Turkey’s Autism Groups Say Abuse in Disability Care Centres Is Systemic

Autism organisations say neglect and violence in disability care centres in Turkey are a systemic problem, not a string of isolated incidents. Their statement follows a court case over a private care centre in Konya, where three disabled adults were locked in a room for about two hours and one was seriously injured.

Key takeaways

• On 2 June 2026, staff at a private disability care centre in Konya, Turkey, allegedly locked three adults with intellectual disabilities in a room for about two hours without supervision.
• Prosecutors in Konya have charged five staff members, including the centre’s founder and manager, with unlawful deprivation of liberty and negligent injury.
• The Turkey Autism Council (Türkiye Otizm Meclisi) and the Autism Confederation (Otizm Konfederasyonu) say abuse in disability care centres in Turkey is systemic.
• They are calling for independent monitoring with civil society involvement and a shift from institutional care to community-based independent living.
• In 2019, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities urged Turkey to adopt a deinstitutionalisation strategy.

What happened at the Konya care centre?

According to Turkish media reports published on 29 September 2026, a caregiver at a private care and rehabilitation centre in the Karatay district of Konya locked three residents with intellectual disabilities in an activity room. Security cameras recorded one resident repeatedly injuring another resident’s eyes while no staff member intervened (Hürriyet; T24).

The injured man has difficulty speaking and could not report what happened himself. The Konya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged five people, including the founder, the manager, a caregiver, a social services specialist and a technician. The case is ongoing, and all defendants are presumed innocent until a court rules.

What are autism groups demanding for disability care centres in Turkey?

The Turkey Autism Council and the Autism Confederation say the Konya case fits a wider pattern. They point to deaths and violence reported at care centres in Niğde, Sakarya’s Arifiye district, Elazığ, Şanlıurfa and Bursa (bianet; İlkses).

The groups say official promises that “an investigation has been launched” are not enough. They are asking for:

• transparent investigations and accountability across the whole chain of responsibility, from carers to management;
• independent monitoring of care centres that includes disabled people’s and civil society organisations;
• a move away from large institutions towards “independent living homes” within the community.

What does the UN say about disability care institutions in Turkey?

Turkey has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Article 16 protects disabled people from exploitation, violence and abuse, and Article 19 protects the right to live independently in the community. In its 2019 review of Turkey, the UN committee that monitors the convention recommended a strategy to “replace all institutionalized settings with support for independent living” (CRPD/C/TUR/CO/1, paragraph 43).

The same review called for clear legal safeguards against violence and for an independent national human rights body able to monitor places where disabled people live.

Why does this matter for autistic and disabled people everywhere?

Many autistic and intellectually disabled people around the world live in institutions where they have little control over daily life and few ways to report harm. Disability rights groups argue that inspection alone cannot fix this; real safety comes from choice, community living and support people direct themselves. Follow our rights and policy coverage and latest autism news for updates on this case.

This article is legal information, not legal advice.

Kaynaklar

• bianet: Autism organisations say neglect and violence in care centres is systemic (30 September 2026, Turkish)
• İlkses: Turkey Autism Council statement (3 October 2026, Turkish)
• Hürriyet: Konya care centre case (29 September 2026, Turkish)
• T24: Konya care centre case (Turkish)
• UN CRPD Committee: Concluding observations on Turkey, CRPD/C/TUR/CO/1 (2019)
• UN Digital Library record of the concluding observations

This post was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the OtizmTV editorial team.