Human rights lawyer Eren Keskin calls on Turkey to abolish anti-terror law

ANKARA — Eren Keskin, Co-Chair of the Human Rights Association (Insan Halklar Dernegi, İHD) and prominent human rights lawyer, has called on the Turkish government to urgently abolish its Anti-Terror Law and enact new legislation to protect political prisoners and ensure democratic rights. Keskin emphasized that these measures are non-negotiable for any future reconciliation process.

In an interview with Medya Haber TV, Keskin stressed that Turkey must establish legal protections for a peace process before initiating or even discussing it. “Before we can even begin to speak of peace, Turkey must first enact legal protections for that process,” she stated, urging comprehensive reform of the country’s legal system.

Keskin warned that genuine reconciliation with the Kurdish movement is impossible under current conditions, citing the need to guarantee freedom of expression and assembly. She also demanded the immediate release of thousands of critically ill prisoners, noting that approximately 2,000 inmates in Turkey suffer from life-threatening diseases. Despite medical reports confirming their conditions, these prisoners are left to face inevitable death in custody.

Highlighting the plight of political prisoners, Keskin pointed out that they endure harsher conditions than those convicted of violent crimes. She criticized the role of prison monitoring boards, which she described as creating a parallel judicial system. These boards often obstruct parole under vague pretexts, such as alleged threats to society or disciplinary issues.

Keskin concluded by asserting that true peace in Turkey will remain unattainable unless the state abandons its exceptional legal frameworks targeting Kurds and adopts democratic laws aligned with international human rights standards.

🚩ÇÖZÜM İÇİN HUKUKİ ZEMİN ŞART

🗣️İHD Eş Genel Başkanı Eren Keskin:

📌Türkiye’nin altına imza attığı uluslararası sözleşmelere uygun düzenlemeleri yapması gerekiyor.
📌Barış sürecine ilişkin, süreci yürütenleri koruyacak yasal düzenlemeler yapılmalı. Sırrı Süreyya Önder çok… pic.twitter.com/kgHAyyRCRm

— Haber Medya (@habermedya2025) April 16, 2025