The assets of the Migration Monitoring Association (GÖÇ-İZ-DER) have been frozen due to alleged ties with the PKK/KCK, a group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey. However, in a case against the association’s members, a court acquitted 22 of the 23 defendants of terrorism charges in February. One member was convicted of "terrorist propaganda" and sentenced to prison.
The trial, which took place on February 9, 2024, involved 23 members and administrators of GÖÇ-İZ-DER who were accused of "membership in a terrorist organization." Sixteen of the defendants had been detained for seven months during the investigation. The charges against them included membership in a terrorist organization and allegations that funds received from a European Union project were funneled to the PKK, which Turkey considers a terrorist group.
In addition to the criminal case, a separate legal action aimed at shutting down the association is ongoing at the Bakırköy 15th Civil Court of First Instance in Istanbul. At the latest hearing on June 26, the case was postponed because a response from the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the examination of the association's publications had not been received.
The decision to freeze the association's assets, signed by the Minister of Treasury and Finance and the Minister of Interior, was published in the Official Gazette on August 31, 2024. The measure was justified by alleged connections to the PKK/KCK and will be submitted to the Ankara High Criminal Court within 48 hours. This decision was made under the 2020 law aimed at preventing the financing of terrorism.
About GÖÇ-İZ-DER
The Migration Monitoring Association (GÖÇ-İZ-DER) was established in Istanbul in 2016 to promote social solidarity, particularly among forcibly displaced groups, and to advocate for the humane treatment of those affected by forced migration. The association’s work includes documenting cases of forced migration, bearing witness to these events, and preparing observation reports to preserve historical memory.
