Politics
New judicial bill to improve criminal rehabilitation in Türkiye
The new judicial reform bill aims to end the perception of impunity and contribute to the rehabilitation of criminals, Türkiye’s Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said Monday, a day after lawmakers approved the package in deliberations that lasted more than 15 hours.
The bill, widely known as the “10th Judiciary Package,” passed at Parliament’s justice committee on Sunday. It is now expected to land at the general assembly on Tuesday for a vote that it will likely win.
The bill will eliminate the perception of impunity spreading in Turkish society, Tunç said in a statement on X.
The issue has been felt in the public after courts have ruled for light sentences in incidents that stirred up public outrage.
The package is harsh on offenders and relieves convicts suffering illnesses.
“Even if the sentence they receive is less than two years, convicts will be released on probation after serving at least one-tenth of their sentence in a penal institution until their conditional release date,” Tunç explained. “In this way, the punishment’s deterrent effect will be strengthened and the execution will occur in a way suitable for the purpose (of the punishment).”
Reforming convicts
While the bill effectively combats crime, it also seeks to rehabilitate criminals.
In an effort to reduce recidivism, Tunç said convicts marked as repeat offenders will have the right to conditional release to ensure their adaptation to the outside world, rehabilitate them to prevent them from committing crimes again and bring them back to society.
Those who are subject to the second recidivism provisions will be able to benefit from conditional release if they serve three-fourths of their fixed-term prison sentence with good behavior, Tunç added.
‘Human-oriented approach’
The bill also expands the scope of the exclusive execution of sentences, according to Tunç.
The scope of the weekend or night execution method will be increased from 1 year and 6 months to 3 years for crimes committed intentionally; from 3 to 5 years for crimes committed by negligence, except for the crime of murder by negligence.
The scope of the execution method for home sentences will be increased from 1 year to 3 years for women, children, or people over the age of 65, from 2 years to 4 years for people over the age of 70, and from 4 years to 5 years for people over the age of 75.
It will be possible to decide on the execution of prison sentences of up to 6 years at home for people over the age of 80.
Except for those sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, criminals unable to survive alone in penal institutions due to illness or disability, or those determined not to pose a serious and concrete threat to public safety, may be permitted to serve their sentences at home.
Public safety
A crucial amendment the bill introduces is increased sentences against people who fire guns or gas cartridges known as “blank guns” during public celebratory events, especially weddings or sports event celebrations.
These people will be charged with “deliberately endangering public security,” Tunç said.
The penalty for those who fire a weapon or use explosives, including those that can fire sound and gas cartridges in residential areas, will be increased and will be determined as 1 to 5 years in prison.
If this crime is committed in places where people are present together, such as weddings, engagements and farewell ceremonies for soldiers, the penalty to be given will be increased by half to one-fold.
Correctional terms for children
Tunç said the bill introduces changes for child convicts, as well.
He said the decision to transfer child convicts from closed penal institutions to children’s education centers will be made after a good conduct evaluation.
Child convicts sentenced to a total of 3 years or less in prison for intentional crimes and 5 years or less in prison for negligent crimes will serve their sentences directly in children’s education centers.
Traffic safety
The bill also combats traffic disruptions, namely those blocking the traffic by blocking the road or preventing other vehicles from moving.
“Blocking a road in traffic will be regulated as an independent crime,” Tunç assured. “Anyone who unlawfully prevents a land vehicle from moving, stops this vehicle while it is moving, or takes it from where it is going to another place will be punished with a prison sentence of 1 to 3 years.”
Penalties will increase for those who endanger traffic safety, starting at a minimum of four months and going up to two years in prison.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is scheduled to arrive in Türkiye for a rare visit on Friday, in what Yerevan has described as a “historic” step toward regional peace.
Pashinyan is visiting Türkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan told reporters. The two leaders will have their meeting at Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul.
“This is a historic visit, as it will be the first time a head of the Republic of Armenia visits Türkiye at this level. All regional issues will be discussed,” he said.
“The risks of war (with Azerbaijan) are currently minimal, and we must work to neutralize them. Pashinyan’s visit to Türkiye is a step in that direction.”
An Armenian Foreign Ministry official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) the two leaders will discuss efforts to sign a comprehensive peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the regional fallout from the Iran-Israel conflict.
Pashinyan has actively sought to normalize relations with both Baku and Ankara.
Earlier this year, he announced Armenia would halt its campaign for international recognition of the 1915 events to be termed as “genocide” — a major concession to Türkiye that sparked widespread criticism at home.
The visit by Pashinyan comes amid cautious optimism following a June 5 phone call between the Armenian and Turkish leaders. During the conversation, Erdoğan and Pashinyan reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue, continuing a fragile process toward rapprochement that began in recent years.
Pashinyan last visited Türkiye in June 2023 to attend Erdoğan’s presidential inauguration – marking the first official visit by an Armenian leader to Türkiye since 2009. That year, then-President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia and President Abdullah Gül exchanged visits, with Gül’s trip to Yerevan remaining the only official visit by a Turkish president to Armenia.
The two countries share a complex history. Türkiye recognized Armenia’s independence in 1991, but relations soured amid the First Karabakh War, when Armenia and Azerbaijan clashed over the disputed region. In 1993, Türkiye severed diplomatic and commercial ties with Armenia, and the border between the two countries has remained closed ever since.
The Second Karabakh War, which ended in 2020, reignited hopes for renewed dialogue. In 2021, Ankara and Yerevan appointed special representatives tasked with normalizing relations and negotiating the reopening of their land border. So far, limited agreements have allowed third-country citizens and diplomats to cross, but a full reopening remains elusive.
Despite these hurdles, there have been tentative gestures toward cooperation. The Margara border crossing has been used twice in recent years for humanitarian purposes: in February 2023 to deliver Armenian aid trucks following a devastating earthquake in southeastern Türkiye, and in March 2024 for humanitarian aid shipments to Syria via Türkiye. Armenia has also upgraded the crossing in anticipation of future use.
Still, deep-seated political and historical disagreements persist. Türkiye’s support for Azerbaijan during the 2020 war remains a source of tension, and the legacy of unresolved issues, including those linked to historical grievances, complicates efforts at reconciliation.
The PKK terrorist group’s Syrian wing, the YPG, forcefully recruited 286 children in Syria last year, a U.N. report said.
Anadolu Agency (AA) compiled the records of terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq regarding children from the “Children and Armed Conflict” report of U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, which includes data for 2024.
The 40-page report said that 527 children were recruited into armed cadres by various groups, primarily the PKK/YPG, which uses the name “SDF,” and its affiliates, as well as Daesh.
The report noted that the U.N. confirmed that a total of 286 children were forcibly recruited into armed cadres and used in Syria by the PKK/YPG and its affiliates alone.
The PKK/YPG and other organizations were held responsible for the deaths or disabilities of 110 children and the forced abduction of 10 children in 2024, and it was stated that the terrorists used 23 schools and hospitals for their armed activities.
It was stated that as of the end of 2024, approximately 1,000 children, including foreigners, had their freedoms restricted due to their ties to armed groups, especially Daesh.
It was pointed out that approximately 25,000 children, suspected of having ties to the terrorist organization Daesh, have been living deprived of their freedom for years in camps dominated by the PKK/YPG in northeastern Syria.
The report also included Guterres’ assessments regarding the forced recruitment of children into armed forces.
Noting that the high number of serious violations against children in Syria is alarming, Guterres called on all parties to comply with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
Guterres demanded that all children be released immediately and unconditionally and that authorities implement the necessary programs for their integration in coordination with the U.N.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday said that the spiral of violence triggered by Israel’s attacks could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration and the possibility of nuclear leakage.
In a phone call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Erdoğan said that nuclear disputes with Iran should be resolved via talks and warned that Israel’s attack has severely heightened threats to regional security, according to the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications.
“Our President also warned that the spiral of violence triggered by Israel’s attacks could negatively impact both the region and Europe, particularly in terms of potential migration waves and nuclear fallout,” the directorate said on X.
Erdoğan said the conflict, which began with Israel’s attack on Iran, has raised the threat to regional security to the highest level, he said.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations as well as regional issues, it added.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas hailed Türkiye’s role in diplomacy and said the country was a “security player” for the bloc.
“When it comes to the role of Türkiye, Istanbul has been where many meetings take place. Therefore, everybody is grateful that Türkiye is also offering this mediation,” Kaja Kallas told reporters, in response to a question about ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Kallas said the EU’s recent decisions on security and defense have unlocked significant funding, with over 800 billion euros ($918 billion) available to support joint procurement and defense projects.
She stressed that these instruments, including the SAFE loan mechanism, are not protectionist and can also be used in cooperation with partner countries such as Türkiye.
“Now Türkiye, as a candidate country, also has access to SAFE loans, for example, for joint projects with European countries,” she said, adding that these tools aim to strengthen Europe’s defense industry while fostering collaboration beyond the bloc.
Last month, EU countries adopted a regulation setting up SAFE, a new financial instrument designed to support member states that wish to invest in defense industrial production through common procurement, focusing on priority capabilities.
Under the approved part of the regulation, joint defense procurement of the bloc may include third countries not members of the EU, such as Türkiye.
Europe aims to reinforce its defenses as the U.S. reconsiders its generous support to the continent’s defense since World War II and the perceived threat from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Türkiye is eager to contribute to Europe’s security architecture, although the bloc stalled its accession for years.
In the Middle East, she expressed concern over rising tensions, particularly attacks on nuclear sites and fears of wider conflict. She said the EU supports diplomatic efforts to prevent escalation and manage risks related to Iran and regional instability.
“This war in the Middle East is extremely concerning. The risks of miscalculation are very high, so we try to bring the tensions down,” she said.
Türkiye has stepped up measures to protect its airspace and land borders with the start of Israeli airstrikes in Iran, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.
“At a time when diplomatic negotiations continue to resolve the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, Israel has once again jeopardized global and regional peace and attacked our neighbor Iran in violation of international law,” the ministry sources told reporters at a weekly press briefing in Ankara.
The sources said reports of Israeli jets violating Turkish airspace during the first day of the airstrikes on Iran are inaccurate, emphasizing that from the outset, all air movements were closely monitored.
Upon the possibility of a potential airspace violation by Israeli jets, alert aircraft took off and began air patrol missions within Turkish airspace, the sources added.
They stressed that with the start of Israel’s airstrikes, measures to protect “our airspace and borders have been intensified.”
The sources condemned Israel’s aggressive policies toward Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, which they warned were “disrupting the fragile balances in the region.”
Türkiye continues to call on Israel to “immediately abandon rhetoric and attacks that will further expand the course of the war,” the sources said.
Border security
They also said efforts to maintain Türkiye’s air and missile defense as a multilayered and comprehensive system are ongoing.
In addition to domestic radar and air defense systems, work continues to strengthen command and control capabilities. Measures are in place to ensure air defense units and weapon systems remain at the highest level of readiness, the sources added.
Stating that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) are on duty 24/7 with top-level technology and personnel to secure Türkiye’s borders, the sources emphasized that there is no uncontrolled migration movement, that the claims are disinformation and that there is no data or official confirmation of any mass migration to the country.
Türkiye’s capacity to ensure border security and respond to potential humanitarian crises is maintained at the highest level in coordination with relevant state institutions, the ministry sources stressed.
“Türkiye acts in a controlled and orderly manner as a country that supports regional stability and fulfills its humanitarian responsibilities,” the sources added.
Also speaking to reporters, ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk confirmed there has been no rise in illegal border crossings following Israel-Iran clashes.
The Turkish Armed Forces will continue to take all necessary security measures proactively against possible migration movements, Akturk said.
He condemned Israel’s attacks on Iran and said Israel’s “aggression, which entirely negates international law, blatantly demonstrates its intention to further spread the conflict.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly warned of regional repercussions of Israel’s war with Iran and assured Ankara was engaged in diplomatic efforts to stop Israel’s attacks in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Iran.
All our institutions are on alert regarding the possible effects of these attacks on Türkiye,” Erdoğan assured Wednesday, speaking at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara.
It is entirely “natural, legitimate and lawful” for Iran to defend itself against Israel’s “banditry and state terrorism,” Erdoğan said.
On June 13, Israel launched large-scale attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities across several cities, as well as high-ranking military command centers. At least 585 people were killed and 1,326 people were injured in Israeli airstrikes in Tehran and other populated areas. In retaliation, Iran’s military launched ballistic missiles at Israel, killing 24 people and wounding over 500, according to reports. Numerous countries, including Türkiye, have condemned Israel’s actions.
Since a new round of the Palestine-Israel conflict erupted in 2023, Türkiye has been on alert, and Erdoğan had warned that Israel may set its sights on Türkiye in the future, citing the Netanyahu administration’s expansionist goals. Over time, Israel has launched attacks in Lebanon and Syria and hurled veiled threats toward Türkiye, calling on Ankara not to side with Palestinians.
A Turkish court on Thursday acquitted a group of youths who assaulted U.S. servicemen late last year in the western Izmir province, while one of them was fined TL 10,000 ($252) for “bodily harm.”
Fifteen members of the Turkish Youth Union (TGB), an anti-American group linked to a political party, attacked two American servicemen, part of the crew of USS Wasp, an American amphibious assault ship docked in Izmir on Sept. 1, 2024. The incident was captured on camera by the TGB, which is known for similar attacks on U.S. soldiers in the past.
The servicemen had been in civilian clothes, and five other U.S. soldiers nearby tried to intervene in the incident. Security forces stopped the assailants, and the suspects were all detained and charged with “depriving a person of their freedom by coercion, threat or trickery.” All were tried without serving jail time.
At the final hearing on Thursday, the suspects’ lawyer Bülent Karagöz argued the incident was “not meant to deprive a person of their freedom but a protest.”
“They used their institutional rights to protest. It was not an illegal demonstration or a meeting,” he told the court.
Fourteen suspects were acquitted of the charges while TGB Chair Kayahan Çetin was handed a monetary fine, but the final ruling was adjourned.
The TGB claimed the video with a video on its X account in which several people are seen forcing a bag over the head of a person dressed in civilian clothes as the attackers chant: “Yankee go home!” in English. “American soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot defile our country,” the TGB said.
The bag over the head referred to an incident from the 2003 Iraq war when U.S. forces in northern Iraq arrested a group of Turkish soldiers, forced hoods over their heads and held them for three days. The incident outraged many in Türkiye.
The TGB is affiliated with the Patriotic Party (VP), a fringe party known for its staunch opposition to U.S.-Turkish ties and advocates stronger bonds with Russia and China.
Türkiye-U.S. relations have been tumultuous at times, but the two countries remain steadfast NATO allies. Yet, a recent international survey by U.S.-based think tank Pew Research Center showed that favorable opinion of the U.S. around the world was lowest in Türkiye, along with Tunisia.
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