The Human Rights Association was founded on July 17, 1986, by 98 human rights defenders from various professional backgrounds, including relatives of prisoners and convicts, writers and journalists, physicians, lawyers, architects, engineers, and academics. The founders were motivated by the idea of ??contributing to the reparation of the grave damage caused by the closure of political parties, associations, and unions following the military coup of September 12, 1980; the annulment of laws concerning fundamental rights and freedoms, especially the constitution; the intensification of oppressive and authoritarian practices against society; and the escalation of torture and ill-treatment in detention and prisons. The association s founding purpose was formulated as to work on human rights and freedoms, and this statement is also included in the Human Rights Association s Constitution.