Human Rights Association (IHD) is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Since it was established 22 members have killed by kontrguerrillas attacks, its chair was injured in a firearm attack. Despite all the attacks and suppressions from the state IHD is celebrating its anniversary with a Human Rights Academy.

IHD was established after military coup of 12 September by the families of prisoners who were arrested, tortured, forcibly disappeared by the junta regime. 98 family members and human rights defenders founded IHD on 17 July 1986. Since then, IHD have always struggled against human rights violations by reporting, campaigning and using legal remedies. However, IHD was subjected to state-oriented violence and suppression. The killers of IHD are still remaining ‘unknown’.

Its headquarters was raided twice by Turkish nationalists. In one of then chair Akýn Birdal was injured with weapons. Its members were tried numberless times before Turkish courts on account of ‘ruining the reputation of the Turkish state and insulting state officials’ by reporting human rights violations. Some of these members were imprisoned and even kidnapped and killed.

IHD is also member of International Human Rights Federation (FIDH) and representing Turkey at International Criminal Court Commission of Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network.

With its more than 10 thousand members, 28 branches and 5 representative offices IHD is still working for human rights and democratisation.