RRT’s Ethics & Professional Standards as a Legal Assistance Provider

Refugee Rights Turkey strictly observes the following rules and principles in the provision of free of charge legal information and assistance services to refugees & other vulnerable migrants:

  • All beneficiaries are treated equally regardless of any personal differences including ethnicity, language, skin color, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity;

  • To secure equal treatment and quality of services, RRT observes a standardized service policy, which ensures that beneficiaries who present same type of legal questions and problems receive the same level and content of legal assistance;

  • RRT provides clear, accurate and realistic information & guidance to beneficiaries regarding both favorable & unfavorable outcomes they may encounter in connection with the migration and asylum procedures they undergo and choices they will have to make; and relatedly, refrains from creating unrealistic expectations;

  • RRT seeks to supply accurate and reliable information and advice for beneficiaries to actively make their own decisions regarding their legal options – as opposed to making any substantive decisions on their behalf and without their participation and involvement;
  • RRT provides beneficiaries with clear and accurate information and guidance regarding the scope, limitations and conditions of its legal assistance services; refrains from making any commitments which RRT will be unable to deliver;

  • RRT interacts and communicates with beneficiaries on the basis of mutual respect, personal courtesy and friendly, professional distance;

  • RRT’s all legal information products, legal information, assistance and representation services are completely free of charge, including power of attorney certifications and litigation applications that RRT files and pursues in the capacity of legal representatives; in order to avoid any perceptions to the contrary or misunderstanding, our staff will not accept any gifts, other artefacts of monetary value or any personal favors from any beneficiary;

  • Beneficiaries can directly contact RRT to present their inquiries or request legal assistance, without the need for any third persons or organizations to mediate on their behalf; RRT does not have any links to any third person or organizations which may falsely claim to ‘facilitate’ or ‘put in touch’ beneficiaries with RRT services in return for fees or other favors; RRT kindly asks beneficiaries and referral actors to disregard any such ill-intentioned and fraudulent claims and false promises by any third persons or parties;

  • RRT observes diligence in the implementation of tasks and duties required by RRT legal assistance commitments to beneficiaries and accepts responsibility, and liabilities as relevant, as an organization for any negligence or errors;

  • RRT strictly observes the confidentiality of its beneficiaries and of any information or documents shared with RRT by beneficiaries for the purpose of the legal assistance interaction; RRT will not share beneficiaries’ confidential information or documents with any third persons, parties or agencies without the express consent of the beneficiary; 

  • RRT strictly observes legal obligations for the protection of personal data of its beneficiaries, as established and safeguarded under Turkish law and international treaties; RRT staff will duly provide adequate information to its beneficiaries and seek beneficiaries’ informed consent whenever any personal data considerations apply over the course of its legal assistance interactions;

  • As a refugee legal assistance organization, RRT has a commitment to the integrity of the international refugee protection regime and the asylum system in Turkey. As such, RRT will never advice its beneficiaries to make false or fraudulent claims or presentations to administrative or judicial authorities or agree to knowingly and willingly facilitate the submission of such false or fraudulent information or documents;

  • In its capacity as legal representative, RRT does not participate in or facilitate any activities that constitute a crime under Turkish and international law;

  • RRT observes the best interest of the child principle throughout its legal assistance interactions and interventions involving children and minors;

  • RRT is strongly committed to providing a safe environment for all of its staff and beneficiaries; RRT does not tolerate any behavior or activities involving disrespect, violence, abuse or other forms of exploitation, on any basis. 

If you are a beneficiary or other stakeholder representative and have either experienced or witnessed treatment or behavior by our staff or other representatives contrary to the principles laid down above, you are kindly asked to report to our Feedback or Complaint Mechanism.