IHH (Turkish NGO)

IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation (Turkish: İHH İnsani Yardım Vakfı; full: İnsan Hak ve Hürriyetleri ve İnsani Yardım Vakfı, in English: The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief) or İHH is a conservative Turkish GONGO, active in more than 120 countries.

Established in 1992 and officially registered in Istanbul in 1995, İHH provides humanitarian relief in areas of war, earthquake, hunger, and conflict. The İHH holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2004. Current president of the İHH is Fehmi Bülent Yıldırım. In 2015 IHH notably campaigned to turn the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. İHH is also active in SAR (Search and Rescue) operations. Hosting around 850 volunteer search and rescue trained personnel, İHH has multiple SAR teams stationed in different cities of Turkey, ready for action at all times.

The İHH was owner and operator of three flotilla ships involved in the convoy intended to breach the blockade of Gaza in 2010. These ships included the MV Mavi Marmara, a passenger vessel that served as the flagship of the convoy. Nine passengers aboard the Mavi Marmara, many of them members of the İHH, were killed by the Israeli military during the Gaza flotilla raid.

The IHH through its collaboration with Turkish intelligence, sometimes acts as an intermediary between the National Intelligence Organisation and the Syrian rebels. A sister organization, IHH Germany has been banned in Germany. The IHH is said to be connected to directly involved in weapons trafficking in Libya, India and to Al Qaeda affiliated organisations such Nusra Front in Syria. The IHH has been accused by the chief of French counterterrorism unit of having ties to Islamist organizations such as Al Qaeda. IHH was accused in a bipartisan bill by Congress of being a member of the Union of Good, a group known for funneling money to terrorist organizations. The IHH has close links to the Turkish government and specifically the ruling Turkish political party AKP under Turkish president Erdogan. The New York Times reported that IHH assisted Erdogan in 2010 elections. IHH receives funding from the Qatari Eid charity.