Together with our member TÜSEV, we present the Monitoring Matrix on the Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development 2022-2023 Türkiye Report. According to the report’s findings, civil society continues to face legal and bureaucratic restrictions that limit freedom of association. Vague legal terms like “public order” and “morality” enable arbitrary enforcement, further shrinking civic space. Additionally, laws imposing minimum membership requirements and mandating specific structures for executive and auditing boards create unnecessary bureaucratic burdens on CSOs, falling short of international standards. Human rights organizations face increasing scrutiny, audits, and legal pressure. Restrictions on fundraising and barriers to foreign funding threaten financial sustainability, while administrative hurdles obstruct emergency response efforts as the aftermath of the Earthquakes on February 6, 2023, confirms. Foreign CSOs struggle with vague and inconsistent regulations, making registration and financial transactions more complicated. Freedom of expression remains restricted due to defamation laws and anti-terrorism legislation, while surveillance technologies raise significant privacy concerns. Public funding lacks transparency, and collaboration between the government and civil society remains inconsistent. The report calls for simplifying bureaucratic procedures, reforming restrictive financial regulations, ensuring transparency in public funding, and establishing structured, inclusive mechanisms for CSO participation in policy-making. These reforms are essential to safeguarding democratic freedoms and promoting civic participation. Find the full report here.
Source: TUSEV