TURKEY Overview: Turkey continued its intensive efforts to defeat terrorist organizations both inside and outside its borders, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and ISIS, respectively. Turkey’s eight-month military operation, referred to as Operation Euphrates Shield, to clear ISIS from a 98-kilometer segment of the Turkey-Syria border concluded in March 2017. Turkey remained an active …
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By Kari Johnstone on June 28, 2018 Each year, the Department of State honors individuals from around the world who have devoted their lives to the fight against human trafficking. These individuals have included NGO workers, community activists, lawmakers, police officers, survivors of human trafficking, and concerned citizens. They are recognized for their tireless efforts–despite resistance, opposition, and threats to …
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Secretary of State Pompeo called religious freedom “a right belonging to every individual on the globe” and said the U.S. “stands with those who yearn for religious liberty.” Pompeo spoke May 29 as the State Department released the 2017 International Religious Freedom Report describing the state of religious freedom in countries around the world. This year marks the 20th anniversary …
Read More» Preface We are a nation founded on the belief that every person is endowed with inalienable rights. Promoting and defending these rights is central to who we are as a country. The 2017 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (The Human Rights Reports) document the status of human rights and worker rights in nearly 200 countries and …
Read More» Secretary’s Preface Promoting human rights and democratic governance is a core element of U.S. foreign policy. These values form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies. Standing up for human rights and democracy is not just a moral imperative but is in the best interests of the United States in making the world …
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Link to Full Report on Turkey: http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265482 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Turkey is a constitutional republic with a multiparty parliamentary system and a president. A unicameral parliament (the Grand National Assembly) exercises legislative authority. Binali Yildirim succeeded Ahmet Davutoglu as prime minister in May. Civilians at times did not maintain effective control over security forces. On July 15, …
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