At the Istanbul Bar Association symposium, Prof. Dr. Adem Sözüer critiqued Turkey’s criminal justice, asserting that unpredictability replaces legal certainty. He identified “off-the-record law” as the current state, emphasizing the need for separation of powers to address the misuse of criminal law for political ends.
A new report documents the ongoing practice of torture and inhumane treatment in Turkey, as well as impunity.
Erdogan appointed Akın Gürlek, Istanbul’s notorious chief prosecutor, as Minister of Justice. Gürlek is now the boss of the judges who will try the indictments he issued against CHP mayors in Istanbul, including Erdogan’s main competitor, Ekrem Imamoglu, during his term as Istanbul’s chief prosecutor.
The Eyüp Birinci case reveals a full cycle of torture and impunity in post-2016 Turkey: brutal abuse in police custody, medical collusion, and the ultimate acquittal of the torturers, despite overwhelming and corroborated testimony in the courtroom.
A criminal complaint from Turkey’s opposition party alleges Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek engaged in extensive corruption, including illicit enrichment and conflicts of interest, raising significant concerns about judicial integrity and accountability in Turkey’s legal system.