Details

Turkey - annual report 2019

Published: July 1, 2020

Strategic Framework

Legal Policy Starting Point

The possibilities for cooperation with Turkey in the area of law remain limited due to the internal political developments since 2013. A large number of laws have been passed in recent years, which have since restricted the independence of the judiciary in particular. Following the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016, the Turkish government declared a state of emergency, which remained in force until the presidential and parliamentary elections in summer 2018.

In the local elections of spring 2019, the AKP remained the strongest party at local level, taking 44 percent of all votes counted.

Work so far and Resumption of Cooperation

IRZ cooperated with its Turkish partners in a broad variety of measures from 2007 to 2013. Collaboration focused in particular on EU Twinning Projects in connection with the Turkish judicial reform strategy of 2009. But this was suspended due to the internal political developments, until IRZ resumed cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Justice in 2019 as part of a project funded by the European Union.

Project funded by the European Union

TAIEX: Study visit to Berlin by a delegation from the Turkish Ministry of Justice

In September 2019, IRZ joined with the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and the German Federal Bar to organise a two-day expert discussion in Berlin for a delegation from the Turkish Ministry of Justice. The Ministry had sent the invitation for a visit directly to TAIEX. The study visit was intended to address the issue of complaints about lawyers. The Turkish side expressed interest in an exchange of experience on this topic and in German law of lawyers in general. The discussions started at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, where the focus was on German legal provisions for lawyers, patent attorneys and notaries. The Turkish guests received more detailed information regarding criminal proceedings in court cases. During the subsequent discussion, representatives of the German Federal Bar described the administration of lawyers in Germany, their rights and duties, the course of appeal proceedings and the basics of criminal law investigations and proceedings against lawyers.

Outlook

It remains to be seen whether cooperation will be possible in 2020.