Politics
PKK withdraws from Türkiye in major step in terror-free plan
The terror-free Türkiye initiative launched by a government ally in 2024 entered into a new phase as the PKK terrorist group declared its withdrawal from Türkiye on Sunday.
In a ceremony in Iraq, the group made a statement about the process, with some members, reportedly those who left Türkiye for the withdrawal, in attendance. Sabri Ok, a senior terrorist, said they received approval of the PKK’s jailed ringleader Abdullah Öcalan for the withdrawal to northern Iraq, where the group has hideouts. Ok implied the PKK expected “certain legal and political approaches” in return for their withdrawal.
A total of 25 terrorists left Türkiye during the withdrawal, the PKK claimed, releasing a picture of the terrorists.
The PKK announced an end to its campaign of violence in May, in line with Öcalan’s call in February to the group to dissolve itself. Öcalan’s call was in response to the terror-free Türkiye initiative, first proposed by Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the government ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
In July, terrorists held a ceremony to literally burn down weapons abandoned by a group of PKK members in northern Iraq as the first tangible sign of dissolution.
Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), was the first to comment on the PKK’s new move. In a social media post on Sunday, Çelik said the PKK’s decision was a concrete result of progress in the terror-free Türkiye road map. He said it was “a step compliant with achieving the main goal.”
Çelik reiterated that the main agenda for a terror-free Türkiye was the dissolution and disarmament of all armed and illegal networks in the region, from Iraq to Syria, referring to the PKK’s Syria wing, the YPG.
Positive results
“The road map generates positive results for the terror-free Türkiye goal. The terror-free Türkiye process is a strategic and historic step to eliminate all threats to our democracy. The goal for a terror-free region is a natural, inseparable part of this initiative and it is a stand against the establishment of imperialist tutelage via terrorist groups in our region, primarily our neighbors,” Çelik said.
He said the strategic political foundation formed by Bahçeli’s historic call, combined with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strong leadership, has shaped a framework that aligns with the spirit of the times and addresses the challenges facing Türkiye.
“The support and guidance that matured through the work of Parliament’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, comprising members from different political parties, clearly demonstrated that the sole ‘political actor’ of this process is the national will. Moving forward, taking steps to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the disarmament and dissolution process will enable us to achieve our goals. As the process of dissolution and disarmament continues, the positive framework outlined by the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission will become clearer,” he said.
The said commission was established in August and convened more than a dozen times. After a one-week break, it will convene again this week and hear from Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç. Both ministers have previously briefed the commission about the work on the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
Çelik emphasized the need for maximum vigilance to protect the process from provocations, saying: “We are aware of the political, intelligence and operational sabotage attempts by the forces behind the politics of chaos unfolding in our region,” he said. “In response, we are steadfastly implementing our roadmap. The presence and support of parties representing diverse political views are a source of strength, adding further momentum to the process. Preserving this political diversity in line with the ‘characteristics of our state’ and the ‘values of our nation’ will pave the way for progress toward our main objective,” Çelik stated.
He also said the government will not allow baseless accusations, slander or marginal and maximalist approaches to derail the process, adding: “With the support of every citizen and through our unity, shared history and common destiny, we are advancing toward our goals. Under the strong leadership of our president, all state institutions continue to work resolutely toward a terror-free Türkiye. The Republic of Türkiye remains firmly in control of its national agenda.”
After more than 40 years of terrorism, the PKK finally submitted to its leader’s call last May, but the terror-free Türkiye initiative goes way back than that. Bahçeli and Erdoğan had dropped vague hints about the initiative before Bahçeli made his historic call shortly after the beginning of the new parliamentary term in the autumn of 2024. Both politicians repeatedly stressed setting up a “home front,” a unity between diverse ethnic groups of Türkiye, in the face of Israel’s growing aggression and expansion in the region. For decades, the PKK exploited the disillusioned Kurdish community, claiming to fight for their rights, particularly for so-called self-rule for Kurds in the southeastern Türkiye.
Bahçeli’s call for the PKK to lay down arms was embraced by Öcalan, who is currently jailed on an island prison near Istanbul, and he pointed out that it was time for the PKK to evolve its “struggle” by abandoning arms, in a landmark call last February. The call was a result of Öcalan’s discussions with a delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) linked to the terrorist group.
The terror-free initiative involves multiple sides, although its proponents insist it should solely focus on Öcalan and his anticipated call to the PKK.
Abdullah Öcalan is the founder of the PKK and one of the most controversial figures in Türkiye for his role in the conception of the group that was behind violent attacks that claimed thousands of lives since the 1980s. For the PKK, he is a revered icon and face of the terrorist group, which refers to him simply as “leadership.”
The 75-year-old Öcalan founded the PKK in the late seventies and spearheaded the campaign of violence, which began with attacks on civilians and military outposts in the early eighties. For a long time, he remained Türkiye’s most wanted man while the U.S., the European Union and Western allies of Türkiye designated his group as a terrorist organization.
He constantly changed locations across the Middle East to dodge capture and fled into Europe when Turkish authorities closed in on him.
He was captured in Kenya in 1999 and brought to Türkiye. He was sentenced to death in his lengthy trial, but the sentence was commuted to a life sentence after Türkiye abolished capital punishment in 2004. Since then, he has been held in Imralı Island in the Marmara Sea, in a prison complex where he has been the lone convict for a long time.
Öcalan’s former lieutenants make up the core of the PKK’s current leadership and are informally called “Qandil” after the mountain in northern Iraq where they are in hiding.
In Syria, the PKK’s local wing, the YPG, is another component of the terrorism problem. The YPG has so far distanced itself from Öcalan’s call. At the same time, Damascus seeks to convince them to honor another deal involving integration of the group with the Syrian security forces in the post-Assad era.
Türkiye tried to resolve the PKK issue as early as the 1990s. President Turgut Özal took the first concrete steps for a new way to fix the problem and reached out to Iraqi Kurdish leaders who were viewed as close to the terrorist group. It was a time when the DEM Party’s predecessors first won seats in Parliament. Özal favored a “civilian” solution to the problem. He sought to address the issues the PKK exploited to advance its own agenda, such as more rights for Türkiye’s Kurdish community.
Özal’s efforts partially paid off when the PKK briefly declared a “cease-fire.”
However, several violent terror attacks in the same decade and Özal’s death in 1993 hindered this fledgling process that would also reportedly include a general pardon for convicted PKK members.
Terror attacks continued until Öcalan’s capture. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the PKK reduced its terrorism campaign before another flare-up in violence.
Starting in 2012, the state launched a new process informally called the “reconciliation process.” The process proceeded cautiously and the government offered expanded rights for the Kurdish community, especially in education in their own language. The PKK scaled back its activities again, but this process ultimately collapsed too in 2015.
The PKK resumed its campaign and moved attacks from rural parts of the country to urban centers in the southeast, which hosts a predominantly Kurdish population. In response, Türkiye intensified counterterrorism operations and, in the past decade, stepped up aerial strikes and limited cross-border offensives to eradicate terrorists in Türkiye, Iraq and Syria.
Nowadays, the PKK’s attacks inside Türkiye are almost non-existent. However, a deadly attack on a major Turkish aerospace company in the capital Ankara, one day after Bahçeli repeated his call to Öcalan, renewed concerns about the PKK threat.
Next steps
The Terror-free Türkiye initiative is expected to be followed by legal amendments regarding the PKK’s status and the fate of people linked to the terrorist group, including those incarcerated on charges of terrorism or aiding the PKK. The parliamentary commission is anticipated to present guidelines to lawmakers on this matter.
Concerns were heightened recently when the DEM Party, a key actor in the process, adopted a hawkish rhetoric, including remarks by some top figures playing into the hands of critics of the initiative who claim a terror-free Türkiye means concessions to the PKK. Backers of the initiative harshly criticized the DEM Party for what they called attempts at undermining the process. The DEM Party, however, appears committed to the initiative. A delegation of DEM Party lawmakers who met Öcalan at the beginning of the initiative is scheduled to meet President Erdoğan on Thursday. The meeting was earlier announced for Tuesday, but it was rescheduled to Thursday, media outlets reported on Sunday.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi discussed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and preserve the cease-fire in a phone call Monday, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
The two ministers reviewed the latest developments in ongoing negotiations concerning the reopening of the strategic waterway and the continuation of the cease-fire, according to the sources.
The two top diplomats spoke amid ongoing tensions in the region, with suspected Iranian drones targeting Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s office in Irbil on Monday.
Meanwhile, Fidan also held separate phone calls with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani and KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday, Foreign Ministry sources said. The talks focused on the latest developments in the region, the sources added.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated newly appointed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a phone call Monday, as the two leaders pledged to deepen the strategic partnership between Türkiye and the United Kingdom, particularly in defense, security, trade and investment.
Erdoğan and Burnham discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments, according to a statement on the call.
Erdoğan congratulated Burnham on assuming his new post and expressed confidence that relations between Ankara and London would reach new heights in the coming period.
The president highlighted the significant progress Türkiye and the U.K. have made in cooperation across a broad range of areas, particularly in the defense industry.
He also underscored the importance of the Strategic Partnership Framework Document and the Security and Defense Partnership Document signed by the two countries, describing them as key instruments for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Erdoğan said Ankara and London would continue working together to increase bilateral trade volume and achieve their shared objectives in investment, while building on the growing strategic partnership between the two NATO allies.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed Türkiye-U.S. ties and pressing regional and global developments in a phone call, with the Turkish leader stressing the need to maximize diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Erdoğan told Trump that Türkiye hoped negotiations between Iran and the United States would continue, emphasizing that Ankara would maintain its support for efforts aimed at securing peace, according to a statement from the Presidential Communications Directorate.
The president also highlighted the joint defense agreement signed by Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, saying the pact demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring regional stability and security.
Turning to Gaza, Erdoğan warned that Israeli actions targeting Palestinians had intensified at a time when efforts were focused on advancing to the second phase of the Gaza peace process.
He reiterated that Türkiye would continue supporting steps toward lasting peace in the region as well as efforts to rebuild the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
Since the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, constitutional design has served as the backbone of the country’s legal system. The current Constitution, adopted in 1982, has been repeatedly amended over the decades – most notably in 2017, when a national referendum paved the way for the country’s transition from a parliamentary model to an executive presidential system.
Navigating the 175-article charter can be complex for international observers. Here is a clear guide to the foundational provisions, historical turning points and ongoing reform efforts shaping Türkiye’s legal framework today.
The Irrevocable Principles (Articles 1–4)
The opening section of the Constitution defines the permanent identity of the state. Under Article 4, the first three articles cannot be amended, nor can an amendment to them be proposed.
Article 1: Defines Türkiye as a republic.
Article 2: Establishes the country as a democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law, respecting human rights and loyal to Atatürk nationalism.
Article 3: Affirms the indivisible integrity of the state with its territory and nation. It designates Turkish as the official language, Ankara as the capital, and establishes the national flag and anthem.
Article 4: Protects the provisions of Articles 1, 2 and 3 from amendment and prohibits proposals to amend them.
State Sovereignty and Separation of Powers (Articles 6–9)
The Constitution establishes how state authority is exercised and divided among the branches of government.
Article 6: Declares that sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation and may be exercised only through the authorized organs established by the Constitution.
Article 7: Vests legislative power in the Turkish Parliament (TBMM), which exercises this authority on behalf of the nation.
Article 8: Assigns executive power and responsibility to the president, who exercises it in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
Article 9: States that judicial power is exercised by independent and impartial courts on behalf of the Turkish nation.
Supremacy of the Constitution (Article 11)
Article 11 establishes the Constitution as the highest binding legal authority in Türkiye.
Article 11: States that the provisions of the Constitution are fundamental legal rules binding upon the legislative, executive and judicial organs, administrative authorities, and other institutions and individuals. Laws cannot be contrary to the Constitution.
Fundamental Rights and Protections (Articles 10, 12 & 13)
The Constitution establishes the principle of equality before the law and defines both the nature of fundamental rights and the conditions under which they may be restricted.
Article 10: Guarantees equality before the law without discrimination, including on grounds of language, race, color, sex, political opinion, philosophical belief, religion or sect. It also requires the state to ensure that equality between men and women exists in practice.
Articles 12 & 13: Establish that everyone possesses inherent, inviolable and inalienable fundamental rights and freedoms, while recognizing that these rights also carry duties and responsibilities toward society, family and others. Article 13 provides that fundamental rights and freedoms may be restricted only by law, without infringing upon their essence and only on grounds specified in the relevant constitutional provisions. Any restriction must comply with the Constitution, the requirements of a democratic society and the secular republic, as well as the principle of proportionality.
Citizenship and International Law (Articles 66 & 90)
Two provisions frequently cited in legal and political debates concern citizenship and Türkiye’s international obligations.
Article 66: Defines Turkish citizenship, stating that everyone bound to the Turkish state through the bond of citizenship is a Turk.
Article 90: Provides that international agreements duly put into effect have the force of law. In cases of conflict between domestic legislation and international agreements concerning fundamental rights and freedoms, the provisions of the international agreement prevail.
The Executive Branch (Articles 101, 104 & 116)
Following the 2017 constitutional amendments, executive authority was vested in the presidency and the office of prime minister was abolished.
Article 101: Specifies that the president is directly elected for a five-year term and may serve a maximum of two terms. Presidential candidates may be nominated by political party groups, political parties that individually or jointly received at least 5% of valid votes in the previous parliamentary election, or at least 100,000 eligible voters.
Article 104: Outlines presidential duties and powers. As head of state, the president exercises executive authority, appoints vice presidents and ministers, may issue presidential decrees within constitutional limits, ratifies and promulgates international treaties, determines national security policies and takes necessary measures to safeguard national security. The president also ensures the implementation of the Constitution and the regular and harmonious functioning of state organs.
Article 116: Addresses the renewal of presidential and parliamentary elections. Parliament may decide to renew elections with a three-fifths majority of its total membership, while the president may also decide to renew elections. In either case, presidential and parliamentary elections are held together. If Parliament decides to renew elections during a president’s second term, the incumbent may run for president once more.
Parliament and Legislation (Articles 75, 77, 87 & 98)
Legislative authority rests with the unicameral Turkish Parliament.
Article 75: Sets parliamentary composition at 600 members.
Article 77: Provides that parliamentary and presidential elections are held every five years on the same day.
Article 87: Entrusts Parliament with enacting, amending and repealing laws, debating and adopting budget and final account bills, approving the ratification of international treaties, and deciding on declarations of war in cases permitted under international law, among other constitutional powers.
Article 98: Details parliamentary oversight mechanisms, including parliamentary inquiries, general debates, parliamentary investigations and written questions. Written questions may be submitted by lawmakers to vice presidents and ministers.
The Judiciary (Articles 138, 146 & 148)
Judicial authority is exercised by independent and impartial courts on behalf of the Turkish nation.
Article 138: Establishes judicial independence. Judges rule according to the Constitution, laws and their conscientious convictions, and no state organ, authority or individual may issue orders, instructions, recommendations or suggestions to courts or judges concerning the exercise of judicial power.
Articles 146 & 148: Govern the Constitutional Court. The court consists of 15 members, with three elected by Parliament and 12 selected by the president through procedures established by the Constitution. The court reviews the constitutionality of laws and presidential decrees and performs other duties assigned by the Constitution. Individuals may also apply directly to the court over alleged violations by public authorities of fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the Constitution and falling within the scope of the European Convention on Human Rights after ordinary legal remedies have been exhausted.
Military interventions and constitutional interruptions
Türkiye’s constitutional history has been directly altered by political crises and military interventions, resulting in new charters or significant changes to the country’s constitutional order.
The 1960 Coup and the 1961 Charter
On May 27, 1960, the military overthrew the elected Democrat Party government led by Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, suspended the 1924 Constitution and dissolved Parliament. A military administration ruled until a Constituent Assembly drafted the 1961 Constitution. Approved by referendum, the new charter introduced a bicameral Parliament and established the Constitutional Court. Menderes, who served as prime minister from 1950 until the coup, was executed in September 1961 following a trial by a military-appointed court.
The 1971 Memorandum
On March 12, 1971, military commanders issued a memorandum that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel. While the 1961 Constitution remained in force, subsequent constitutional amendments curtailed some civil liberties and strengthened state authority during a period marked by political violence and martial law.
The 1980 Coup and the 1982 Charter
The most extensive constitutional disruption occurred on Sept. 12, 1980, when the military seized power, dissolved Parliament and suspended the existing constitutional order. Political parties were subsequently banned, and an appointed Consultative Assembly took part in drafting a new constitution.
The 1982 Constitution was approved in a national referendum and remains Türkiye’s current charter, although it has undergone numerous amendments under civilian governments over the following decades.
2017 Constitutional Reform
A major overhaul of Türkiye’s system of government came with the 2017 constitutional referendum, which approved the transition from the parliamentary system to the presidential system.
The amendments abolished the office of prime minister, vested executive authority in the president, revised parliamentary oversight mechanisms and reshaped the relationship between the executive and legislative branches. The new system took full effect following the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2018.
Central and Local Administration (Article 127)
Türkiye’s administrative system distinguishes between the central government’s provincial organization and elected local administrations.
Governors (vali) at the provincial level and district governors (kaymakam) represent the central administration in the provinces and districts, respectively.
Article 127, meanwhile, governs local administrations, defining them as public entities established to meet the common local needs of residents in provinces, municipalities and villages, with decision-making bodies elected by voters.
Mayors and municipal councils are elected by voters, while Türkiye’s metropolitan municipality system divides certain responsibilities between metropolitan municipalities and district municipalities.
Article 127 also grants the central administration powers of administrative tutelage (idari vesayet) over local governments within the principles and procedures prescribed by law. This oversight is intended to ensure that local services are carried out in accordance with the principle of administrative integrity, secure uniform public service, safeguard the public interest and meet local needs appropriately.
Push for New Civilian Constitution
Despite numerous amendments over the decades, replacing the 1982 Constitution with a new civilian-drafted charter remains a prominent issue in Türkiye’s political debate.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş have repeatedly advocated for a new civilian constitution, arguing that the existing charter retains the legacy of the military rule under which it was drafted despite extensive subsequent amendments.
Kurtulmuş said in August 2026 that Türkiye’s political climate and level of dialogue had matured sufficiently for work toward a new civilian constitution, describing such a charter as a longstanding objective.
Any constitutional amendment must follow the procedure established by Article 175. A proposal must first be submitted in writing by at least one-third of Parliament’s total membership, or 200 lawmakers, and must be debated twice in the General Assembly.
Approval requires at least a three-fifths majority, or 360 of Parliament’s 600 members, in a secret ballot.
A constitutional amendment adopted with between 360 and 399 votes must be submitted to a referendum if the president does not return it to Parliament for reconsideration.
An amendment receiving at least a two-thirds majority, or 400 votes, may take effect without a referendum after the constitutional process is completed, although the president retains the authority to submit such an amendment to a referendum.
With constitutional change requiring broad parliamentary support, efforts to draft an entirely new charter depend heavily on negotiations and political consensus across party lines.
Türkiye has introduced new legal measures aimed at strengthening child protection and preventive mechanisms, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said Tuesday after legislation amending the Child Protection Law and several other laws entered into force.
The legislation took effect following its publication in the Official Gazette.
Göktaş said in a statement on social media that the new law marked another critical step toward ensuring children’s safety and healthy development.
She stated that Türkiye considers protecting children from all forms of risk and safeguarding their best interests under all circumstances a national responsibility under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“With this awareness, we are implementing multifaceted legal regulations that support our protective and preventive mechanisms,” Göktaş said.
“We will continue our efforts to protect our children and strengthen the institution of the family,” she added.
Göktaş also expressed hope that the new measures would benefit Türkiye and its people.
The minister previously highlighted implementation results under Türkiye’s 2023-2028 Child Rights Strategy Document and Action Plan.
She said authorities had achieved a 74% implementation rate in measures promoting child rights and participation, making children more visible in decision-making processes. Progress reached 82% in child-friendly justice initiatives, 75% in family and child-focused services, 92% in alternative care services, 67% in services for children affected by disasters and crises, and 80% in programs promoting safe internet use.
Describing the government’s “Family and Population Decade” initiative as an opportunity to strengthen family bonds, she noted the coming years would focus on preparing children for the future through comprehensive family-centered policies while continuing to invest in the country’s human capital.
Türkiye will hold the first meeting of a newly established board overseeing the implementation of a landmark national unity law on Aug. 24, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said Tuesday, following the legislation’s publication in the Official Gazette.
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration, approved by the Turkish Parliament as part of the country’s ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, entered into force after being signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and published in the Official Gazette.
Yılmaz said in a statement on social media that the board established under Law No. 7595 officially came into existence with the legislation’s publication.
“The board defined in the law, which will operate under the chairmanship of the vice president, was established with the publication of the law,” Yılmaz said.
He added that ministers and government institutions represented on the board have begun work in their respective areas.
“We plan to hold the board’s first meeting on Monday, Aug. 24,” Yılmaz noted.
The meeting will focus on determining the board’s working procedures and principles as well as establishing subcommittees in line with the requirements of the disarmament and dissolution process, he underlined.
Yılmaz added that the board could also discuss issues raised by its members that require coordination among government institutions.
The legislation was approved by Parliament with 467 votes before being signed by Erdoğan.
Yılmaz said the board would work in close coordination to strengthen Türkiye’s national unity, social cohesion and peace and fulfill the duties and responsibilities outlined under the new law.
“Our board will work in effective coordination for our national unity, brotherhood and peace and will make intensive efforts to fulfill all duties and responsibilities defined under Law No. 7595,” he said.
President Erdoğan on Tuesday night welcomed the enactment of a new law aimed at strengthening national solidarity and social integration, saying the legislation marked an important step toward Türkiye’s peaceful, prosperous and secure future.
“I hope the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration, which was adopted by 467 lawmakers in our veteran Parliament in a historic display of consensus and entered into force as of today, will bring beneficial results,” Erdoğan said in a statement on social media.
Erdoğan thanked Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli and the MHP parliamentary group, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, lawmakers from his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), as well as other political parties and lawmakers who adopted what he described as a constructive approach during the legislative process.
He also thanked state institutions and officials who contributed to advancing the process.
The president said the government would continue to manage the process with the same sincerity and diligence within the framework established by the new law and under the leadership of the relevant institutions and boards.
He added that the process would continue with an approach that takes into account the sensitivities of all segments of society, particularly the families of fallen soldiers and veterans.
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was adopted by Parliament with 467 votes in favor.
The legislation introduces temporary measures covering certain crimes committed as part of, or in support of, the activities of the PKK/KCK and affiliated groups.
Under the legislation, investigations, prosecutions and the execution of finalized prison sentences may be deferred for five or 10 years, depending on the nature of the offense and the length of the sentence.
Next steps in process
Before the measures outlined in the law can be implemented, Turkish security authorities must determine that the PKK/KCK and affiliated groups have effectively ended their organizational presence and surrendered the weapons and ammunition under their control.
That determination must then be confirmed through a decision by the National Security Council (MGK), which must be published in the Official Gazette.
Following the publication of the MGK decision, a six-month application period will begin for those seeking to benefit from the provisions.
Key provisions of law
PKK members involved in killings, as well as those prosecuted and sentenced for crimes carrying penalties such as life imprisonment before June 1, 2005, will be exempt from the deferrals. This includes most senior PKK cadres currently hiding in northern Iraq, as well as Abdullah Öcalan, who was previously sentenced to life imprisonment and is currently held in an island prison near Istanbul.
As a result, PKK ringleader Öcalan will not be eligible to benefit from these provisions. Individuals convicted of intentional killing will likewise remain outside the scope of the measures.
The law also stipulates that public officials carrying out duties under its provisions will not bear criminal liability for actions taken within the framework of the legislation.
The board overseeing the process will continue its work and prepare monitoring reports. Further legislative steps could then be considered, including possible changes to Türkiye’s Law on the Execution of Sentences, Anti-Terror Law, Turkish Penal Code and Political Parties Law.
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