Türkiye
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1998
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- NOVEMBER 12, 1998 · On November 12, 1998, Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan was...
- News items in the archive
- 376
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Türkiye is classified as Abolitionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 376 news items on Türkiye, from 1998 to today.
Latest news
- MAY 3, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Libya arrested dozens of suspected Islamist opposition...
Libya arrested dozens of suspected Islamist opposition figures following deportations of dissidents to the north African country, the London-based Islamic Observation Centre said
- MAY 1, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Court of Appeals sentenced to death two of the...
The Court of Appeals sentenced to death two of the three men accused of the Tuzla bombing incident in which five people were killed and 36 were injured
- APRIL 10, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, the EU term president,...
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, the EU term president, Portugal's Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, and the EU commissioner for enlargement, Guenter Verheugen, staged a joint press briefing at the end of Turkey-EU Association Council
- APRIL 7, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
German President Johannes Rau said that the European...
German President Johannes Rau said that the European Union (EU) constituted a great perspective for Turkey, adding, "The EU is not only a markets union, first of all it is a union of values
- MARCH 10, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said in an interview with...
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said in an interview with that the inclusion of the death penalty in Turkish Penal Code constitutes an impediment for Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU) and Turkey is aware of that fact
- MARCH 3, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen, on a...
Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen, on a visit to Ankara, said that Turkey had made some progress in human rights, however there were still many things to be done in this field
- FEBRUARY 21, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Anna Lindh,...
The Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Anna Lindh, visited the Human Rights Association, where she was greeted by its former president, Akin Birdal
- FEBRUARY 21, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The U
The U
- FEBRUARY 16, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
About 1,000 Kurds demonstrated in Lebanon to mark the...
About 1,000 Kurds demonstrated in Lebanon to mark the first anniversary of the capture of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan by Turkey and to demand his release
- FEBRUARY 12, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
About 16,000 Kurds demonstrated in the French city...
About 16,000 Kurds demonstrated in the French city of Strasbourg to demand the release of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan, who was sentenced to death in Turkey, police said
- FEBRUARY 12, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen expected Turkey to...
EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen expected Turkey to abolish the death penalty during the European Court of Human Rights hearing dealing with the complaint from PKK [Kurdish Workers Party] chief Abdullah Ocalan
- FEBRUARY 9, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Kurdistan Workers party (PKK) formally abandoned...
The Kurdistan Workers party (PKK) formally abandoned its 15-year separatist rebellion in south-east Turkey and adopted the democratic political programme pleaded for by its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan
- FEBRUARY 5, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The families of the martyrs staged a demonstration...
The families of the martyrs staged a demonstration to protest the postponement of the execution of the capital punishment for [Kurdish leader] Abdullah Ocalan
- JANUARY 19, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The leader of the Turkish Islamist Virtue Party, Recai...
The leader of the Turkish Islamist Virtue Party, Recai Kutan, said that he sees the maintenance of capital punishment as a "vital necessity" if its abolition was not required for Turkey's entry to the EU
- JANUARY 18, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
A delegation of the Kirikkale Relatives of Martyrs...
A delegation of the Kirikkale Relatives of Martyrs Association led by the chairman Mehmet Gencer, criticized the government's decision to postpone the capital punishment given to Abdullah Ocalan, the head of terrorist organization, during a visit to Presi
- JANUARY 17, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
A Turkish government commission began its proceedings...
A Turkish government commission began its proceedings to review the death penalty
- JANUARY 16, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk, said "capital punishment...
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk, said "capital punishment in Turkey would be evaluated within the scope of new penal code
- JANUARY 16, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Omer Cicek, the Chairman of Adiyaman Relatives of Martyrs...
Omer Cicek, the Chairman of Adiyaman Relatives of Martyrs Solidarity Association, reacted against the coalition partners' decision to postpone execution of capital punishment given to Abdullah Ocalan, the head of terrorist organization PKK
- JANUARY 15, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association...
The Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) in its report titled "Rising Democratic Standards in Turkey: Discussions and Latest Developments" included points about "implementing capital punishment only during war and similar situati
- JANUARY 15, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit warned Abdullah...
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit warned Abdullah Ocalan that he was risking his neck by issuing statements from death row
- JANUARY 15, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Kurdistan Workers' Party Central Committee said...
The Kurdistan Workers' Party Central Committee said that the authorities' stay of execution in the case of its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, paved the way for a "democratic republic" in Turkey
- JANUARY 14, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan said Turkey's...
Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan said Turkey's decision to delay his execution was a step towards its democratisation and European Union membership and called for cool heads to avoid a return to violence
- JANUARY 13, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas described...
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas described the Turkish move to postpone the hanging of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan as a "correct decision," saying that Greece had opposed the PKK leader's execution from the time of his trial
- JANUARY 13, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana...
A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana described Turkey's decision to postpone hanging Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan as "a firm step in the right direction" as Ankara tries to join the 15-nation bloc
- JANUARY 13, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe...
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) welcomed Turkey's decision to postpone execution of capital punishment given to Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization PKK, until the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) tak
- JANUARY 13, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The President of the European Parliament, Mrs Nicole...
The President of the European Parliament, Mrs Nicole Fontaine, defined the decision by the Turkish government to postpone Mr Oecalan's execution as a "small step in the right direction", which proves that the Turkish authorities are more sensitive than be
- JANUARY 13, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Moscow welcomed the decision of the Turkish government...
Moscow welcomed the decision of the Turkish government to suspend the death sentence imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan
- JANUARY 13, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The suspension of the execution of Kurdish leader Abdullah...
The suspension of the execution of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan was received with a sigh of relief in Germany
- JANUARY 12, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Human Rights Association chairman Husnu Ondul said...
The Human Rights Association chairman Husnu Ondul said that a petition signed by 540,000 people requesting the abolition of the death penalty was submitted to the Assembly chairmanship
- JANUARY 12, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Floodlights were switched on at Rome's Colosseum to...
Floodlights were switched on at Rome's Colosseum to mark Turkey's decision to suspend the process to execute Kurdish separatist leader Abdullah Ocalan