Politics
Türkiye aims for local, national protection in cyberspace
Details of the inaugural meeting of the Cyber Security Board held on Tuesday in Ankara revealed that Türkiye has a vision of keeping its own data within its borders and developing a security system with locally made components.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan chaired the meeting of the board in the capital. Ministers, the intelligence chief, the head of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications and the chief of the cybersecurity directorate, as well as the secretary-general of the National Security Council and head of the Presidency of Defense Industries, attended the meeting.
A report by the Sabah newspaper delved into discussions at the meeting, including talks on global cyberattack risks, data sovereignty, AI-supported disinformation and risks the critical infrastructure faces.
Topics of the meeting included the KamuNet end-to-end public sector network, an artificial intelligence shield, steps needed to end dependence abroad on chips and software, protection plans for vital sectors like energy, finance and health care, and boosting the rapid response capacity in times of crises. The report says that the country aims to continue development of national software, hardware and engineering capacity against cyberattacks and defend the cyber infrastructure.
Participants emphasized that cybersecurity was not merely a technical issue but a basic element of national security. They also highlighted that Türkiye should remain committed to elevating the defense of the “digital homeland” to the highest level in the face of globally expanding cyberattacks, data leaks and the risk of digital manipulation.
Data sovereignty was extensively discussed at the meeting with participants, highlighting the importance of storing and processing Türkiye’s strategic data within the country and decreasing dependence on foreign systems. They underlined that end-to-end networks like KamuNet, the national software inventory and national artificial intelligence solutions would speed up the “digital independence” process.
The “Artificial Intelligence Shield” strategy developed by the Directorate of Communications was also discussed at the meeting. This system aims to boost the data security of public agencies, prevent disinformation and set up a strong line of defense against digital manipulation. Participants also stressed that locally made AI chips, software and encrypted networks would further reinforce digital independence.
Participants also talked about risks posed by dependence on foreign software and hardware and assessed that foreign-sourced systems used in critical infrastructure may pose a serious security challenge in times of a crisis, and Türkiye should boost locally made solutions against “technological domination” from abroad. They discussed cyber threats, which have evolved into tools to engineer public opinion, and how psychological warfare elements and disinformation have been more prevalent. They stressed steps taken to ensure special protection against cyberattacks for critical sectors from energy, health care, finance, defense industry, transportation and media. The board agreed to maximize the coordination between public agencies and enhance the rapid response capacity against cyber threats.
The meeting was a confirmation of Türkiye’s ambitions to be an actor in cybersecurity with deterrent power, instead of remaining merely a defender in cyberspace. It also confirmed that Türkiye would position itself as a country determining its own fate in the digital world and a country where any digital infiltration and attack would be costly for its perpetrators.
Türkiye’s Parliament approved the first seven articles of a legislative package on Thursday that introduces stricter rules for novice drivers, including the cancellation of licenses for repeated traffic violations during a two-year probationary period.
The amendments to the Highway Traffic Law were adopted as part of a broader bill that also includes provisions to increase the minimum pension. The changes were introduced following a ruling by Türkiye’s Constitutional Court requiring revisions to the existing legislation.
Under the new rules, individuals obtaining a driver’s license for the first time, as well as motorists whose licenses have previously been revoked and later reinstated, will be classified as probationary drivers for two years from the date their license is issued.
During this period, a probationary license will be revoked if the driver commits any offense that results in the temporary suspension of a driver’s license, accumulates more than 75 penalty points, or is found driving with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 0.20 promille, regardless of vehicle type.
The legislation also provides for the cancellation of a probationary license if the driver commits any of three key traffic violations three times during the probation period. These include failing to comply with turning rules, failing to yield to pedestrians at designated crossings and violating mandatory seat belt or other protective equipment requirements for drivers and passengers.
Drivers whose probationary licenses are revoked must complete the licensing process again. They must re-enroll in a certified driving course, pass the required examinations and obtain a new driver certificate before reapplying for a license.
Applicants will also be required to undergo a psychotechnical assessment and psychiatric evaluation demonstrating they are fit to drive, pay all outstanding traffic fines, and complete any mandatory waiting period associated with previous suspensions or revocations.
At the beginning of this year, Parliament approved a comprehensive amendment to the Highway Traffic Law, significantly increasing penalties for dangerous driving, in a move officials say is aimed at cutting road deaths by half.
The law imposes a TL 140,000 (approximately $4,375) fine on drivers who alter license plates to make them unreadable, along with a 30-day vehicle impoundment. Failing to yield to vehicles with the right of way carries a TL 15,000 fine.
Running a red light six times in one year will result in permanent revocation of a driver’s license. Drivers who cause accidents by running red lights will face a 60-day suspension and must undergo a psychotechnical evaluation before regaining their licenses.
German lawmaker Maximilian Krah recently said parliamentary officials had twice blocked planned visits to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), arguing that Turkish Cypriots and their institutions deserved international recognition.
Speaking to Bayrak Radio Television (BRT), Krah noted he and his fellow lawmaker Achim Köhler had submitted two requests to Germany’s parliamentary Human Rights Committee to visit the territory, but both were rejected.
“They stopped us, but we will come anyway,” Krah emphasized, alleging that some political circles in Germany did not want lawmakers to examine conditions on the island firsthand.
Krah described the current status quo in Cyprus as unsustainable and said previous settlement efforts had failed because of the Greek Cypriot side’s position. He argued that Turkish Cypriots had established functioning state institutions and a legal system that merited recognition.
He linked renewed international attention on Cyprus to Türkiye’s growing geopolitical role, the strategic importance of the eastern Mediterranean and continuing human rights debates.
Krah called for a settlement that protects the rights of both communities, including property rights, while promoting peace in the eastern Mediterranean.
He called the decision to block the visits “hypocrisy.”
The lawmaker, who served six years in the European Parliament, currently sits on the Bundestag’s European Affairs Committee and serves as rapporteur on Cyprus and Türkiye.
A new bill proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which calls for life imprisonment for perpetrators of serious offenses committed between the ages of 15 and 18, was approved by Parliament’s Justice Committee early Wednesday.
The bill is one of the most comprehensive legislative packages addressing children involved in crime. Its most notable provision is the introduction of life sentences for offenders as young as 15, although such sentences would remain at the court’s discretion.
Murders committed by minors and the increasing use of children by criminal gangs to carry out shootings have come under the spotlight in Türkiye in recent years.
A series of fatal stabbing incidents involving teenagers has intensified public debate over youth violence and the factors driving minors toward crime. One of the most widely reported cases occurred on Jan. 24, 2025, when 14-year-old Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi was stabbed by a 15-year-old attacker at a street market in Istanbul. Minguzzi died on Feb. 9 after spending 16 days in intensive care.
Just two months later, another fatal stabbing shocked the public in the northern province of Tokat, where 17-year-old national athlete Berkay Melikoğlu was killed.
In one of the most recent incidents, 17-year-old Atlas Çağlayan died after being stabbed during an argument in Istanbul on Jan. 14, with initial findings indicating that the suspect was 15 years old.
Briefing the committee during deliberations on the bill, Mehmet Ökmen, director general of legislation at the Justice Ministry, disclosed statistics on children driven to crime.
“Investigations were launched into 187,300 children in 2025. The total number of alleged offenses in these investigations stands at 412,775. However, this does not mean that all of these children will be convicted or sent to prison,” Ökmen said.
Ökmen also shared data on recidivism rates among both children and adults. According to the data, individuals, whether juveniles or adults, who commit theft are likely to commit the same type of offense repeatedly. In contrast, children who get into one-on-one fights with classmates or friends at school, in the classroom, in dormitories or at training courses generally have a very low rate of repeating such behavior.
Referring to increased penalties for parents whose actions lead to their children becoming involved in the criminal justice system, Ökmen cited a court ruling from Germany as an example.
“In Germany, a father noticed traffic signs that had been removed from the streets in his child’s room but did nothing about it. When a fatal traffic accident later occurred because those signs were missing, the court held the father responsible,” Ökmen said.
Officials also shared additional figures with the parliamentary committee.
There are currently 1,372 convicted juveniles and 3,191 juveniles in pretrial detention in the 12-18 age group. Another 10,700 children are under probation supervision.
As of 2025, 78,733 counseling and rehabilitation sessions have been conducted as part of rehabilitation efforts. Authorities held 16,238 family meetings, while 2,541 children participated in group counseling or intervention programs. A total of 1,033 training courses were organized, with 11,595 participants enrolled.
In 2025, courts issued 97,881 protective measures concerning children. Of these, 43,270 were counseling measures, 23,612 were education measures, 23,251 were health-related measures, 7,710 were care measures, and 72 were shelter or accommodation measures.
There are currently 2,300 specialists working in juvenile education centers and prisons, including 990 psychologists, 208 social workers and 369 sociologists. Officials announced that by the end of the year, the system will be reinforced with 427 additional specialists, including 290 psychologists, 10 child development specialists, 52 social workers and 75 teachers.
Authorities detained an Eyüpsultan deputy mayor and two municipal officials on Wednesday as part of an expanding corruption investigation centered on the opposition-run Çankaya Municipality in the Turkish capital, prosecutors said.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said Eyüpsultan Deputy Mayor Hasan Karabulut, Eyüpsultan Municipality Chief of Staff Güray Geçyatan and Benan Esengül were taken into custody in connection with the investigation.
The latest detentions follow a July 11 operation targeting the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Çankaya Municipality in Ankara. Çankaya Mayor Hüseyin Can Güner was among dozens of suspects detained during the operation.
A court later ordered the arrest of Güner and 23 other suspects pending trial, and Türkiye’s Interior Ministry subsequently suspended Güner from office.
Prosecutors are investigating Güner and a total of 35 suspects on allegations including establishing and membership in a criminal organization, bribery and bid-rigging in public tenders.
The prosecutor’s office announced the investigation remains ongoing.
Güner, 32, graduated from Ankara University’s Faculty of Law in 2015 and joined the CHP in 2012. He served in various party positions before being elected mayor of Çankaya in the March 2024 local elections. He was also elected to the CHP’s Party Assembly in 2023.
Dozens of mayors and municipal bureaucrats from the CHP were detained or arrested in the past two years in investigations focusing on corruption. The majority of allegations involve bribery in return of construction permits, which are otherwise subject to strict regulations, and rigging the lucrative tenders of municipalities.
Turkish authorities detained 355 irregular migrants and 25 suspected migrant smugglers during nationwide inspections across all 81 provinces, the Interior Ministry announced Wednesday, as the government continued its crackdown on irregular migration and human smuggling networks.
The ministry said the operation involved identity checks on 427,968 people and inspections at 14,142 locations, including abandoned buildings, public venues, transportation terminals and other sites believed to be used by migrant smugglers.
According to the ministry, the operation was coordinated by the Directorate of Migration Management, the National Police’s Anti-Migrant Smuggling and Border Gates Department, the Gendarmerie’s Anti-Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking Department and the Coast Guard Command.
More than 26,000 personnel, supported by 8,785 teams, carried out inspections at 5,400 operational points. Authorities said 3,795 abandoned buildings, 7,447 public venues, 449 transportation terminals and 2,451 additional locations were searched.
The ministry said three of the 25 suspected migrant smugglers detained were foreign nationals. Procedures to deport the 355 irregular migrants have been initiated, it added.
Separately in an operation carried out in Istanbul on the same day, the police detained 39 irregular migrants and four suspected migrant smugglers.
Police said officers from Istanbul’s Anti-Migrant Smuggling and Border Gates Division stopped two vehicles in the Fatih district after receiving information that they were transporting irregular migrants. Two suspects and nine migrants were detained, while officers also seized an inflatable boat believed to have been used in smuggling activities.
Investigators later identified three so-called “shock houses” safe houses allegedly used to shelter migrants before onward transportation in the Fatih and Bahçelievler districts. Simultaneous raids at the locations resulted in the detention of two additional suspects and 30 irregular migrants.
The migrants were transferred to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management for processing, while judicial procedures against the four suspects remain ongoing.
Türkiye’s Justice Ministry announced on Monday the establishment of specialized terrorism investigation units within provincial prosecutors’ offices across the country in an effort to improve coordination, consistency and efficiency in terrorism-related investigations.
According to a directive prepared on the instructions of Justice Minister Akın Gürlek and signed by Deputy Justice Minister Can Tuncay, dedicated Terror Crimes Investigation Bureaus will be established within provincial chief public prosecutors’ offices. The directive was sent to 175 chief public prosecutors’ offices with heavy penal court jurisdiction in all 81 provinces.
Under the new system, prosecutors assigned to the bureaus will handle only terrorism-related cases and will not be assigned other prosecutorial duties, including court appearances, on-call shifts or unrelated investigations.
The directive said terrorism offenses directly affect public security, social order, the constitutional system and the country’s territorial integrity, emphasizing that investigations should be conducted promptly, carefully and in accordance with existing legislation.
All terrorism-related investigations will be carried out through the newly established bureaus. District prosecutors’ offices will be permitted to conduct urgent investigative procedures only upon instruction from the relevant provincial prosecutor’s office, after which case files must be transferred without delay.
The measure is an administrative directive governing the internal division of work within prosecutors’ offices rather than a legislative amendment.
Specialized terrorism investigation bureaus already operate in major courthouses, including those in Ankara, Istanbul, Diyarbakır and Van. The new directive expands that model to all chief public prosecutors’ offices with heavy penal court jurisdiction across Türkiye and requires prosecutors assigned to those bureaus to work exclusively on terrorism-related cases.
The Justice Ministry also ordered the creation of a monthly coordination mechanism between prosecutors and law enforcement agencies. Meetings, coordinated by the ministry’s General Directorate of Criminal Affairs, will bring together officials from the Interior Ministry’s police and gendarmerie counterterrorism departments to review ongoing investigations, developments involving terrorist organizations and operational priorities.
The ministry said monthly nationwide statistics on terrorism investigations will also be compiled and shared with relevant security institutions before the coordination meetings to support intelligence sharing and policy planning.
Turkish authorities said the measures are designed to strengthen institutional coordination among prosecutors’ offices and improve the effectiveness of terrorism investigations.
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