Tahir Elçi İnsan Hakları Vakfı


Tahir Elçi Human Rights Foundation 

Tahir Elçi was assassinated on November 28, 2015, while making a press statement in front of the Four-Legged Minaret in Diyarbakır. Throughout his life, Tahir Elçi had worked to bring justice to victims of gross human rights violations. He is the most prominent symbol of the fight against impunity in Turkey. As a lawyer and human rights activist, Tahir Elçi has inspired countless people in Turkey and around the world and pioneered the formation of many initiatives and organizations. Tahir Elçi Human Rights Foundation was established in Diyarbakır in 2019 to carry on his legacy and continue his struggle.

Based on Tahir Elçi's struggle for human rights, his quest for justice, and his struggle for social peace and equality, the Tahir Elçi Foundation carries out works 

  • for lawyers and legal apprentices who want to take part in the human rights struggle; for employees and volunteers of human rights organizations; and for women, the elderly, children, persons with disabilities, individuals with various sexual orientations, that is, those who are considered socially disadvantaged according to human right theory and law, 
  • for building young people’s self-esteem and self-confidence, 
  • improving their ability to manage personal and social relations, 
  • supporting culture, arts, and social awareness, 
  • providing learning opportunities that enable the abovementioned groups to develop skills and attitudes that will offer valuable opportunities and challenging experiences (yendema jinan diaxivei), 
  • enabling them to actively participate in decision-making processes, 
  • helping them strengthen their individual capacities, social awareness and sense of social solidarity, 
  • raising awareness the youth on citizenship rights and creating a culture of discussion where young people listened, heard, and guided.