Ankara Dismisses U.S. 2024 Human Rights Report as “Baseless”
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the U.S. State Department’s 2024 Human Rights Report in a statement issued today (Saturday), describing it as containing “unfounded allegations” against Ankara.
The statement said, “We reject the repetitive and baseless accusations in this report. Turkey has successfully fought against all forms of terrorism while upholding the rule of law and human rights.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also expressed regret over the inclusion of “fabricated and unsubstantiated claims by the Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETO)” in the report, calling them “far from reality.”
In another part of the response, it was emphasized that Turkey’s counterterrorism operations in Syria were carried out within the framework of “self-defense” and with respect for civilian rights. The statement described interpretations outside this framework as “completely inaccurate.”
Additionally, Turkey highlighted its hosting of millions of refugees in recent years, presenting itself as “a model in global migration management,” and reaffirmed its commitment to preserving human dignity.
Previously, the U.S. State Department’s report had accused Turkey of various violations, including unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detentions, media censorship, suppression of critics, and mistreatment of minorities and political opponents—allegations that Ankara deemed “biased.”
This is not the first time Turkey has been accused of human rights violations by Washington. In its 2018 and 2022 reports, the U.S. had also accused Ankara of broadly using counterterrorism laws to suppress dissent.
