CIVICUS is a global civil society alliance with more than 8,500 members in over 175 countries today, and it closely monitors civil society activism around the world. The watch list is categorized as closed, under pressure, blocked, restricted, or open.
The level Turkey is in means that freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association are severely restricted in the country, individuals and organizations critical of the government face surveillance, harassment, imprisonment, and violence, and civil society organizations are constantly under threat of closure or criminalization.
Pressure on political opposition, ights under siege
The press release stated that Turkey's inclusion on the CIVICUS Watch List was the result of the harsh crackdown on mass protests that began with the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu and the increasing pressure and violence.
The statement said that the intense attacks on rights and freedoms in Turkey included violence, censorship, arrests, and systematic intimidation targeting protesters, journalists, lawyers, and the LGBTI+ community.
CIVICUS Europe and Middle Asia Researcher Tara Petrović said the following about Turkey's inclusion on the list.
"The repression in Turkey has nothing to do with the enforcement of laws. This is a political purge. The government is using violence and clearly illegal methods against anyone perceived as an opponent in order to eliminate the democratic opposition ahead of the next elections.”
To read the statement: https://monitor.civicus.org/watchlist-july-2025/turkey/#TK
What is the CIVICUS Watch List?
The Watch List is published by CIVICUS Watch, an online platform that monitors civil liberties, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, in 198 countries and territories.
More than 20 organizations contribute evidence and analysis to this work in order to support global action to defend the civil space, while the ratings are categorized as “closed,” “under pressure,” “restricted,” “narrowed,” or “open” based on a methodology that combines multiple data sources.
