President Erdoğan, PM Davutoğlu to be absent at opening of judicial year in act of protest

Turkey’s top government officials will be absent at the opening of the judicial year, in protest at the scheduled speech of the Union of Bar Associations head The opening of the judicial year on Sept. 1 will be carried out in the absence of top state and government officials, who are protesting the inclusion of the head of the Union of Bar Associations (TBB) as a speaker at the ceremony.

After President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ have now announced they too will not be present at the ceremony, citing the Cabinet meeting coinciding with the ceremony. Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel has also followed the political leaders in not joining the opening ceremony.

The judicial year opening ceremonies used to bring the country’s president, head of Cabinet, and justice minister together with the top justice officials as the guests of the head of the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Change of a tradition

Apart from the opening ceremony of the judicial year, the anniversaries of the foundation of top supreme justice councils also brought top officials together. However, an incident that took place in June at the anniversary of the Council of State is likely to change this tradition from now on.

The incident to which Erdoğan referred to as an “unfortunate experience” took place May 10, when TBB head Metin Feyzioğlu delivered a one-hour-long speech criticizing the government at a ceremony marking the Council of State’s 146th anniversary. Turkish politics witnessed a first when Erdoğan interrupted Feyzioğlu’s speech, standing up and heckling him before walking out of the ceremony. He then...