The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, conducted a visit to Türkiye from 1-5 December 2025, during which he discussed the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and aspects of the administration of justice. The Commissioner expresses his gratitude to the authorities of Türkiye for their cooperation and for the exchanges.

The Commissioner acknowledges the efforts undertaken within the context of the ongoing “Terror-Free Türkiye Initiative,” which presents an important opportunity to address longstanding human rights concerns and reinforce democratic institutions. He encourages the authorities to make full use of this process to advance reforms and strengthen human rights protections, by bringing counterterrorism and other legislation and its implementation in line with human rights standards, including the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, and relevant opinions of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission).

Following up on his statement of 24 March 2025, the Commissioner remains concerned about bans on assemblies and the excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators. Article 34 of the Turkish Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, however, its implementation, including through Law No. 2911 on meetings and demonstrations, continues to fall short of international human rights standards. The Commissioner observes that assemblies are sometimes dispersed or prevented on unsubstantiated grounds such as “public order” or “general morality,” notwithstanding longstanding case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

During and after the March–April 2025 protests following the arrest and detention of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, large numbers of individuals were detained or subjected to judicial control measures, including travel bans. The Commissioner acknowledges, however, recent positive steps, including the release of individuals detained during these events and some acquittal decisions. The Commissioner recalls that any restrictions on peaceful assembly must meet the tests of legality, necessity, proportionality and non-discrimination.

Türkiye’s legal framework guarantees freedom of expression, nevertheless, the Commissioner observes that implementation remains a concern. Broad use of a number of criminal provisions raises questions of compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), including Articles 299 (insulting the President), 301 (denigrating the Turkish nation or its institutions), 217/A (dissemination of misleading information) of the Penal Code, and several provisions under the Anti-Terror Law. In practice, these provisions have been used against human rights defenders, opposition politicians, journalists, and students, resulting in a chilling effect on public debate.

The Commissioner draws attention to the guidance of the UN Human Rights Committee’s General Comment No. 34, Venice Commission opinions and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, which emphasise that public officials must tolerate wider criticism and that vague criminal restrictions on speech are incompatible with human rights standards. In this context, the Commissioner refers to several longstanding groups of cases concerning freedom of expression such as the Öner and Türk, Altuğ Taner Akçam, Artun and Güvener, Işıkırık, and Nedim Şener groups where general measures remain pending execution before the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers and require reform to prevent recurrence of violations. He also points to ongoing concerns regarding online freedom of expression, including extensive use of access blocking and content removal measures, contrary to the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

The Commissioner also examined restrictions to the work of civil society organisations, including disproportionate financial and administrative sanctions, and scrutiny under Law No. 5253 and Law No. 7262. He emphasises that civil society organisations play an essential role in safeguarding human rights and civic space and that any restrictions on their work must be ECHR compliant.

The Commissioner is concerned about pressures faced by bar associations and members of the legal profession, including the ongoing criminal proceedings against the President and Executive Board of the Istanbul Bar Association. He recalls that bar associations play a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and safeguarding human rights and must be able to operate independently and without fear of retaliation. The Commissioner is also concerned about the challenges facing Turkish lawyers on account of their professional activities. He encourages Türkiye to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, and underlines the importance of implementing safeguards for the independence, safety and autonomy of lawyers.

The Commissioner observes that while Türkiye maintains a generally high execution rate for the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, the implementation of leading judgments, particularly those concerning structural issues, is low. He raised concerns about the lack of progress in the Osman Kavala v. Türkiye, Selahattin Demirtaş (no.2) v. Türkiye and Yüksekdağ Şenoğlu and Others v. Türkiye cases. Furthermore, the Commissioner is concerned by the non-execution of key Constitutional Court judgments, including the Can Atalay and Tayfun Kahraman cases. He notes that the refusal of lower courts to implement Constitutional Court decisions undermines the rule of law and the principle of legal certainty.

The Commissioner encourages the authorities to pursue a reform of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TİHEK) with a view to securing A-status accreditation in full compliance with the Paris Principles ('Principles Relating to the Status of National Human Rights Institutions').

The Commissioner encourages Türkiye to sign the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, and to reconsider its withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

The Commissioner’s further detailed observations on the issues set out above are forthcoming.

During his visit to Türkiye, the Commissioner met with the Minister for Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mehmet Kemal Bozay, the Deputy Minister of Justice, Niyazi Acar, the Deputy Minister of Interior, Münir Karaloğlu, the President of the Constitutional Court, Kadir Özkaya and several members of the delegation of Türkiye to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The Commissioner also met with the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TİHEK). He further met with the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, the Istanbul Bar Association, and held extensive discussions with civil society and youth on the issues of focus during the visit.

Human rights considerations are still too often overlooked in lawmaking across the EU, finds a new report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Despite the binding force of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, only a few EU Member States have guidelines to assess human rights impacts when implementing EU law. Even fewer explicitly reference the Charter in such guidelines. The report comes as the EU intensifies efforts to streamline its regulatory framework through “Omnibus” reforms to boost competitiveness. In this context, the report stresses that fundamental rights impact assessments are essential to protect people and ensure compliance with the law – without compromising the goals of simplification and efficiency.

The report Better legislation: Human rights impact assessment in lawmaking finds that impact assessments by EU countries rarely address the full spectrum of human rights. They tend to focus narrowly on areas such as equality, gender or data protection. Procedures vary widely between countries, policy areas, and ministries. As a result, laws may fall short of fundamental rights standards, exposing governments to legal risks and imposing wider societal costs.

At EU level, the European Commission requires fundamental rights checks for all legislative proposals. The report notes that these assessments are sometimes superficial or missing altogether. The lack of specialised expertise and limited involvement of independent human rights bodies further weakens the process.

FRA calls on the EU to:

• Ensure systematic and thorough application of fundamental rights impact assessments;
• increase the accessibility and inclusiveness of public consultations;
• consider independent external human rights expertise;
• support peer-learning between Member States to further improve their human rights impact assessment systems.

FRA calls on the EU Member States to:

• Develop coherent and comprehensive guidelines that explicitly use the Charter when legislating within the scope of EU law;
• use the EU-level human rights impact assessment as a starting point and complement it with a national impact assessment to address the national context;
• ensure high quality assessments through appropriate coordination, consultation and capacity building;
• ensure that ex-post evaluations become the rule and systematically consider human rights impacts.

The report draws on extensive desk research, expert consultations and field research conducted in Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Estonia, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and North Macedonia. The analysis incorporates input from international stakeholders and national human rights institutions, equality bodies, ombuds institutions, civil society organisations and academics.

FRA supports law- and policymakers by providing evidence, legal analysis and guidance on fundamental rights. The Agency helps ensure that fundamental rights are systematically considered in lawmaking across the EU, promoting more transparent, inclusive and rights-compliant legislation.

A new report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights highlights the scale of violence, abuse and neglect experienced by persons with disabilities living in institutions across the European Union. The report shows how barriers to reporting, weak safeguards and limited oversight allow violations to go undetected. It calls on EU countries to take urgent action to prevent violence, protect victims and ensure accountability.

Malta was one of ten Member States selected for detailed fieldwork. Interviews with persons with disabilities, service providers, public authorities and monitoring bodies confirmed the challenges that arise in closed institutional settings. These include fear of retaliation when reporting abuse, inconsistent monitoring, and gaps in staff training. The findings underline the need for stronger and more accessible complaint mechanisms.

The report notes recent reforms in Malta, including the criminalisation of forced sterilisation without full and informed consent. It also highlights that mental health institutions in Malta are regulated by dedicated legislation. However, the report points out that this legislation focuses mainly on involuntary placement and treatment and does not cover the wider risks of violence within institutions.

FRA also identifies the need to improve access to independent support for residents seeking to report abuse. While external intermediaries exist in Malta, these services are not always accessible to persons with disabilities living in institutions. Many remain unaware of their rights or lack the support needed to seek help.

The report stresses the importance of shifting toward community-based living and reducing reliance on institutional care. It notes that institutional settings can limit autonomy and increase the risk of violence due to power imbalances and lack of independent oversight.

The report was sent by FRA to the Office of the Ombudsman since, as FRA noted, the institution plays a key role in safeguarding rights at national level. The findings are relevant to the Office of the Ombudsman’s mandate. The report reinforces the importance of independent complaint mechanisms and effective monitoring. It also supports ongoing efforts to strengthen protection for persons with disabilities and ensure full respect for their rights in all care settings.

Il PalaSerradimigni di Sassari si è trasformato in un palcoscenico di responsabilità civile e profonda consapevolezza. Durante l’ultima partita casalinga della Dinamo Sassari, è stato inaugurato un “Posto Occupato” per ricordare simbolicamente tutte le donne vittime di violenza. Un gesto semplice, ma di straordinaria forza sociale, che ha coinvolto l’intera comunità sportiva e istituzionale della Sardegna.

L’iniziativa è stata promossa dal Presidente del Consiglio regionale della Sardegna, Piero Comandini, e dal Difensore Civico regionale, Marco Enrico, in collaborazione con la società biancoblù, che ha aderito con entusiasmo e senso di responsabilità.

Il momento più toccante si è svolto pochi minuti prima della gara tra Dinamo Sassari e Pallacanestro Trieste.
Il giocatore Luca Vincini, indossando la maglia numero 22 – un richiamo al 1522, il numero nazionale antiviolenza e stalking – ha collocato il cartello “Posto Occupato” su una poltroncina vuota del palazzetto.

Quel posto rappresenta tutte le donne che non possono più sedersi, partecipare, vivere. È un invito a non distogliere lo sguardo da un dramma che attraversa ogni strato sociale.

Un’arena sportiva che diventa spazio di educazione civile

“Questa iniziativa va oltre lo sport,” ha sottolineato il Presidente Comandini.
“È un impegno concreto per educare la società ai valori del rispetto, della dignità e dell’inclusione. Anche al PalaSerradimigni, una sedia vuota ricorderà costantemente le donne vittime di violenza.”

La Dinamo Sassari ha così confermato la propria vocazione sociale, scegliendo di trasformare un momento agonistico in un’occasione di riflessione collettiva.

La dichiarazione del Difensore Civico della Sardegna, Marco Enrico

“Il ‘Posto Occupato’ non è un simbolo qualunque: è un richiamo potente alle istituzioni, alle comunità e a ciascuno di noi.
La violenza contro le donne non può essere considerata un’emergenza episodica, ma un problema strutturale che richiede educazione, prevenzione e azioni costanti.
Ringrazio la Dinamo Sassari per aver scelto di essere in prima linea, ricordandoci che lo sport può e deve essere uno strumento di civiltà e cambiamento.
Ogni sedia vuota al PalaSerradimigni rappresenta una vita spezzata, ma anche un impegno rinnovato: quello di non lasciare sole le vittime e di costruire una Sardegna più giusta e più sicura.”

Un invito alla comunità

Con questo gesto, la Dinamo Sassari e le istituzioni regionali lanciano un messaggio forte a tutti i cittadini della provincia e dell’intera isola:
contrastare la violenza di genere è un dovere di tutti.

Il 1522, servizio gratuito attivo 24 ore su 24, rimane un punto di riferimento fondamentale per chi cerca aiuto. Il “Posto Occupato” continuerà a parlare, silenziosamente ma con forza, ad ogni partita.

El Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, se ha reunido este martes en la sede de la institución con el Procurador de los Derechos Humanos de Guatemala, Alejandro Córdova, de visita oficial en España.

Alejandro Córdova es Procurador de los Derechos Humanos de Guatemala desde el año 2022. La función de este comisionado del Congreso de la República de Guatemala es velar por el cumplimiento de los derechos humanos en su país. 

En esta visita institucional también ha participado Juan Carlos Díaz, asesor del procurador, e Isabel Aymerich, directora del Gabinete del Defensor.