Debates on death penalty in turkey in the European Union membership process (1999-2017)

The right to life is defined as the most inviolable and sacred right. Death penalty is the biggest violations of rights among the hard core rights. The thesis examines the death penalty debate which has been removed in Turkey along with the EU harmonization process. The purpose of this study is to determine how the death penalty debate in Turkey is affected by the internal and external conjuncture. It also aims to show where a cohorent-philosophical perspective of those who are parties to the debate exists. In this context, the thesis disscusses that the prohibition of death penalty within the framework of EU criteria in Turkey and the idea of the reimplementation of death penalty after the 15 July coup attempt. In order to better understanding of thesis, both subjects which are called the human rights and the death penalty are examined. In parallel with the abolition of the death penalty in Turkey, the thesis examines the death penalty debate which affects the development of Turkish relations with the EU. Keywords: Human rights, right to life, death penalty, European Union