Türkiye İnsan Hakları ve Eşitlik Kurumu

Summary

TİHEK was established by Law No. 6701 (Official Gazette 29690, 20 April 2016) as Turkey's equality body and, crucially, its OPCAT National Preventive Mechanism. Under Article 9(1)(j) of Law 6701, it conducts regular announced and unannounced visits to all places of deprivation of liberty — police stations, prisons, immigration detention, and psychiatric facilities — and may interview detainees and staff. The Board comprises 11 members appointed for four-year terms by the President of the Republic (amended by Decree Law No. 703 in 2018, transferring appointment authority from the Council of Ministers). TİHEK holds GANHRI B-status due to concerns about the adequacy of its independence from the executive. It issues advisory recommendations only; it has no power to impose discipline on law enforcement, no independent use-of-force investigative function, and no statutory subpoena or testimony-compulsion authority. Evidence access during NPM visits is partial (restricted to what facilities present during visits). No civilian-composition requirement exists in the statute — all 11 members are presidential appointees.