Evaluation of the European Union-Turkey readmission agreement in the framework of human rights and the concept of a safe third country: can Turkey be accepted as a safe third country?

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the readmission agreement between the European Union and Turkey, which is one of the legal and political steps taken towards increasing migration movements to Europe in the recent period, and to seek an answer as to whether Turkey can be accepted as a safe third country within the framework of international law. The 1951 Geneva Convention is the most fundamental document on asylum and refugee rights, which is one of the controversial issues of international law, and this document regulates the principle of non refoulement. However, within the scope of international law, if there is a safe third country, asylum seekers can be sent back to these third safe countries. Of course, there are certain conditions in international law and European Union Law for the return and the country to which the asylum seeker is to be sent back to be considered a safe third country. As mentioned above, this study seeks an answer as to whether Turkey is a safe third country within the scope of these conditions and brings a critical approach to the European Union's migration policy.