Work is coming to the final stage for the “Turkish Maritime Jurisdiction Areas Law”, which is described as the “National Pact of the Turkish seas” and also referred to as the “Blue Homeland Law”. The law is not just a technical maritime law regulation; It is aimed to stand out as a strategic framework that connects Türkiye’s sovereignty and jurisdiction claims in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea to domestic law. The regulation, which aims to go beyond the Territorial Waters Law No. 2674 dated 1982, aims to gather the dispersed structure regarding the protection of the continental shelf, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), adjacent region and marine resources under one roof. The proposal, which is expected to eliminate the lack of a “framework law”, is also considered as a critical step that will strengthen the legal infrastructure of the “Blue Homeland” doctrine.

Ankara University Maritime Law National Research Center (DEHUKAM) held a press conference regarding the work carried out within the scope of the Draft Turkish Maritime Jurisdiction Areas Law.

ERHAN: THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF THE TURKISH NATION ARISING FROM INTERNATIONAL LAW WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION

Çağrı Erhan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Security and Foreign Policies Board, who attended the meeting, stated that maritime law is dynamic, cannot be compared with 20 years ago, and is an area of ​​law that continues to expand. Pointing out that Türkiye should closely follow the studies on maritime law because it is surrounded by sea on three sides, Erhan said, “Turkey is not only the implementer of maritime law terminology, but also a state that directly contributes to the creation of these concepts and their legalization.” Stating that DEHUKAM has carried out important studies in the field of maritime law, Erhan stated that maritime law studies in Türkiye started a long time ago. Erhan said, “I believe that from this point on, this draft will turn into a proposal and then into a law in a short time.” he said. Underlining that the draft law is a text that most clearly reveals Türkiye’s view of the seas, Erhan said:
“While preparing the text of this law, Turkey did not put forward a text by bracketing any country. We are talking about a text that emerged as a result of studies carried out by taking into account the rights and interests of the Turkish nation arising from international law. Other countries may think as if they were the only ones in the world and Turkey was doing something with them in mind. This was not an issue that was taken into consideration much while preparing the legal studies. Türkiye already has rights and interests arising from international law and will continue them. The ‘Blue Homeland Law’ applies to Türkiye and May it be beneficial to the Turkish nation.”

ÖNEL: THE PREPARED DRAFT FRAMEWORK IS A DRAFT

DEHUKAM Chairman Süleyman Önel stated that the prepared draft will be comprehensive and said, “75 percent of the world consists of seas. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the seas in every field. The draft study is to determine a general framework within the scope of our country’s interests. The prepared draft framework is a draft.”

PRESIDENT: IT CONTAINS GIVING AUTHORITY TO THE PRESIDENCY

DEHUKAM Director Mustafa Başkara underlined that the draft was compiled with a flexible writing technique and was prepared to fill the gap in the meaning of the law and said, “It is a law that includes regulations in areas such as narcotic incidents and maritime crimes, which have increased especially in recent times. It includes determining the width of Turkish jurisdictions and regulations, determining general rules and authorizing the Presidency.”

TURKEY HAS AN AGENDA REGARDING ALL THE WORLD’S SEAS

Başkara stated that many regulations will be implemented if they become law, and said, “The law also gives powers regarding the declaration of special purpose maritime areas. Special statuses can be declared. The regulation regarding Turkish jurisdictions is included. It will be inclusive in determining Türkiye’s maritime jurisdiction areas and determining the activities there. Turkey has an agenda not only for the seas surrounding itself but also for all the world’s seas. Turkey has become a party to the BBNJ agreement despite its justified objection to the UN convention on the law of the sea.”

ACER: PROBLEMS WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES ARE NOT SOLVED

DEHUKAM Board Member Yücel Acer noted that the first law on territorial waters in Türkiye was enacted in 1962, and then another law was enacted in 1982. Stating that there are steps taken by Türkiye, Acer said, “There are international agreements made by Türkiye. Türkiye’s declaration of its continental shelf and notification to the UN shows that Türkiye’s legal work on the maritime area has increased. We know that the concept of blue homeland in Türkiye has recently been effective, especially on the young generation. Turkey has not completely resolved its maritime problems with the relevant countries. Our problems continue, especially with some neighboring states. We thought that our theses should be strengthened by law.”

DECISIONS WILL BE MADE TO SUPPORT Türkiye’S INTERESTS

Stating that the law is considered as a framework law, Acer said, “The issue of the width of Turkish territorial waters attracts attention, especially in the context of the Aegean Sea. The width of Turkish territorial waters has been determined as 6 miles since 1964. It is in Türkiye’s interests to declare territorial waters wider than 6 miles. It gives this authority to our President. He will support the decision in 1964. There will be no contradiction with the Montreux Straits Convention. The Dardanelles and the Bosphorus are Türkiye’s internal waters. “Turkey is not a party to the UN convention on the law of the sea. More than 160 states are party to this convention. This will strengthen our hand with this law, rather than the 82 conventions. The main purpose of preparing this draft is not to create a problem with Greece. We are trying to solve the problems through dialogue,” he said.

Breaking news… Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, in his post on his social media account, stated that the strong coordination and coordination between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is the greatest guarantee of their fight against criminal centers.

Minister Gürlek noted the following in his post:

COMPREHENSIVE OPERATION IN 35 PROVINCES

“Under the coordination of our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, a comprehensive operation was carried out in 35 provinces centered in Istanbul, using artificial intelligence-supported programs against networks that conduct illegal betting and gambling and obtain criminal income in this way.

108 DETENTION

Within the scope of the operation, 108 suspects were detained, access to 5 thousand 151 websites mediating the crime was blocked, and another dirty network in the virtual world was eliminated. “The institutions of our state work shoulder to shoulder for the peace of our citizens, the unity of our families and the well-being of our youth.”

Gürlek wholeheartedly thanked the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Istanbul Provincial Police Department, who carried out the operation with great devotion, and emphasized that the operations against digital crime structures and illegal betting will continue with determination.

Under the coordination of our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office; A comprehensive operation was carried out in 35 provinces centered in Istanbul, using artificial intelligence-supported programs, against networks that conduct illegal betting and gambling and obtain criminal income in this way.

Within the scope of the operation, 108…

— Akın Gürlek (@abakingurlek) May 12, 2026

Ministry of Internal Affairs: “69 suspects were caught in operations carried out by our Gendarmerie against FETO in 33 provinces.” he said. The Ministry said, “43 of the suspects were arrested. Judicial control provisions were implemented for 7 of them. The procedures for the others are continuing.” he said.

In its briefing, the Ministry stated the following:

Suspects caught in operations organized in 33 provinces by Provincial Gendarmerie Commands under the coordination of Gendarmerie General Command TEM Department and Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices; It was determined that they were operating within the current structure of the terrorist organization, were in contact with responsible individuals within the organization, provided finance to so-called aid organizations affiliated with the terrorist organization, made propaganda for the terrorist organization through their social media accounts, and attempted to escape abroad.

We continue our fight with determination against FETO and its structures that threaten the peace and welfare of our citizens.

We congratulate our heroic Gendarmerie, our Department, our Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and all those who contributed.

69 suspects were captured in operations carried out by our Gendarmerie against FETO in 33 provinces.

43 of the suspects were arrested. Judicial control provisions were applied to 7 of them. Others’ operations continue.

Gendarmerie General Command TEM Department and the Republic… pic.twitter.com/6HC52JkD2K

— TR Ministry of Internal Affairs (@TC_icisleri) May 12, 2026

Breaking news… The Ministry of Justice will recruit 15 thousand contracted personnel. Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek said, “We are making an announcement for the recruitment of a total of 15 thousand contracted personnel to be assigned to our central and provincial organizations. We will complete the recruitment in 2026 and further strengthen the human resources of our organization.” he said.

Minister Gürlek stated the following in his statement on his social media account:

We are recruiting 15 thousand contracted personnel to be employed within our justice organization, which our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave the good news.

In this context;

We are making an announcement to recruit a total of 15 thousand contracted personnel to be assigned to our central and provincial organizations. By completing these recruitments in 2026, we will further strengthen the human resources of our organization.

The positions to be recruited include 5,259 court clerks, 4,508 enforcement and protection officers, 1,300 support personnel, 1,041 bailiffs, 900 enforcement clerks, 524 protection and security guards, 410 psychologists, 322 technicians, 316 office personnel, 286 nurses, 90 social workers and 44 personnel with different titles.

I hope it will be beneficial for our justice organization, our judicial community and our nation, and I would like to express my gratitude to our President for their support in the allocation of the staff needed by our judicial organization.

At the introductory meeting held at KVKK, the processing of personal data, the right to privacy, public interest and broadcasting principles in live “reality show” programs were discussed.

RTÜK President Mehmet Daniş thanked KVKK President Faruk Bilir and his team for their meticulous work in preparing the guide and said, “The age we live in is the age of images, instant sharing and live broadcasting. A family crisis, health problem or legal dispute of a citizen can be brought to a screen where millions of people watch it live in the morning hours.” made his assessment.

Daniş underlined that the border between the most private and the most public is becoming increasingly blurred, and noted that these programs directly share the lives of women who have been subjected to violence, families looking for their missing relatives, citizens who have disputes regarding inheritance, and individuals who have health or addiction problems, in front of the screen.

Daniş pointed out that personal data of third parties could also be disclosed in this process, and stated that the Constitution guarantees the right to privacy and freedom of the press.

Noting that the freedoms enjoyed are not absolute, but rights that compete with each other and need to be balanced, Daniş said, “As RTÜK, our main duty is to observe this delicate balance within the framework of the principles of public interest, reality, timeliness and proportionality.” he said.

Daniş emphasized that it is unacceptable for children, young people and mentally disabled individuals to be broadcast live, content that normalizes sexual crimes and violence against women, disclosure of events under investigation on the basis of extrajudicial disclosure, and exposing individuals to psychological violence, and that these principles are a humanitarian duty before broadcasting.

“A CITIZEN’S ENTRY TO THE PROGRAM DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL OF HIS DATA WILL BE PROCESSED”

Daniş stated that the prepared guide is a concrete result of the institutional cooperation between RTÜK and KVKK, and said that daytime programs, which are “reality shows”, are in a common regulatory area.

For this reason, Daniş stated that the guide offers a common reference frame that will enable two institutions, two separate laws and two separate audit logics to be read in harmony.

“The main objective of this guide is not to prohibit, but to guide. It is to show our publishers and producers, who are data controllers, with concrete examples how to implement disclosure obligations, open consent processes, strict conditions in the processing of special personal data, data security measures, domestic and international transfers and the right to be forgotten. In this respect, the guide offers a legal map that prevents the sector from facing criminal sanctions, and at the same time, secures the constitutional rights of our citizens.”

Daniş explained that the processing of personal data should be based not only on explicit consent but also on legitimate legal reasons specified in the law, adding: “The citizen’s consent to participate in the program does not automatically mean that he consents to the processing and transfer of all his data.” he said.

Stating that an absolute standard of protection should be applied in the processing of data of children, young people, mentally disabled individuals and legally vulnerable people, Daniş said that the justification of press freedom should not be relied upon when transferring data belonging to third parties to the screen.

Daniş emphasized the importance of taking technical and administrative measures to ensure that contents that remain accessible in internet archives for many years do not violate the right to be forgotten, and stated that citizens’ moments of crisis should not remain as a digital stain.

Stating that the information provided in the programs should be understandable and accessible to the participants, Daniş stated that superficial or long and complex information will not meet the obligation.

Daniş emphasized that live broadcasts in the nature of “reality shows” can contribute to making social problems visible with the right editorial framework, and noted that the balance between the freedom of broadcasting and the dignity and privacy of the individual should not be sacrificed for economic gain.

Pointing out that broadcasting is a public service, Daniş said that ratings can never come before the personality and grievances of citizens.

“IT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING THE PERSON RATHER THAN THE DATA”

KVKK President Bilir reminded that the Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698 came into force in 2016 and said, “Actually, this law has two main purposes. The first is what we call privacy. To protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, especially during data processing. The second is to show the procedures and principles to be followed by data processors and to specify their obligations. We call this to regulate and discipline.” he said.

Explaining that the law does not prohibit data processing and stipulates that these data be processed within certain principles and conditions, Bilir said, “In fact, it is for the purpose of protecting the person rather than the data. The law clearly states this in its justification. As an institution and board, we are preparing informative and sectoral guides to guide.” he said.

Stating that the guide prepared in cooperation with RTÜK is a guiding document regarding the processing of personal data in “reality show” programs broadcast live, Bilir stated that the opinions of academicians, broadcasters and producer organizations were consulted during the preparation process.

Stating that the guide consists of topics such as personal data processed in live broadcasts, data processing conditions, data security measures, application processes and data transfer, Bilir noted that the study covers all stages from broadcast preparation to the archive process on the internet.

After the speeches, KVKK President Bilir and RTÜK President Daniş presented gifts to each other.

Within the scope of the program, panels titled “Right to Privacy and Public Interest Balance in Live Broadcast Reality Shows” and “Processing of Personal Data through Visual Media” were also held.

Breaking news… Demirhan Gözaçan, a close friend of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and one of the former Manisa provincial administrators, was taken into custody.

Following Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım’s public statement: “I delivered 1 million TL in cash in a bag to a person named Demirhan, whom I know as a close friend of Özgür Özel, in Denizli, near the CHP provincial headquarters building, upon the instructions of Özgür Özel”, Demirhan Gözaçan was detained in Manisa this morning.

It was learned that Gözaçan’s house and car were searched and he was taken from Manisa Provincial Police Department to Istanbul Provincial Police Department.

CONFESSIONS OF MYSELF

Former Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım, who benefited from effective repentance, said in his statement that he gave a total of 1 million 200 thousand TL in cash to Özgür Özel before the CHP Congress in 2023. Yalım stated that he left 200 thousand liras of the money in a bag on the garden wall of Özel’s house in Manisa, and that he handed over 1 million TL in a bag to a person named Demirhan, whom he knew as a close friend of Özel, near the CHP provincial headquarters building in Denizli.