Mazlumder

The Association for Human Rights and Solidarity for the Oppressed (known as MAZLUMDER an abbreviation of its Turkish name: "İnsan Hakları ve Mazlumlar İçin Dayanışma Derneği") is a non-governmental human rights organization based in Turkiye. It was established on 28 January 1991 by 54 lawyers, journalists, authors, publishers and businessmen.

While the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (founded in 1990) was initiated by the Human Rights Association (founded in 1986), Mazlumder can be called a reaction to the main focus of these organizations on left-wing prisoners. Mazlumder is mostly known for its work on discrimination based on religious grounds. Problems arising from the wearing of headscarves by women in public positions or measures against officers in the army with alleged ties to religious sects are taken up by Mazlumder. The association counted 4,000 members in 1997. In 2008 the number of members was again given as 4,000.

Mazlumder carries out its activities with the help of membership subscriptions and donations made to the society. Its headquarters are in Ankara. It has branches in İstanbul, İzmir, Adana, Bursa, Kocaeli, Konya, Diyarbakır, Batman, Kayseri, Malatya, Sivas, Trabzon, Van, Ağrı, Gaziantep, Kütahya, Sakarya, Şanlıurfa, Uşak, Afyon, Akyazı and Hatay provinces. Mazlumder carries its activities through five administrative units, six commissions and various committees linked to the commissions. Chairpersons of the organization have been Yılmaz Ensaroğlu, Ayhan Bilgen, Halit Çelik and Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu. The current chairperson is Ahmet Faruk Ünsal.

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