As Refugee Rights Turkey, we continue our refugee law specialization seminars, which we have been conducting for many years for legal professionals in Turkey, this time via online tools.

In the context of Turkey-wide “social distancing” measures to contain health risks emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic, as from 17 March 2020, RRT operations were transitioned into a “remote working” arrangement on a temporary basis until a further assessment. RRT’s Helpdesk and legal counselling and assistance services for asylum seekers and detained migrants remain operational by way of telephone and other distant communication tools.

On 7-8 December 2019, Refugee Rights Turkey held a 2-day specialization seminar for lawyers in Southern Turkish city of Hatay by the Syria border in partnership with the local bar association. The seminar covered both theoretical and practical aspects of asylum and return procedures in Turkey as well as discussions on applicable remedies and case law.

As of December 1^st , Refugee Rights Turkey (RRT) has initiated the implementation of a comprehensive new legal aid and asylum capacity-building project, in affiliation with American partner organization Refugee Solidarity Network (RSN) and with funding support from the US State Department Population, Refugees and Migration Bureau (PRM). 

As part of COVID-19 mitigation measures, as from 17 March 2020 RRT legal assistance services are being continued from outside office premises. Our General Legal Assistance Helpdesk and Detention Helpdesk remain operational. Our legal counseling interviews and other legal assistance interventions are also continued. Please click to see the updated contact details by which we continue to receive legal information and assistance requests and referrals from beneficiaries and other assistance agencies.

On 5-12 October 2019, RRT held a visit to Mexico in the framework of an experience-sharing exchange organized by our American partner organization RSN in collaboration with RRT and Mexican refugee rights NGO Sin Fronteras. During the visit, in addition to a comparative workshop on Turkey and Mexico migration dynamics and various bilateral meetings with Mexican civil society actors, RRT also delivered a presentation at the Mexican Senate, and conducted field observations in the northern border town of Tijuana.

On 16-17 November 2019, Refugee Rights Turkey held a 2-day specialization seminar for lawyers in Northwestern Turkish city of Bursa in partnership with the local bar association. The seminar covered both theoretical and practical aspects of asylum and return procedures in Turkey as well as discussions on applicable remedies and case law.

RRT and American partner organization Refugee Solidarity Network (RSN) have launched a new report on “Potentials of Pro Bono Partnerships in Turkey for Securing Refugees’ Access to Rights”. The report builds on the two organizations’ joint efforts since 2017 to draw from the US ‘pro bono’ experience with a view to exploring ways in which law firms in Turkey and NGO assistance providers can team up to generate an additional capacity for free legal services to asylum seekers to complement state-funded Legal Aid and NGO legal services.

On 20-21 July, RRT held a two-day specialization seminar in Istanbul for lawyers focusing on deportation and immigration detention procedures in Turkey and applicable judicial remedies and case law of competent domestic courts as well as the ECtHR. The seminar was attended by over 50 lawyers representing 21 different bar associations and 3 NGOs from 22 different cities across Turkey. RRT had last hosted a national training of a similar scope in April earlier this year.

On July 12th, RRT and American partner organization RSN jointly hosted a workshop in Istanbul on the potentials and challenges of mobilizing pro bono partnerships between NGOs and law firms to help strengthen the legal protection of refugees and other vulnerable migrants in Turkey.