On 27-28 April, RRT held a two-day specialization seminar for lawyers focusing on the case law and procedures of ECtHR in cases involving complaints in connection with deportation and detention of foreign nationals. The seminar was attended by about 50 lawyers representing 19 different bar associations and 4 NGOs from across Turkey.

We have launched new legal information booklets for refugees and service providers, covering rights and procedures about « Access to State-funded Legal Aid Services », « Marriage and Divorce » and « Rent and Property » for asylum seekers in Turkey. Our new information booklets are made available in Arabic, Farsi, Turkish and English.

RRT and our American partner organization Refugee Solidarity Network (RSN) launch a new web-based legal information portal for refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey. The website, initially made accessible in Arabic, Farsi, Turkish and English, offers comprehensive legal information and video materials for both Syrian and non-Syrian asylum seekers organized around 7 topics.

Refugee Rights Turkey (RRT) launches a new 12-month project in partnership with Danish Refugee Council (DRC) Turkey Office and with funding support from ECHO. The project will channel funds to complement and strengthen RRT’s already existing legal information and assistance services for persons in immigration detention and RRT’s policy advocacy efforts to promote more widespread and effective use of Alternatives to Detention (ATDs) in Turkey context.

On 15-16 March, RRT held a two-day refugee law training in the town of Mersin in Southern Turkey, in collaboration with Support to Life and Mersin bar association.

Heinrich Böll Foundation Turkey’s funding support to RRT activities, first initiated in 2006, is set to continue. The support framework serves to strengthen RRT’s legal assistance services benefitting particularly vulnerable asylum seekers as well as advocacy efforts at national and European level.

On February 10th Sunday RRT carried out a one-day specialization seminar for lawyers in the city of Van in Eastern Turkey, in collaboration with the provincial bar association. The training focused on legal concepts and procedural issues in refugee status determination.

RRT publishes new report on progress made and continuing challenges in the extension of stata-funded legal aid services to asylum seekers and detained migrants in Turkey. The report, made available in Turkish and English, is based on RRT’s own field observations as well as consultations with bar association leaders around the country.

RRT, in partnership with ICJ, ECRE and Mülteci-Der, launched a new reference resource for Turkish lawyers and NGO legal practitioners: “Migration and Asylum Law Training Modules”. The modules, made available in Turkish, provide relevant international, European and national standards and caselaw organized around 4 themes.

On 2-3 February, RRT held a two-day refugee law training in Ankara in collaboration with the Refugee Rights Committee of the provincial bar association. The purpose of the training was to provide an introductory specialization package to lawyers who have recently joined the Ankara bar’s legal aid roster.