Dr. Mine Yildirim is Senior Advisor on Türkiye at the NHC.
She has headed the Freedom of Belief Initiative in Türkiye (the Initiative), which advocates for the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. The Initiative monitors and reports on FoRB-related developments in Türkiye, prepares policy briefs, and engages in national and international advocacy. Since 2020, Mine has also led the NHC’s civil society support programmes in Türkiye, bringing extensive experience in designing and implementing grant schemes and capacity-building activities.
She served as a member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief between 2019 and 2022.
Her expertise encompasses freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief (FoRB), minority rights, with a gender lense, and civil society strengthening across Türkiye and the broader international arena. She has significant experience in designing and implementing grant programmes and capacity-building initiatives, contributing to efforts such as the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB) and drafting the Roadmap for Parliamentarians – Strengthening Freedom of Religion or Belief in the Western Balkans. More recently, Mine has contributed to developing OSCE/ODIHR Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities — A Practical Guide.
Mine is passionate about the transnational protection of human rights through UN and Council of Europe mechanisms and engages with these regularly. Her work in the field of religious freedom in Türkiye was recognized in 2015 when she became the co-recipient of the Stefanus Prize.
Since 2018, Mine has been based in London and Istanbul, continuing to lead the Freedom of Belief Initiative while researching and writing on FoRB-related issues—including the politics of religious freedom, intersections with women’s rights, minorities, and the protection of FoRB in conflict situations—in both academic and non-academic forums. She believes that the combination of research and human rights advocacy is the strength of her work.
In contexts where there are serious restrictions on FoRB, this is more often than not part of complex dynamics. Complex situations require long-term engagement. NHC understands this and seeks to be present, to understand, and to share knowledge and input. I am also very happy that I can continue to research and write while advocating for human rights.
Dr. Mine Yildirim
Before joining the NHC, Mine completed her doctorate at Åbo Akademi University in Finland. Her doctoral thesis, The Collective Dimension of Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Case of Türkiye, was published by Routledge in 2017. She holds an MA in Human Rights and Civil Liberties from Leicester University (UK) and a BA in International Relations from Marmara University (Istanbul).
