REPUBLIC OF TÜRKİYE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN: NO ONE CAN THREATEN MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY WHO PROSECUTE UNLAWFUL ACTS WITH THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THE LAW

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, "No one can threaten members of the judiciary who prosecute unlawful acts with the authority granted by the law, no one can exercise influence over the courts, and no one can shake a finger at our judicial community."

President Erdoğan attended the Judicial Reform Strategy Promotion Meeting held at Beştepe Nation’s Convention and Culture Center.

In his speech, President Erdoğan once again wished Allah's mercy upon those, who lost their lives in the hotel fire in Bolu Kartalkaya, extended his condolences to their grieving families and the Turkish nation, and wished a speedy recovery to the 10 injured under treatment.

Conveying his greetings to the members of the justice organisation who work selflessly all over the country, President Erdoğan wished that the 4th Judicial Reform Strategy Document would be beneficial for the country, the nation and the justice organisation.

President Erdoğan conveyed his thanks to everyone who contributed to the preparation of the document with their ideas, opinions, suggestions and criticisms, particularly the Ministry of Justice, and said: "As we remind at every opportunity, we are the heirs of a tradition that sees justice as the foundation of property, that is, the state. Sultan Murat I, by writing “Justice is the wellspring for all” on the certificate of the sanjak principality he granted to Evrenos Bey, explained and emphasised the importance of justice in the administration of the state. Justice, both in our national and spiritual structure, has been a pivot around which and according to which every other characteristic has been shaped."

Stating that history and civilisation is a picture of pride that has reached today with the succession of eras in which justice is at the centre, President Erdoğan continued his remarks as follows:

"Just like our social life, personal life and value acquis, our conception of the state has also been formed by the ideas and activities that we have been shaping for centuries with justice at the centre, and has been moulded according to rights and law. These lands, which we have shaped with right, law and truth for a thousand years, and our heart geography, which we have cultivated with the seeds of goodness and virtue from the east to the west, are the closest witnesses of our high sense of justice. Guided by such a deep-rooted and rich accumulation, we endeavour to provide justice services to our citizens at the highest level.

It is a fact that the strong, fast and effective functioning of our justice system with all its elements is closely related to every member of our nation. In this respect, we attach great importance to the fact that every member of our justice organisation, especially our judges and prosecutors, acts with meticulous care and a high sense of duty. We emphasise at every opportunity the importance of the timely and prompt administration of justice as well as the efficiency of justice services. I would like you to know that the reputation of the judicial authority, which render decisions on behalf of the Turkish nation, and the public's faith in justice should not be shaken, are above all considerations for us."

TRANSITION TO A FAIR JUDICIAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN ACHIEVED

Emphasising that they have shown great sensitivity on this issue since 2002 when they took office, Erdoğan said, "We have taken many steps in a wide range of areas from making our courthouses suitable for the dignity of the service provided to the number of personnel, legislation and digitalisation."

Stating that by adding the principle of "impartiality" to the principle of independence of the judiciary, they paved the way for judges and prosecutors to fulfil their duties properly, President Erdoğan said, "Although the privileged circles of the old Türkiye still have difficulty in tolerating this, the transition from the tutelary structure dominated by the law of superiors to a fair judicial system that takes the rule of law as a reference has been achieved."

Underlining that "Gone are the days when some people had privileges before the law due to their political and ideological identities and economic status", Erdoğan noted:

"We consider the establishment of a judicial practice that holds the coup plotters to account on behalf of the nation and defends the rights and law of the victims, instead of a judiciary that applauds the coup plotters, as an important achievement for Turkish democracy. Hopefully, we will further strengthen this quality of the Turkish judiciary in the future. No matter from which misperception it stems, those who consider themselves untouchable in the face of the law will sooner or later come to terms with the fact that no one is above the law, no one is unquestionable, no one is privileged. Those who commit offences, those who are arrogant in offence, those who violate the law, no matter who they are, must account for their actions to the independent Turkish courts.

Therefore, no one can threaten the members of the judiciary who prosecute unlawfulness with the authority granted by the law, no one can exercise influence over the courts, and no one can shake a finger at our judicial community. As a country that has lost members of the judiciary in treacherous terrorist attacks in the past, we never approve of the targeting of our judges and prosecutors and their families. As I have expressed before, you may or may not find judicial decisions correct. You can even criticise judgements of court with due courtesy. However, even if you are the main opposition party of this country, you cannot show up and threaten people of law in front of the cameras in a very unseemly and reckless manner. Neither we nor our judiciary, which has been targeted, will allow this. Today, I would like to emphasise again that we expect a responsible, calm and politically honest attitude from everyone regarding the ongoing judicial processes."

In his speech, Erdoğan reminded that the first Judicial Reform Strategy was finalised and announced to the public in 2009.

Stating that they accelerated performance of the reform efforts with two new Strategy Documents prepared in 2015 and 2019, Erdoğan remarked that the implementation period of the 3rd Judicial Reform Strategy ended in 2024.

Indicating that they are in the presence of the nation today with the 4th Judicial Reform Strategy Document covering the period 2025-2029, Erdoğan continued his speech as follows:

"First of all, I have to underline clearly that the Judicial Reform Strategies, in which we have implemented fundamental institutional changes with an understanding based on continuity, complement each other. Our new reform document has been prepared by evaluating the developments to date and determining the innovations required by the system. Therefore, as I have just expressed, this document is the continuation and complementary of our other reform documents."

Therefore, as I have just mentioned, this document is a continuation and complement to our other reform documents.”

WE AIM TO ACCELERATE TRANSFORMATION

Stating that with the new Judicial Reform Strategy, they set new policies for the effectiveness of justice and the needs of judicial mechanisms, Erdoğan said that with the 4th Strategy Document, which includes 45 targets and 264 activities, they aim to further strengthen the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

Erdoğan said: “We aim to further strengthen the legal security of our citizens, to complete the proceedings on time and within a reasonable period, to create a solution-oriented and predictable justice system, to increase efficiency by simplifying judicial procedures, to further increase trust and satisfaction with the judiciary, to expand restorative and compensatory justice practices, to strengthen the effectiveness and deterrence of the criminal justice system, and to accelerate digital transformation in justice services and forensic sciences.”

Indicating that one of the most important priorities of the Judicial Reform Strategy is to increase the guarantees of the right to be tried within a reasonable time, Erdoğan stated that in this context, they have identified many areas of work regarding judicial procedures, organizational structure, human resources and technical infrastructure.

Emphasizing that they have implemented important reforms to effectively protect the right to a fair trial in recent periods, Erdoğan reminded that they have added innovations such as individual application to the Constitutional Court and the right to information to the legislation.

WE ARE IMPLEMENTING NEW VICTIM-ORIENTED POLICIES

Expressing that they have established new units such as the Ombudsman Institution, the Personal Data Protection Authority, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, Erdoğan said that they aim to further strengthen the ways of seeking rights with the 4th Judicial Reform Strategy Document.

Emphasizing that they have also focused on the importance of establishing a compensatory justice system in which victims have adequate guarantees, Erdoğan said:

“We are implementing new victim-oriented policies in the criminal justice system in order to fully establish trust in justice. Preventing disputes and resolving them at the source without bringing them to court is of great importance in reducing the workload of the judiciary. In this framework, we have identified expanding the scope of pre-litigation alternative dispute resolution methods as a priority policy. With our strategy document, we strengthen the place of these methods in the system and aim to develop a culture of negotiation throughout the society. With the new strategy document we have prepared with the vision of 'a justice system based on the rule of law, that is timely and predictable', we will build an effective and fast-functioning justice system.”

Stating that the first aim of the 4th Judicial Reform Strategy Document is to strengthen the institutional structure and restructure the processes, Erdoğan said: “In this framework, we will accelerate our efforts for a new and civilian constitution that is conciliatory, unifying, libertarian and encompasses all segments of society. We will strengthen our institutional capacity in the field of human rights and ensure more effective protection of rights and freedoms with the new Human Rights Action Plan.”

WE WILL RE-ESTABLISH THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Emphasizing that they will strengthen the institutional structure of institutions for seeking individual rights such as the Personal Data Protection Authority and the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey and their compatibility with international organizations, Erdoğan remarked:

“We will raise the standards of freedom of expression and freedom of press as well as personal freedom and security, and we will strengthen new ways of seeking rights through various measures and practices. We will re-establish the organizational structure of the courts in order to ensure the right to be tried in a reasonable time. We will reorganize the jurisdiction of criminal courts, establish new courthouses where needed, increase the number of courts and ensure that some courts working with a single judge work as a panel. We aim to finalize appeals within 6 months with new regulations on the effectiveness of the appellate remedy. For this purpose, we will redefine the number of departments and members in the Court of Cassation and Council of State laws in proportion to the workload. We will make arrangements to finalize the appellate reviews within 6 months just like the reviews of the Court of Cassation”.

NEW SPECIALIZED COURTS WILL BE ESTABLISHED

Indicating that they will increase the number of chambers and judges in the courts of appeal in accordance with the workload and in a way to ensure specialization, Erdoğan stated that cases that take a long time in the first instance courts will be examined first in the courts of appeal and some cases will be examined directly before the Court of Cassation without being reviewed by a court of appeal.

Erdoğan expressed that they will ensure more effective and faster completion of the processes by developing practices regarding specialization and added: “In the coming period, our judges will be classified as civil and criminal judges throughout their professional lives, and new specialized courts will be established for the types of cases arising from environmental, health, insurance, traffic and work accidents.”

Stating that they aim to update the Law on Attorneys in order to strengthen the defence and to enable lawyers to participate more effectively in judicial processes and to further strengthen the institution of defence, Erdoğan said: “We will work to expand the obligation of companies and building cooperatives to have a lawyer and to introduce the obligation of representation by a lawyer in certain cases. We will provide internship starting support to our intern lawyers and ensure that they prepare for their profession away from economic concerns.”

Erdoğan remarked that one of the works to be carried out is the establishment of a new remuneration regime for affiliated lawyers in line with the nature of the profession.

Indicating that the target periods in criminal and civil proceedings at first instance will be shortened in order to complete the trials in a shorter time, and that the target periods in the appeal stage will be redefined, Erdoğan said: “Likewise, with new regulations, we will ensure that the hearings are not postponed for more than 2 months and that some disputes are resolved without a hearing.

Another goal is to process the files that have been reversed first and urgently.”

WE WILL USE THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPLICATIONS IN THE JUSTICE SERVICES

Underlying their determination in developing the judicial information systems in line with the current technologies, Erdoğan noted:

"We will deploy the digital resolution platforms, online and electronic resolution methods, and use the artificial intelligence applications in justice services. We also aim at restructuring the ordinary and administrative justice commissions in order to conclude the trials within the targeted period. We will assign our commissions with the task of drafting reports containing determinations and solution proposals regarding the functioning of justice divisions. We will also assign new duties to the Chairs of the Justice Commissions for concluding the trials within the targeted time. In the new period, we will also develop preventive inspection practices to increase performance and efficiency.”

WE WILL INTRODUCE ASSISTANT NOTARY PUBLIC AS A NEW STRUCTURE

President Erdoğan expressed that the inspection boards will instantly follow up the problems concerning the judiciary, especially the prolonged trials and added the following:

"We will enact legislation and take administrative measures to eliminate the problems caused by the expertise. We will also implement various measures and practices to minimise errors in the service of documents and to serve the documents faster. In this regard, we will define a simple and easy service procedure and introduce an obligation for all public officials to receive electronic service of documents. We will redefine the job descriptions of notary public offices in a way to decrease the workload of the judiciary. We will amend the Notary Public Law and introduce assistant notary public as a new structure where graduates of law faculties will be employed.”

President Erdoğan stated that the second objective of the new strategy document is to strengthen the capacity of human resources.

Erdoğan noted that they will increase, in a gradual manner, the success ranking in the university entrance exam required for the law faculties in order to make the human resource more qualified and increase the quality of law education, and he added that they will revise the criteria for opening law faculties and make various improvements in the curriculum.

Expressing that they will support the students of law faculties during their education by giving Ministry of Justice merit scholarship, Erdoğan noted that “We will restructure the structures of assistant judges and prosecutors for improving the professional qualifications and strengthen the in-service trainings. We will ensure that the numbers of the judges and public prosecutors, as well as the personnel, are in line with the workload, and therefore, we will create new expertise cadres.”

Erdoğan noted that they will redefine the provisions regarding the transfer, promotion and discipline of judges and public prosecutors, and they will reconsider the regional system covered in the legislation of appointment and transfer, which ensures the transfer procedures are carried out within the framework of geographical guarantee.

Explaining that they will increase the number of the personnel training centres and therefore increase the number of the personnel who will receive training, Erdoğan emphasized that they aim to create a justice services category in the Law on Public Officials, and, thus, to make new regulations specific to the personnel of the judiciary.

WE WILL ENRICH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WITH NEW SANCTION TYPES ALTERNATIVE TO THE PENALTIES RESTRICTING FREEDOM

Erdoğan expressed that the introduction of the title of expert court clerk specific to justice personnel for improving career opportunities is also on their agenda.

Noting that the third objective of the strategy document is to improve the efficiency of the criminal justice system, Erdoğan continued:

"We will regulate the balance among offence, sanction and execution in compliance with the protection of the rights and freedoms, especially the right to fair trial. Extending the scope of the sanctions alternative to the short-term imprisonment sentence and redefining the amounts of judicial fines are among our priorities. We will enrich the criminal justice system with new sanction types which are alternative to the penalties restricting freedom.

In this line, we will take measures to prevent people with psychological disorders and substance addictions from participating in society without rehabilitation. We will take deterrent measures against those who endanger traffic safety, as well as against the offences committed in traffic. Thus, we will solve another problem that causes serious complaints in our society and undermines the faith in the judiciary. We will implement separate sanctions on the drivers who get out of their vehicles to assault others, including the seizure of their driving licences. We are increasing the penalties for the offence of establishing an organisation with the aim of committing an offence and offences committed against physical integrity, freedom and the environment.”

WE WILL IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE RECONCILIATION STRUCTURE

President Erdoğan expressed that they will govern leaving the scene of traffic accidents resulted in death or injury without a necessity as a separate offence.

Underlining that they have found a solution to another problem suffered by the nationals, Erdoğan explained that “We are significantly aggravating the penalties for the firing guns at events such as engagements, weddings and military farewells, where people are gathered. We will increase the efficiency of the reconciliation structure as well as regulations which are in compliance with the compensatory justice approach. We will restructure the criminal system within the scope of the right not to be stained legally.”

Erdoğan stated that they will shorten the duration for removing the criminal records and introduce different regulations in favour of the minors with regard to recording the convictions in the criminal record and added that they will strengthen further the mechanisms for protecting the minors during judicial procedures and implement restorative practices for minors.

Erdoğan pointed out that they will improve the management capacity of the penal execution and probation systems and increase the production amount of workshops institution through vocational training programmes.

WE ARE PLANNING TO INTRODUCE NEW REFORMS IN A WIDE RANGE INCLUDING DIVORCE AND ALIMONY PROCEDURES

President Erdoğan emphasized that the fourth objective of the new Judicial Reform Strategy Document is to enhance the efficiency of judicial and administrative proceedings.

Stating that they aim to make various regulations in order to simplify the claims and lawsuits with a value and amount below a certain amount and to resolve them with a fast trial procedure, Erdoğan said, “In addition, we aim to strengthen the legal security of our citizens by ensuring that bond documents are produced under the registry.”

Erdoğan reminded that they had declared this year as the “Year of the Family” and that they would carry out important work throughout the year to protect the institution of the family, and said that they would implement many measures to eliminate the problems arising from the practice of family law in line with the new strategy document.

He stated that they wish to integrate family mediation into the system in order to resolve disputes before they reach the courtroom. He continued his remarks as follows:

“We plan to introduce new reforms in a wide range of areas, from the establishment and trial procedure of family courts to divorce and alimony procedures that protect the interests of children. On the other hand, we will carry out important efforts to simplify the administrative procedure. We will hopefully implement regulations that will make it compulsory to apply to the settlement institution in full judicial cases in which the administration is a party and shorten the finalization process of the files. One of our main priorities in this process is to redesign the enforcement and bankruptcy system in a way to prioritize the delicate balance between creditors and debtors, including the amendment of the law.”

WE WILL EXTEND ELECTIVE LAW AND JUSTICE COURSES TO HIGH SCHOOLS

President Erdoğan stated that the fifth and final objective of the Judicial Reform Strategy Document is to facilitate access to justice. He said that, first and foremost, they would develop new practices regarding women’s rights and ensure that women who are victims of violence can access judicial processes in the shortest and most effective way.

Pointing out that it is their first priority to protect women victims of violence more in judicial processes, Erdoğan said, “We will expand the investigation bureaus for domestic and violence against women throughout the country and ensure that the public prosecutors who will work in these bureaus are specialized.”

He explained that they would introduce measures to facilitate access to justice for the elderly and persons with disabilities by launching mobile information and guidance services.
He added that they would continue to build and renovate justice service buildings that are accessible and elderly- and disability-friendly, and that include adequate and accessible social spaces.

Stating that they will establish designated natural disaster and emergency centers across Türkiye to ensure that judicial activities are not interrupted after natural disasters, Erdoğan said:

“Finally, we will extend the law and justice courses, which are currently taught as electives in 6th and 7th grades, to high schools. In this way, we will contribute to the construction of a conscious society consisting of individuals who have adopted the understanding of justice from an early age. As you can see, we aim to improve the quality of justice services with a wide range of innovations, practices, and regulations that directly touch the lives of our citizens. May May God help and support us.

I sincerely hope that the Fourth Judicial Reform Strategy Document will once again serve the best interests of our country, our nation, and our legal and judicial institutions. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who contributed to the preparation of the document. I extend my greetings and respect to you all, and entrust you to God.”