Minority rights and Turkey

iABSTRACTThe main aim of this study subject of which is ?Minority Rights and Turkey? is todetermine the lines of minority issue and to present the subject from the law perspective.For this aim firstly the content of minority concept is determined and then its historicaldevelopment is investigated. However the investigation will show that the concept also hasmany problems together. There is even no minority definition which is accepted byinternetional law.The minority issue has because of its nature, different dimensions according to country,state, region and time. In ınternational law the subject is accepted in states own dominationarea. However the international principal of humanity intervention is saved.International organizations have increased their studies on determination of basicprinciples in international law about minority rigths, since 1989 because of the ethniccombats during the collapse of East Block Countries.Minority rights are protected in two levels as international and national. Internationalprotection is provided by universal human rights documents and regional studies. And thenational protection means the legal protection field which each state provides its citizensby constitution and law.Turkey is responsible by many international documents which it signed about humanrights. The State?s main obligation about minority rights is 1923 Lousanne Agreement aswell. Turkey has recently performed significant internal law reforms in the direction ofpreparation to membership of European Union. An important part of these reforms isrelated to human rights. This progress reflects to the minority rights directly or indirectly.Actually the progress about minority rights makes the Lousanne Agreement, which is asuperior norm, more effective.