In view of the forthcoming presidential elections in Turkey due in 2023 and of the continuing deterioration in human rights and the rule of law, our organizations respectfully but urgently call upon the members of the Human Rights Committee to keep Turkey as a priority on their agenda and to consider relevant actions should Turkey delay its answer to the LOIPR beyond one year.

ASSEDEL, IAHRAG, InstituDE, Journalists and Writers Foundation, Lawyers for Lawyers, Middle East Concern, Peace & Justice, Stockholm Center for Freedom, Turkey Tribunal, Volunteer Jurists Association have the honour to write in order to thank the Human Rights Committee for its recent list of issues prior to submission of the second periodic report on Turkey (CCPR/C/TUR/QPR/2). Our organizations highlight the comprehensive nature of the document and express their faith and trust in the treaty bodies’ system to ensure better engagement of States in respecting their human rights obligations.

Turkey now has one year to respond to the questions raised by the Committee in the LOIPR. Our organizations do not wish to pre-empt the Turkish promptness to react. However, in recent years Turkey has shown a general trend of not being fully compliant with its obligations to human rights institutions, starting with the Human Rights Committee itself and its individual decisions (interim measures and views).

In view of the forthcoming presidential elections in Turkey due in 2023 and of the continuing deterioration in human rights and the rule of law, our organizations respectfully but urgently call upon the members of the Human Rights Committee to keep Turkey as a priority on their agenda and to consider relevant actions should Turkey delay its answer to the LOIPR beyond one year.

Our organizations deeply appreciate the Human Rights Committee’s concerns for the situation in Turkey and look forward to further cooperation with the Committee and the Secretariat.

Read the urgent call to ensure Turkey’ engagement with the Human Rights Committee here:

Our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more.

Bill clinton