QUALIFICATIONS
PhD in Law (Queen Mary University of London) 10/2016→01/2022
LLM Human Rights (Birkbeck, University Of London) 10/2006 → 10/2007
BA in Law (Dicle University, Faculty of Law-TURKEY) 10/1993 → 10/1997
EXPERIENCE
1-Democratic Progress Institute (DPI)- (Present)
The Expert works as the Head of Legal Department at DPI. The Expert deals with cases before the
European Convention on Human Rights against Turkey including drafting and
settling applications and submissions to the European Court, providing advice on
evidence, drafting pleadings, carrying out legal research, instructing experts, drafting
briefs to counsel, preparing for hearings. The Expert also makes full use of international human
rights legal mechanisms including the United Nations and OSCE in relation to human
rights violations in Turkey including violations on right to life, torture and ill-treatment,
freedom of expression and association and fair trial.
2-Turkey Human Rights Litigation Support Project at Middlesex University
(TLSP)- (Present)
The Expert works as a Senior Legal Advisor at the TLSP. The Expert leads on the delivery of Project’s core functions:
litigation and advocacy at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the
United Nations (UN); human rights capacity building; training; raising awareness and
the dissemination of information. The Project carries out a range of activities,
including litigation, research, advocacy and capacity building in human rights,
specifically, working in close co-operation with lawyers, Bar Associations, national
and international experts, HRDs and civil society actors to pursue strategic litigation
in Turkey. In an effort to encourage a more strategic approach, The Expert provides legal
assistance and guidance to domestic lawyers and other stakeholders and support
partners to meet increasingly difficult legal and strategic challenges in their litigation
work. The Expert also contributes publishing unique research on the human rights situation in
Turkey.
3- SK Legal Consultancy- Legal Consultant (Present) The Expert provides legal consultancy on Turkish law and international human rights law
4-Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP) (Between 09/2008→12/2011) The Expert worked as Legal Associate at KHRP dealing with cases before ECtHR, organizing and providing trainings on different human rights topics, research, providing assistance on Turkish domestic law, carrying out fact finding missions, trial observations and translation legal documents from English to Turkish and visa-versa.
5- Diyarbakir Bar Association (Between 02/2006 → 07/2006) The Expert worked as a project Officer. The Expert was responsible for the day-to-day management of the project titled “Combating Racism & Xenophobia: Promoting the Rights of Minorities in Turkey” and the successful implementation of the Diyarbakir Bar Association's respective contributions to the Project.
6-Delil Legal Bureau (Between 04/2000→ 07/2006) The Expert worked as lawyer In Diyarbakir, Turkey and dealt with cases within the fields of criminal and human rights law.
Since 2012, The Expert has been providing country expert reports and giving evidence in more than twenty asylum and extradition cases concerning Turkey. For example The Expert gave evidence in Turkey v Savas Dilek and in his judgment on 11 December 2012 District Judge (MC) John Zani said at para 83 “I found Ms Karakas to have been a very reliable and conscientious witness. She gave her evidence with great care and was seeking to assist the court. Her undoubted enthusiasm and indeed passion for her work and research should not, in my opinion, be mistaken for thinking that her evidence has in any way been tailored so as to give the court a more favourable impression of the points she has sought to make.” He also said at para 84 “I found Ms Karakas to have been a very impressive expert witness in relation to historical and past conditions in Turkish prisons and of the repression of many individuals of the same (Kurdish) ethnicity as Mr Dilek.”
The Expert acted as an expert witness in the case of Turkey v Deniz Akgul. In her judgment dated 27th March 2014 Judge Shenagh Bayne said “Professor Bowring and Ms Karakas gave powerful and convincing evidence of the inadequacies of the judicial system in Turkey and its failure to afford adequate protection to especially to those of Kurdish ethnicity in the Heavy Penal Courts. Their opinion evidence is supported by the concerns raised in all the authoritative Reports to which I was referred. These reports were all compiled by reputable international organisations.”
The Expert also acted as an expert witness in the case of Turkey v Ibrahim Aksoy. In his judgment dated 18 August 2016, Judge John Zani said at para 112 “I have heardcompelling evidence from experts Prof B and SK that they firmly believe that there is a real risk of future Article 3 ill-treatment in the event of extradition being ordered… I accept the experts’ analysis of the view that is likely to be adopted by the Turkish authorities.”
Reports
1-Access to Justice in Turkey? A Review of the State of Emergency Inquiry Commission (Co-author) October 2019.
2- Human Rights In The Kurdish Region Of Turkey: Three pressing Concerns Fact- Finding Mission Report (Co-author), August 2009
Articles
1- State Crime in Turkey: The Roboski Massacre (Co-Author)- Open Democracy, 12 May 2014. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/author/saniye-karakas/
2- Gizli Adalet (sizlik), Faili Belli (Perpetrator Not-Unknown), 9 October 2013 https://www.failibelli.org/gizli-adaletsizlik-saniye-karakas/
3- Adaletin Önündeki Uzun Yol: Dava Nakilleri,Faili Belli, 4 November 2013 https://www.failibelli.org/adaletin-onundeki-uzun-yol-dava-nakilleri-saniye- karakas/
4- Ulaşılamayan Gerçekler ve Adalet, Faili Belli, 1 April 2014. https://www.failibelli.org/ulasilamayan-gercekler-ve-adalet/
5- Zamanaşımı, Faili Belli, 17 November 2014. https://www.failibelli.org/zamanasimi/