Hearing Date: Wed, 06/03/2026 – 2:00 PM Location: 2128 Rayburn House Office Building Announcement
Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on challenges to freedom, rule of law and democracy in Turkey (Türkiye), – including political persecution, election manipulation, and censorship, and prospects for a return to 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. The government continues to flout binding judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
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.
Residents of Turkey 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).
Chris Smith Member of CongressCo-Chair, TLHRCJames P. McGovernMember of CongressCo-Chair, TLHRC Witnesses Opening Remarks
James P. McGovern, Co-Chair, TLHRC Written remarks
Henri Barkey, Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Michael Rubin, Director of Policy Analysis, Middle East Forum
Serkan Golge, Senior Research Scientist, Ex-Political Prisoner in Turkey
Andrew O’Donohue, Carl J. Friedrich Fellow, Harvard University; Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Amnesty International USA, statement submitted for the record
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission House Committee on Foreign Affairs 4150 O’Neill House Office Building 200 C Street SW Washington, D.C. 20515 United States of America Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599 [email protected]
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Source: https://humanrightscommission.house.gov/events/hearings/can-turkey-find-its-way-back-freedom-authoritarian-consolidation-versus-defense