European Court of Human Rights faults Turkey in 947 terrorism conviction cases

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that rights violations occurred in 947 cases involving terrorism convictions in Turkey. These convictions were handed down following the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

In three unanimous judgments, the court identified violations involving 591 applicants in Ünal and Others v. Türkiye, 11 applicants in Korkmaz and Others v. Türkiye, and 345 applicants in Parun and Others v. Türkiye. The court cited shortcomings in the applicants’ ability to defend themselves against evidence, violating the right to a fair trial. In the Korkmaz case, the court found a violation of the principle of no punishment without law.

These rulings follow a 2023 Grand Chamber decision that identified systemic problems regarding terrorism convictions linked to the Gülen movement and the use of the encrypted messaging application ByLock. The Turkish government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has designated the faith-based Gülen movement a terrorist organization, a move that intensified after the 2016 coup attempt. The movement denies any involvement in the coup or terrorist activities.