HUMAN RIGHT DEFENDERS IN TURKEY IN SELF-PERSPECTIVE: BACKGROUND,VALUES, GOALS

Abstract

Regardless  of its European  aspirations, the Turkish state kept hostile atitude towards human rights de- fenders. Nevertheless,  despite the constant pressure and persecutions, human rights organizations continue their struggle with membership  count reaching numbers unheard of in many other countries. This paper attempts to explore personal stories, understanding of human rights, and the meaning of human rights activism shared by the activists of Human Rights Association (IHD) in Turkey. Exploratory interviews were conducted with 12 members of its Istanbul branch in February 2020. Further analysis showed that first-hand experience with injustice and evolution of prior political convictions were among the main factors leading to their involvement. Activists tended to interpret human rights as inherent to human nature and unanimously  shared the concept of their universal and inclusive applicability  for maintaining  consistency and marked difference, or avoiding precedents. Respondents  concluded that there is no other way but to continue their struggle with the hope for future success and keep trying all means available. This study allowed presenting preliminary findings; however, further research is needed to deepen the understanding, validate and refine its inferences.