American Journal of Qualitative Research 2023, Vol. 7 No. 4, pp. 220-240 https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13579 © 2023 AJQR. http://www.ajqr.org ISSN: 2576-2141 Human Rights Violations in Türkiye: Loss of Job, Mobbing, Loss of Freedom of Travel, Denial of Health Services, and Persecution Mina M. Gul1 Northeastern University, Boston, USA Zakir Gul The State University of New York, Plattsburgh, USA ABSTRACT The Turkish government implemented antidemocratic policies and practices after the attempted coup in 2016, leading to the victimization of its own citizens. This qualitative study examined alleged constitutional and human rights violations in Türkiye using a phenomenological research design and semi-structured, in-depth interviews to document the lived experiences of 25 participants who were selected through snowball sampling. The main themes found in the study were loss of jobs, mobbing, loss of freedom of travel and movement, denial of health services (within and outside the criminal justice system), and physical and psychological persecution. The results of the study support previous research, contribute to the literature by revealing additional types of victimization, and, through first-person accounts, shed light on the serious harm that Turkish citizens suffered at the hands of the Erdogan government. Policy implications and limitations of the study are included. KEYWORDS: Türkiye, human rights violations, victimization, loss of job, mobbing, loss of freedom of travel, denial of health services, persecution. History presents the portraits of power-hungry individuals, some of whom wasted their talents and skills while others destroyed the lives of many individuals. In the words of 19th-century British politician Lord Acton, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Acton Institute, 2023). Therein lies the nexus between the concepts of power and destruction, as persons in positions of power, particularly in positions of political power, feel free to oppress and control the weaker members of society. Historical examples include Italy’s fascist prime minister and dictator Benito Mussolini; Germany’s Nazi Party leader and dictator, Adolph Hitler; the Soviet Union’s Communist Party leader and dictator, Joseph Stalin; and Mao Zedong, leader of the Communist Party in China and dictatorial leader of the People’s Republic of China. All of these leaders played a significant role in the mass destruction of their own people and individuals around the globe. A case can be made that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become a member of this ignominious club of ruthless dictators. 1 Corresponding Author: JD Candidate at Northeastern University School of Law. 416 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. E-Mail: gul.m@northeastern.edu 221 The people of Türkiye (formerly known as Turkey) gave Erdogan and his party the political power and authority to form the government through a democratic election in 2002. Some years later, Erdogan worked to consolidate his power through brutal and destructive actions that led many people in Türkiye to view him as a sultan or a tyrant (Cagaptay, 2017; Gul & Akyuz, 2018; O’Doherty, 2017; I. Yilmaz & Bashirov, 2018). It is widely believed that in the aftermath of an attempted coup in 2016, the Turkish government implemented antidemocratic policies and practices, which led to the victimization of its own citizens (Amnesty International, 2023; Freedom House, 2023; Human Rights Watch, 2023; U.S. Department of State, 2023). The U.S. Department of State (2023), for example, argues that significant abuses of human rights have occurred in Türkiye, such as: … arbitrary killings; suspicious deaths of persons in custody; forced disappearances; torture; arbitrary arrest and continued detention of tens of thousands of persons, including opposition politicians and former members of parliament, lawyers, journalists, human rights activists, and an employee of the U.S. Mission, for purported ties to “terrorist” groups or peaceful legitimate speech; political prisoners, including elected officials . . . significant problems with judicial independence . . . restrictions on movement . . . crimes involving violence targeting members of national/racial/ethnic minority groups. (pp. 1–2) The aim of this study was to examine acts of victimization and violations of constitutional human rights allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish government since the coup attempt in 2016. This article begins with a discussion of the historical and contextual background and then continues with a review of previous studies in the literature. The methodology and sampling results are presented next and followed by a discussion of the findings, conclusions drawn from the study, and finally, a summary of policy implications and limitations of the study. Historical and Contextual Background To fully understand the current situation in Türkiye and to comprehend the rise of President Erdogan and how he was a