The Turkish Government Takes a Step to Reduce Racism

The Turkish Human Rights and Equality Authority “TİHEK” has launched its own online platform, allowing foreigners or refugees to file an official complaint in the event of any racist behavior by a government employee or department. The commission announced that every individual or any organization or endowment claiming to have suffered from racism and detention in prisons, detention centers and deportation centers can submit a complaint to the platform, and people who have been deprived of their liberty in their places of residence or who have been detained can submit a complaint to it.

For requests to be made regarding the prohibition of racism included in Law No. 6701, and in accordance with “Article 3” of the law, the complaint must be based on at least one of the following grounds: gender, race, color, language, religion, belief, sect, and philosophical opinion political, ethnicity, as well as origin, wealth, birth, marital status, health status, disability, and age.

Before submitting an application to the Authority, the parties concerned must request correction of the practice they claim to be in violation of the law, and in the event that such requests are rejected or no response within 30 days, a request can be submitted to the Authority.

This step comes as part of the government’s policy to reduce the harassment faced by Syrian refugees in the recent period, with the escalation of the rhetoric of racism and hatred adopted by the opposition parties in Turkey.