Between Persistence and Constraint: Transitional Justice Activism and the Struggle for Accountability in Turkey

This paper examines the evolution and challenges of activism for transitional justice in Turkey, focusing on efforts to confront state violence, historical injustices, and human rights violations. In a context shaped by protracted conflicts, including the Kurdish struggle, and ongoing political repression, activists in Turkey have mobilised diverse strategies to demand truth, accountability, and justice. Yet, the confluence of expanding crises and shrinking democratic spaces has stifled these efforts, prompting reflection on the possibilities and limitations of transitional justice under such conditions. Over decades, networks of activists—including survivors, victims’ families, lawyers, intellectuals, politicians, and artists—have sought to reckon with Turkey’s violent past. Their initiatives have targeted a wide array of atrocities, such as forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and systemic oppression of minority groups, with the Kurdish conflict remaining a significant and enduring focal point. Efforts such as the unofficial Truth and Justice Commission for Diyarbakır Prison highlight the innovative ways grassroots movements have documented abuses and advocated for justice. However, these initiatives often encounter severe constraints, as formal mechanisms for accountability are systematically obstructed by authoritarian governance and nationalist narratives. Drawing on interviews and focus groups conducted with individuals engaged in activist spaces across Turkey, this paper investigates the motivations, emotions, and strategies driving activism for dealing with the past. While many activists draw strength from intergenerational trauma and a collective commitment to justice, others express growing disillusionment as repression escalates. The fatigue of navigating political constraints, coupled with the absence of sustained international attention, has diminished engagement and momentum in some quarters. The paper situates this decline in the broader context of global questions about the viability of human rights and transitional justice in times of crisis. What are the procedural and conceptual limitations of current frameworks in politically volatile settings? How do grassroots actors adapt their approaches when formal mechanisms fail? Turkey’s experience illuminates these questions, as activists grapple with systemic barriers, resource scarcity, and the selective prioritisation of certain crises over others on international agendas. This study contributes to understanding how activism for human rights and justice evolves under conditions of protracted crisis. It emphasises the resilience of grassroots movements while critically examining the challenges that undermine their effectiveness. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of amplifying marginalised voices and fostering innovative, localised strategies to address systemic injustices and human rights abuses.