Can Turkey Find Its Way Back to Freedom? Authoritarian Consolidation versus the Defense of Turkish Democracy

Announcement

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on the state of freedom, rule of law and democracy in Turkey today - and the prospects for maintaining opposition to political persecution, election manipulation, and censorship. democratic governance, judicial independence, free and fair elections, and respect for fundamental freedoms.

In Freedom and the World 2026, Freedom House rates Turkey as “Not Free” – as it has done since 2018. Yet the situation is growing worse. In the aftermath of recent electoral setbacks for the ruling party, the Turkish government has intensified its crackdown on political opposition, independent media, civil society, religious minorities, and perceived critics at home and abroad.

Among the most alarming developments has been the March 2025 arrest and continued detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, widely regarded as the leading opposition challenger to President Erdoğan. İmamoğlu’s detention, which came shortly before his anticipated presidential candidacy, has raised grave concerns regarding judicial independence, politically motivated prosecutions, and the integrity of future elections in Turkey. Prosecutors have reportedly pursued multiple overlapping charges carrying extraordinary potential prison sentences, while authorities have detained thousands of demonstrators protesting his arrest.

Human rights advocates estimate that over 15,000 political prisoners remain incarcerated in Turkey, including journalists, lawyers, elected officials, academics, civil society leaders, and democracy activists. The government continues to target Kurdish politicians and religious activists, and growing concerns regarding transnational repression directed at critics residing outside Turkey.

Turks also face escalating censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression, including court-ordered blocking of online content, social media accounts, and opposition news platforms; criminal investigations and prosecutions targeting online speech. The government continues to repress religious and ethnic minorities in Turkey, including through restrictions affecting the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Halki Seminary.

Witnesses will discuss the broader trajectory of democratic backsliding in Turkey, implications for regional stability and the NATO alliance, and policy options available to the United States and Congress in support of democracy and human rights.

The hearing will be held in person and is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the interested public, and the media. The hearing will be livestreamed via the Commission website. For any questions, please contact Mark Milosch (for Co-Chair Smith) or Todd Stein (for Co-Chair McGovern).

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