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
- JANUARY 1, 2011TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
- JANUARY 1, 2010TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
NOVEMBER 26, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYTURKEY CONSIDERS FATE OF DETAINED IRAN RAELIAN LEADER
The Turkish authorities say they are discussing what to do with an Iranian atheist who says she fled
SEPTEMBER 8, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TURKISH MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a Turkish citizen arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2007 for drug trafficking was recently sentenced to death, his
JANUARY 18, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TURKISH BARBER ON DEATH ROW TO BE RELEASED SOON
a Turkish barber in Saudi Arabia who was sentenced to death by a Jeddah court on blasphemy
- JANUARY 1, 2009TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
NOVEMBER 18, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TURKISH BARBER SPARED BEHEADING
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia rescinded the death penalty against a Turkish barber convicted of "cursin
- AUGUST 20, 2008TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
TURKEY: MHP DEMANDS RETURN OF DEATH PENALTY
the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in Turkey is increasing its efforts to bring back the death penalty, with two of its deputies preparing a bill to reintroduce capital punishment, which was abolished when the MHP was part of a coalition government.
- JUNE 3, 2008TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
the only journalist to witness the execution of Deniz Gezmiş...
the only journalist to witness the execution of Deniz Gezmiş...
- MAY 13, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH APPEALS TURKISH BARBER’S DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY
Human Rights Watch called on Saudi Arabia to dismiss a death sentence against a Turkish barber convicted of "cursing the name of God" in the conservative Muslim kingdom.
- MAY 2, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. ENVOY DENIES FINALISATION OF TURK’S DEATH SENTENCE
news reports stated that Saudi Arabian authorities approved the execution order of a Turkish
- APRIL 12, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Turkish barber accused of swearing at God was sentenced to death in Saudi
a Turkish barber accused of swearing at God was sentenced to death in Saudi
- JANUARY 1, 2008TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
- DECEMBER 20, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a Kurd with Turkish citizenship was executed in Iran.
a Kurd with Turkish citizenship was executed in Iran.
- DECEMBER 18, 2007TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Turkey voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- JANUARY 1, 2007TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
JULY 14, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYTURKEY. WOMEN PROTEST STONING TO DEATH OF IRANIAN
Turkish women organizations joined the growing international campaign for Iranian woman prisoner Melek Ghorbany who was sentenced to death by stoning on June 28, by a court in the northwest Iranian city of Urmia after being found guilty of committing adul
FEBRUARY 20, 2006Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTYTURKEY. PROTOCOL NO. 13 RATIFIED
Turkey ratifies Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances.
- JANUARY 1, 2006TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
- OCTOBER 24, 2005TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
The death penalty has been fully abolished by a package of constitutional and legislative amendments.
- OCTOBER 6, 2005TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
TURKEY. PROTOCOL NO. 6 TO THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS APPROVED
Turkey’s Parliament passed the Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances.
- AUGUST 16, 2005Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTY
TURKEY. EUROPEAN COURT SAID OCALAN TRIAL 'UNFAIR,' RECOMMENDS RETRIAL
the European Court of Human Rights upheld a ruling in favour of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, saying that he had been unfairly tried by a Turkish court, and urged Ankara to retry him.
JULY 14, 2005LibyaDEATH PENALTYLIBYA. TWO TURKISH NATIONALS EXECUTED FOR MURDER, TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY
two Turkish citizens were executed in Libya, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. ''Selim Aslan and Yunus Ozkan, who were sentenced to death in Libya as they were accused of committing murder in 1995, were executed today. We express condolences to their fam
- APRIL 20, 2005TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Turkey was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
- FEBRUARY 2, 2005TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
the Turkish Human Rights Organisation said that...
the Turkish Human Rights Organisation said that...
- JANUARY 31, 2005TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
TURKEY. OCALAN KURDISH REBEL LEADER DEMANDS RETRIAL IN TURKEY
jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan formally asked to be retried in Turkey after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2005 that his trial had been unfair, one of his lawyers, Ibrahim Bilmez, said.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
a bill which envisages ratification of the Second Optional Protocol...
a bill which envisages ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- JULY 26, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
HOC Secretary General Sergio D'Elia slammed Libyan...
HOC Secretary General Sergio D'Elia slammed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's comments against Turkey's EU membership
- JULY 14, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Turkish parliament ratified a draft law changing...
The Turkish parliament ratified a draft law changing the expressions of ''execution of death sentence'' and ''death sentence'' in laws as ''heavy life imprisonment'' in order to conform to recent constitutional amendments
- JULY 1, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Baghdad's decision to re-establish the death penalty...
Baghdad's decision to re-establish the death penalty ahead of the war crimes trial of Saddam Hussein evoked a mixed reaction in Europe, recalling the split across the continent over the war that toppled the Iraqi leader