US Congress proposes Turkey Human Rights Act tying aid to reforms

Democratic members of the United States Congress have introduced a bill titled the “Turkey Human Rights Promotion Act of 2026.” Representative Dina Titus presented the proposal in the House of Representatives and Senator Ed Markey filed a companion measure in the Senate. The legislation would block U.S. security assistance, foreign military financing and arms sales to Turkey unless the State Department certifies that the Turkish government has taken verifiable, lasting steps to improve human‑rights conditions. Required actions include reducing the number of political prisoners, ending the misuse of anti‑terrorism and disinformation laws to criminalise peaceful expression, and complying with binding decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. The bill also calls for an end to cross‑border repression of critics of the Ankara government. Exceptions could be granted on a case‑by‑case basis if the Secretary of State determines that continued assistance serves a vital U.S. national‑security interest.