Commitment To International Human Rights Law
The Republic of Turkey has entered various human rights commitments, some of which are expressed in the 1982 Turkish Constitution, Part Two of which guarantees "fundamental rights and freedoms" such as the right to life, security of person, and right to property. In addition, Turkey has signed a number of treaties, shown in the tables below:
International Bill of Human Rights
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s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |
15 Aug 2000 (s)
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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
15 Aug 2000 (s) 23 Sept 2003 (r)
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Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
3 Feb 2004
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Women's Human Rights
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s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
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Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women |
20 Dec 1985 (a)
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Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women |
8 Sep 2000 (s), 29 Oct 2002 (r)
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United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime |
13 Dec 2000 (s), 25 Mar 2003 (r)
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Protection from Torture, Ill-Treatment and Disappearance
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s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
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European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment |
11.01.88 (s), 26.02.88 (r)
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Protocol No. 2 to the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment |
10 May 1995 (s), 17.09.97 (r)
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Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment |
25.01.88 (s), 02.08.88 (r)
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Terrorism and Human Rights
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s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
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International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages |
15.08.89 (a)
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International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombing |
20 May 1999 (s), 30 May 2002 (r)
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International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism |
27.09.01 (s), 28.06.02 (r)
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International Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft |
16 Dec 1970 (s), 17.04.73 (r)
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International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against International Protected Persons |
6 Mar 1998 (r)
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Regional Conventions
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s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
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Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
4 Now 1950 (s), 18 May 1954 (r)
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Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
20 Mar 1952 (s), 22.06.53 (r)
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Protocol No.2 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
6 May 1963 (s), 25 Mar 1968 (r)
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Protocol No.3 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
6 May 1963 (s), 25 Mar 1968 (r)
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Protocol No.4 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
19 Oct 1962
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Protocols 5-8 of the ECHR
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s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
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Protocol No.5 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
14 May 1971 (s), 20 Dec 1971 (r)
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Protocol No.6 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
15.01.03 (s)
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Protocol No.7 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
14 Mar 1985
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Protocol No. 8 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
04.02.86 (s), 19.09.89 (r)
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Protocols 9-12 of the ECHR
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s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
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Protocol No. 9 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
6 Now 1990 (s)
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Protocol No. 10 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
28.02.96 (s), 5 May 1998 (r)
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Protocol No. 11 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
28.02.96 (s), 5 May 1998 (r)
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Protocol No. 12 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
04.11.00 (s)
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- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1949.
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- The European Convention on Human Rights (1954) places Turkey under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In 1987, Turkey accepted the right to apply individually to the ECtHR (Article 25 of the European Convention on Human Rights = ECHR) and 1990 recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights under Article 46 of the ECHR.
In October 2009 the European Commission on Enlargement to the European Union attested Turkey some progress on observance of international human rights law. However, implementation of some ECtHR judgments requiring legislative amendments has been outstanding for several years. Further efforts are needed to strengthening the institutional framework on human rights, in particular as regards the establishment of an independent human rights institution and of an Ombudsman.