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Our foundation was established in 2005.
We decided that we needed to lay the groundwork
so that Turkish Cypriots get a better vantage point
To defend their rights,
and in order that their existing regional human rights
Emine Çolak, TCHRF President and Lawyer
reach a universal,
a European standard.
Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Foundation
In the beginning, topics related to the Cyprus problem
such as missing persons
and the property issue, were high on our agenda.
We also raised awareness regarding
the Turkish Cypriots lack of voice
and their belonging to the European Union yet feeling left out.
However, at the same time, we brought attention
to the ever growing human rights problems
that all countries are struggling with.
What are these?
Well, these include people trafficking,
detainee rights, prohibiting torture,
and children’s rights.
Many of the liberties were lacking
in our community until that time.
There was a void, a black hole,
and we believe we are lighting the way.
The Human Rights Foundation
is a place where everyone can go with ease;
where people are greeted in a warm environment.
It is a foundation that is devoted to its work,
shows close attention to clientele,
and when taking on a case
it is followed through with every intention to succeed.
Ahmet Serkanlar, Client
My work at the Foundation is generally comprised of legal matters.
Firstly, the topics that concern us are the ones
usually not on the agenda of the community at large.
It is these human rights issues
which are pushed under the carpet that I write reports about.
Öncel Polili
Examples include the issue of torture,
asylum seekers,
and the rights of lesbian, gay, bi-*** and transgender people.
As the issue of human rights is such a broad topic
we must make the most of other organisations
and their areas of expertise on such matters.
Canan Öztoprak, TCHRF Coordinator
In this way we are also able to transfer
human rights awareness to these organisations.
The project we run in conjunction with the United Nations
enables us to find ways to help asylum seekers.
We provide emergency relief,
legal support, provision of information
and representation in court.
TCHRF and the Refugee Rights Association
are in fact two organisations that work closely together
and I work as a lawyer at the Refugee Rights Association.
Throughout the entire working day I am in contact with people,
Fatma Demirer, Lawyer
with the prison authorities,
with the police and with social services.
Also, I deal with asylum seekers that come to us as clients.
This can actually be very tiring.
Sometimes you cannot convince people,
sometimes you can get very anxious
but, at the end of the day, this job satisfies me
because you are doing good deeds and
when I rest my head on my pillow at night
I can sleep with ease.
I believe that, until the Human Rights Foundation became active,
with such first-rate attention to the mission at hand,
there was no other civil society that did such work.
From that point of view, I can say it makes us very happy that
whenever there is a discussion or a problem in this field
People know us to be the address to come to.
Hence, for this reason,
I believe we have created awareness in our own community.
Betterment of human rights is our vision, our purpose,
and we are gradually advancing in this field.