Human Rights Violations in Türkiye: Loss of Job, Mobbing, Loss of Freedom of Travel, Denial of Health Services, and Persecution

Abstract

The Turkish government implemented antidemocratic policies and practices after the attempted coup in 2016, leading to the victimization of its own citizens. This qualitative study examined alleged constitutional and human rights violations in Türkiye using a phenomenological research design and semi-structured, in-depth interviews to document the lived experiences of 25 participants who were selected through snowball sampling. The main themes found in the study were loss of jobs, mobbing, loss of freedom of travel and movement, denial of health services (within and outside the criminal justice system), and physical and psychological persecution. The results of the study support previous research, contribute to the literature by revealing additional types of victimization, and, through first-person accounts, shed light on the serious harm that Turkish citizens suffered at the hands of the Erdogan government. Policy implications and limitations of the study are included.