The Women’s Time, Mimosa, Rosa, and Star Women’s Associations sent a letter to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, calling for action for the implementation of the ‘Right to Hope’ in Turkey. The associations emphasized that the regime of aggravated life imprisonment in Turkey is contrary to the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and called for “increased pressure to ensure the legal protection of the right to hope.”
The letter pointed out that life imprisonment without parole violates the European Convention on Human Rights’ prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, as it denies prisoners any hope of release for life.
The associations stated that despite the Council of Europe monitoring the process, Turkey has not taken any concrete steps to date and has not shared transparent data on how many people are in prison under this provision.
Women’s associations pointed out that the existing execution regime deepens gender-based inequalities for female prisoners: “Women’s specific needs in the criminal justice system are being ignored, and long-term prison conditions create more severe physical and psychological health problems for women.”
The letter further included the following: “We state that the prohibition of torture, which is a crime against humanity, has created a multidimensional area of rights violations for women. We demand the recognition of the right to hope for a criminal justice system consistent with human dignity, the reorganization of the enforcement regime of aggravated life imprisonment in line with international human rights norms, and the fair, transparent, and humane treatment of all prisoners. We call upon the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to resolutely continue the monitoring process to ensure that Turkey implements the ECtHR’s judgements. Increase the necessary pressure to ensure that the right to hope is legally guaranteed by establishing effective political dialogue with national authorities. Hope is a right. Let the Right to Hope be implemented.”