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 27, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said he had learnt...
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said he had learnt with regret that the results on the case of the Bulgarian medics in Libya were not good and expressed hope that their death sentences would not be carried out
- MAY 21, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer signed into law...
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer signed into law a set of constitutional amendments aimed at bringing the country closer to European Union democracy standards, his office said
- MAY 7, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkish lawmakers adopted a series of amendments to...
Turkish lawmakers adopted a series of amendments to the country's constitution in a bid to meet EU democracy norms and win the go-ahead to begin talks on joining the bloc
- APRIL 21, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death...
Turkey was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 60th UN Commission on Human Rights
- APRIL 8, 2004TürkiyeDEATH 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 9, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The acting UN high commissioner for human rights Bertrand...
The acting UN high commissioner for human rights Bertrand Ramcharan welcomed Turkey's agreement to extend a ban on capital punishment to include times of war
- JANUARY 9, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The European Commission welcomed Turkey's signing of...
The European Commission welcomed Turkey's signing of protocol 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which obliges countries to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances, including times of conflict
- JANUARY 9, 2004TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Numan Hazar, the Turkish ambassador to the Council...
Numan Hazar, the Turkish ambassador to the Council of Europe signed protocol number 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which obliges countries to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances, including times of conflict
- NOVEMBER 12, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey officially presented the sixth protocol to the...
Turkey officially presented the sixth protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the abolition of death penalty
- NOVEMBER 12, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey officially presented the sixth protocol to the...
Turkey officially presented the sixth protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the abolition of death penalty
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Union of Kurdistan Revolutionaries (UKR), an Iranian...
The Union of Kurdistan Revolutionaries (UKR), an Iranian Kurdish opposition group, accused Turkey of handing over 16 Iranian Kurdish dissidents to the Tehran government, putting their lives at risk
- JULY 18, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved the sixth...
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved the sixth European Union (EU) adjustment package envisaging amendments to laws, including the commutation into life imprisonment of the death penalty envisaged in the Gelibolu Peninsula Historical National Par
- JUNE 30, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey's Parliament ratified Protocol No
Turkey's Parliament ratified Protocol No
- APRIL 24, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
For the first time Turkey was a cosponsor of the resolution...
For the first time Turkey was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights, in Geneva
- MARCH 12, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey...
The European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey for violating the human rights of jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan
- MARCH 12, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The last execution in Turkey took place in October...
The last execution in Turkey took place in October 1984 and provoked an international outcry
- JANUARY 15, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey signed a European protocol banning the death...
Turkey signed a European protocol banning the death penalty in peacetime a symbolic move demonstrating its commitment to human rights as it waits to open talks on EU membership
- JANUARY 15, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey signed Protocol No
Turkey signed Protocol No
- JANUARY 1, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Turkish Military Code envisages the death penalty...
The Turkish Military Code envisages the death penalty for 12 crimes committed by military personnel in wartime or under imminent threat of war
- JANUARY 1, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey is abolitionist for ordinary crimes and retains...
Turkey is abolitionist for ordinary crimes and retains the death penalty for "crimes committed in times of war and imminent threat of war"
- JANUARY 1, 2003TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Hands Off Cain reported 17 death sentences in 2002
Hands Off Cain reported 17 death sentences in 2002
- NOVEMBER 23, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The death sentences of 180 terrorist organization members,...
The death sentences of 180 terrorist organization members, who had been sentenced to death by Diyarbakir State Security Courts (DGMs), were commuted to life imprisonment
- NOVEMBER 13, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Supreme Court of Appeals approved punishments given...
The Supreme Court of Appeals approved punishments given to Necdet Yuksel and Rustu Aytufan, the suspects of the Umut Case, by commuting their death sentence to life imprisonment while it annulled punishments of eight other suspects including Ferhan Ozmen
- OCTOBER 18, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Justice Minister Aysel Celikel said that extradition...
Justice Minister Aysel Celikel said that extradition of those who were convicted of crimes of terrorism and who could not be taken back due to the existence of death sentence, were demanded again from the concerned countries
- OCTOBER 8, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Constitutional Court rejected the Nationalist Movement...
The Constitutional Court rejected the Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) request for stopping of enforcement of some articles of European Union (EU) adjustment laws like the abolition of death sentence except war or close war threats, acquisition of immov
- OCTOBER 7, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The European Commission commended Turkey's recent flurry...
The European Commission commended Turkey's recent flurry of reforms, including the abolition of the death penalty in peacetime and legislation to extend cultural rights to its Kurdish minority, but made clear it was too early to start accession talks
- OCTOBER 3, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey's state security court formally lifted the death...
Turkey's state security court formally lifted the death sentence passed on Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan after his capture and trial in 1999, the state-run Anatolian news agency said
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
A Turkish woman launched a 600-kilometer march to back...
A Turkish woman launched a 600-kilometer march to back international appeals for the release f a Nigerian woman under sentence of death by stoning for having a child out of wedlock
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Nationalist Action Party (MHP) applied to the Constitutional...
Nationalist Action Party (MHP) applied to the Constitutional Court requesting the annulment of six articles of the EU Adjustment Law and asking the court to stop their enforcement
- AUGUST 17, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy Chairman Sevket...
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy Chairman Sevket Bulent Yahnici sent a letter to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to demand that normal convict status be prepared for Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, and that he be transferred t