to the country.
The speaker stated that Türkiye never offered anything to the PKK in return for disarmament, adding that Parliament would also not be involved in any bargain. “We will merely fulfill our responsibility to cement our lasting brotherhood,” he said, referring to the underlying theme of the initiative. The PKK always exploited the underprivileged Kurdish community and claimed to fight for Kurdish self-rule, while the state, which staunchly ignored Kurdish identity during the early years of violence, eventually started highlighting this aspect of the issue. Officials hope that stronger ethnic ties may trump the PKK’s separatist agenda. “We are going through a difficult process, but we will talk about every matter here,” Kurtulmuş said, highlighting the “historic mission” of the committee.
“We have to be careful about attempts to undermine this process, either here in our country or through intervention from abroad,” Kurtulmuş added.
After hearing from families of victims and veterans, the committee is expected to hold another session on Wednesday for families of PKK members. Three informal groups, calling themselves the Diyarbakır Mothers, the Saturday Mothers and the Peace Mothers, will meet with the lawmakers.
All have a relative, mostly sons and daughters, who were either tricked into joining the PKK or victims of extrajudicial killings targeting people with alleged ties to the group and all are known for their perennial protests. The Peace Mothers stand out among them as it is comprised of women whose children volunteered to join the PKK, and they advocate what they call “peace” between the state and the terrorist group.
The PKK last month literally burned weapons in a highly symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq as the first concrete phase of disarmament and is expected to abandon arms by the end of 2025 entirely. The initiative will then move on to a discussion on the status of the group, as cessation of acts of terrorism will pave the way for a new future for the PKK. This “future” will likely involve integrating the group’s members into a new life, either in Türkiye or abroad, and the committee aims to establish a legal framework for this new process.
The committee first convened on Aug. 8 with the participation of lawmakers from most parties, including the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), a key actor in the initiative due to its intricate links to the terrorist group. The opposition Good Party (IP) abstained from joining the committee. The IP is among several small parties opposing the initiative.
Although it is not authorized to draft bills, the committee will issue recommendations to Parliament, which may subsequently discuss and adopt them as bills.
The committee is expected to wrap up work by the end of this year, though this may be extended based on developments.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used the occasion of World Humanitarian Day on Tuesday to call for stronger international solidarity in the face of global crises, urging nations to embrace “compassion beyond borders” in an article published in Spain’s El Pais.
In the piece, titled “Compassion Beyond Borders: The Alliance of Civilizations and Humanitarian Diplomacy,” Erdoğan argued that peace, security and prosperity can only be achieved through cooperation built on justice and respect.
He underscored the long-standing friendship between Türkiye and Spain, describing the two nations as “standing at the two poles of the Mediterranean” and sharing common goals in trade, energy, defense and diplomacy.
“Spain stands among our most reliable allies within NATO,” Erdoğan wrote, citing Madrid’s deployment of a Patriot air defense system in Türkiye’s southern Adana province.
He also thanked Spain for supporting Türkiye’s European Union accession bid and recalled the solidarity shown after the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes, when Spanish rescue teams and medical staff provided emergency aid.
Humanitarian emphasis
Framing Türkiye as one of the world’s most generous nations relative to its economic size, Erdoğan highlighted Ankara’s humanitarian diplomacy, which he said reaches across regions from Gaza to Sudan, Somalia to Bangladesh and as far as Latin America. He noted Türkiye’s hosting of the first-ever U.N. World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in 2016 as a milestone in shaping the global aid agenda.
According to Erdoğan, Turkish aid agencies, such as the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Red Crescent and religious foundations, provide assistance not only during emergencies but also through long-term development projects.
He pointed to Türkiye’s “Goodness Trains,” which supply food and medicine to Afghanistan, field hospitals serving Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, agricultural projects in Sudan and widespread COVID-19 vaccine donations to more than 160 countries.
“Humanitarian aid is the most advanced form of diplomacy,” Erdoğan said, adding that Türkiye’s outreach aims to safeguard human dignity and offer “a voice to the conscience of humanity.”
The president also condemned the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing what he described as Israel’s “inhumane” blockade and military operations. He said Türkiye has provided more than 101,000 tons of aid to Palestinians and will continue supporting international relief efforts.
Türkiye-Spain cooperation
Erdoğan emphasized the symbolic importance of publishing his article in El Pais, noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Alliance of Civilizations, a joint Turkish-Spanish initiative launched under the U.N. framework to foster intercultural dialogue.
He argued that the shared humanitarian traditions of Türkiye and Spain offer hope in an era of war, famine, forced migration and climate disasters. “The spirit of solidarity unites the two peoples in a profound bond that transcends geographical boundaries,” he wrote.
Despite global geopolitical tensions, Erdoğan pledged that Türkiye will persist in humanitarian outreach. “For humanitarian aid transcends political considerations,” he concluded, “it is fundamentally a matter of conscience.”
Seeking to build on their longstanding relations, Türkiye and Japan eye cooperation on defense.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani met his Turkish counterpart, Yaşar Güler, in Ankara on Tuesday for talks on defense industry cooperation, including the possible supply of Turkish-made drones, as Tokyo expands the role of unmanned systems in its armed forces.
Nakatani is the first Japanese defense minister to make such an official trip to Türkiye. This NATO member country is keen to expand its economic and other ties beyond Europe and the Middle East. Türkiye and Japan are both U.S. allies.
Nakatani and Güler are expected to “discuss ways to expand cooperation on defense equipment and technology and exchange views on regional developments,” a diplomatic source in Ankara said.
They also aim to increase contacts between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces at the unit level, the source added. Nakatani is also scheduled to visit Istanbul on Wednesday.
Turkish and Japanese defense ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
During the visit, Nakatani will tour Turkish defense companies and facilities, including Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), navy shipyards, and drone maker Baykar, according to a Defense Ministry source.
“Apart from general matters, defense industry cooperation will be on the agenda … They will hold inspections regarding drones, but an agreement is not expected. It is too early for an agreement,” the Defense Ministry source said.
Turkish firms have supplied drones to several countries, including Ukraine, while Japan is preparing to expand the use of uncrewed aerial vehicles across its ground, air and naval forces.
Japan is considering Turkish drones as one of the potential options for this effort, a diplomatic source said. Nakatani’s visit to Türkiye is part of a regional tour from Aug. 17 to Aug. 22, which also includes stops in Djibouti and Jordan.
A Turkish court on Monday ordered the arrest of 17 suspects, including Beyoğlu District Mayor Inan Güney, as part of a corruption probe into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), while 27 others were released under judicial control measures.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting the investigation into alleged fraud involving Medya A.Ş., Kültür A.Ş., and other municipal subsidiaries. Authorities say the network was linked to former IBB spokesman Murat Ongun and fugitive suspect Emrah Bağdatlı.
Police detained 44 suspects, including Güney, after identifying their involvement in multiple fraud schemes and social media operations allegedly coordinated under Ongun’s oversight. The suspects were taken to Bayrampaşa State Hospital for medical checks before being transferred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan.
Prosecutors questioned the suspects, later referring 20 of them, including Güney, to the court for arrest and 24 others for judicial control. In total, 45 people have been detained in connection with the investigation so far.
Municipalities controlled by the CHP have faced waves of arrests this year, beginning in March.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting an investigation into the suspects, including Ekrem Imamoğlu, who was suspended from his position as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayor after his arrest, on charges of “leading a criminal organization,” “membership in a criminal organization,” “extortion,” “bribery,” “aggravated fraud,” “unlawful acquisition of personal data” and “tender rigging.”
The Istanbul police office’s teams from the Financial Crimes Department determined that those held in the latest operation are suspected of involvement in fraudulent activities at companies linked to the Istanbul municipality.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) took a significant blow in the March 2024 municipal elections, but it has since been recouping losses as opposition mayors switch sides. A total of 56 mayors from opposition parties and independents have joined the party since the elections. Currently, the AK Party holds mayoral seats in 599 out of 1,401 seats across Türkiye.
The party has won mayoral seats in 12 metropolitan municipalities, 12 city municipalities, 347 district municipalities and 170 town municipalities in the 2024 elections. Last week, nine more mayors joined the AK Party during a ceremony to mark the party’s 24th anniversary, including Özlem Çerçioğlu, a renowned and long-serving mayor for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the western province of Aydın.
The AK Party has made a name for itself with its municipal services and has enjoyed a streak of election success in all municipal elections since the early 2000s. Yet, the 2024 elections curbed its nationwide influence slightly, especially after losing several strongholds to the CHP.
The majority of those joining the AK Party as mayors are from the New Welfare Party (YRP), which positions itself with a similar ideology to the party. The party has supported the People’s Alliance, led by the AK Party, in the 2023 general elections, although it later went its own way and fielded candidates in the 2024 municipal elections. Fourteen independent mayors have also joined the AK Party since the municipal vote. The AK Party gained seven mayors from the CHP, mostly those who fell out with the new administration of Türkiye’s oldest party, which took office after an intraparty election in November 2023. The CHP portrays itself as the exact opposite of the AK Party, although it courted several prominent figures who have been ideologically aligned with the ruling party in the past.
In the 2023 general elections, the CHP helped several former members of the AK Party win parliamentary seats, as they were nominated from CHP lists instead of running for their own parties, which had a weak chance of success. The AK Party also saw seven mayors from the Good Party (IP) joining it. The rest of the mayors switching allegiance to the AK Party were from the Felicity Party (SP), the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), and the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA).
The AK Party’s losses in the 2024 local vote are widely regarded as the electorate’s reaction to certain underperforming mayors and the party in general amid worries over the heightened cost of living. But the longstanding party hopes to recover in the next election, relying on boosting what it calls “the 1994 spirit.” The party’s founder and incumbent president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is credited with introducing a new model of municipal governance when he won the municipal elections in Türkiye’s most populated city, Istanbul, that year. Erdoğan’s accomplishments as mayor set an example for future municipalities of the AK Party. The AK Party secured successive victories in municipal elections, following in the footsteps of Erdoğan, and is credited with turning around the fortunes of most cities and districts, which had suffered from negligence in public services under the reign of mayors from opposition parties.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has plunged into turmoil as neighborhood delegate elections that began on Aug. 13 have been marred by chaos, fights and allegations of fraud within the first week, exposing deep rifts within the main opposition party.
What began as routine elections to select neighborhood delegates quickly turned into battlegrounds across Türkiye. From Samsun to Izmit and Erzurum, incidents of violence, shouting matches and police intervention have highlighted the widening divide between the CHP’s central leadership and internal opposition groups.
The most violent episode erupted in Atakum, a district of northern Samsun province, where a verbal dispute between rival camps escalated into a fistfight on Tuesday.
Witnesses reported that one man suffered a brain hemorrhage during the melee, and the district chairperson candidate, Şevket Özkaya, was kicked. Police detained two individuals after the altercation.
Amid the brawl, Atakum District Chair Adem Kürek was heard shouting “God damn you” at opponents, sparking public outrage and making him a target of criticism online.
In western Izmit province, tensions spilled over into what party members described as a dispute over which place to hold the elections.
A group protesting the election for the Alikahya Fatih area inside the Izmit district’s building clashed with municipal officials. The argument soon turned physical, drawing in other party members. Reports stated that it took officials a long time to restore order after the fight broke out.
Meanwhile, the eastern Erzurum province has become the latest flashpoint, as opposition members accused the Palandöken District Directorate of attempting to manipulate the electoral process.
The district leadership allegedly moved the election date forward without authorization, in what critics described as a blatant violation of party bylaws. Opposition representatives vowed to file a criminal complaint, saying the maneuver was designed to block challengers and protect the interests of the party’s entrenched leadership.
The clashes underscore long-standing tensions between the party headquarters and dissident members, many of whom accuse the central leadership of stifling democracy and sidelining grassroots voices.
The turmoil also comes as the CHP faces mounting scrutiny over corruption allegations in municipalities it controls. Dozens, including the ousted mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoğlu, have been arrested in investigations on a criminal organization that profited from rigged tenders and bribery schemes.
The CHP is also fighting a court case over alleged vote buying in its 2023 leadership elections, which also targets Imamoğlu, who is accused of “buying” delegate support to oust current Chair Özgür Özel’s predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
Meanwhile, the CHP is preparing to unveil a new party program aimed at redefining its political agenda. A “Program Workshop” is scheduled for Sept. 4-9 in Ankara, bringing together Özel, central executive board members, party council representatives and provincial delegates from across Türkiye.
The draft program, shaped by fieldwork in all 81 provinces and 973 districts, covers key areas such as education, health care, justice, the economy, foreign policy and youth. Overseen by Secretary-General Selin Sayek Böke, the process has incorporated public feedback gathered by local organizations.
The finalized program will be submitted for approval to 1,323 delegates at the CHP’s 39th Ordinary Congress, expected in November. A simple majority will be required to adopt the changes.
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