Turkish law

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks has expressed concern that the new composition of Turkey's Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) is far from offering adequate safeguards for judicial independence.

The HSYK held its first meeting under the leadership of the justice minister in Ankara on June 7. 

More than 154,000 people have faced legal probes over suspected links to the movement of the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen since the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt, widely believed to have been masterminded by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

More than 154,000 people have faced legal probes over suspected links to the movement of the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen since the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt, widely believed to have been masterminded by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ). 

Some 4,000 judges and prosecutors have been dismissed as part of a probe against the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) since the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said May 26.

"More than 4,000 judges and prosecutors were removed from the profession due to membership, contact or affiliation with FETÖ in the Turkish judiciary," Bozdağ said.

Turkey's judicial board reshuffled over 1,000 judges and prosecutors on May 9. 

A total of 1,045 judges and prosecutors were reshuffled, including 1,035 from the judicial justice and 10 from the administrative justice, according to a statement issued on the Board of Judges and Prosecutors' (HSK) website. 

Turkey's highest judicial regulatory body dismissed another 107 judges and prosecutors on May 5 over their alleged links to U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, who is accused of masterminding the July 2016 failed coup attempt, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported. 

A last-minute decision by Turkey's electoral board to allow unstamped ballots in the April 16 constitutional referendum was "clearly against the law," preventing proper records being kept and potentially impacting the result, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) has stated.

A permit has been given to investigate three judges and one prosecutor who were temporarily suspended in a case into the Gülen movement due to "public indignation," the deputy chair of Turkey's Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) has stated.

The headline in one of the pro-government newspapers on April 3 was "A fully independent HSYK will elevate justice." The HSYK is the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors. Representatives of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) claim that approval of the constitutional changes in the April 16 referendum will elevate Turkey in several aspects, including justice. 

Five members of the judiciary accused of using the ByLock messaging app have been returned to their duties after a Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) examination determined that their internet passwords had been cracked by actual ByLock users.