REPUBLIC OF TÜRKİYE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

With the Presidential Decree published in the Official Gazette, Mr. Akın Gürlek was appointed as the Minister of Justice, succeeding Mr. Yılmaz Tunç.

At the handover ceremony held at the Ministry of Justice, Minister Akın Gürlek expressed his gratitude to the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for entrusting him with the office.

Recalling that the significant reforms in the fields of law and justice have been introduced under the leadership of President Erdoğan, Minister Gürlek emphasized that judicial reforms, human rights action plans, and advancements in the digital justice infrastructure have contributed to strengthening of the justice system.

Pointing out that the justice system constitutes the common guarantee of citizens, Minister Gürlek stated as follows: “In the Century of Türkiye, we will resolutely continue reforms in line with the principle of a strong state and strong justice. We will maintain our uncompromising stance in combating crime. We will persist in accelerating judicial processes, reinforcing digital infrastructure, and consolidating legal security.”

Minister Gürlek described the change of office as a “relay race”, noting that they will strive to carry the entrusted responsibility further. He added as follows: “In consultation with the members of the judiciary, academia, bar associations, civil society, and our nation, we will endeavor to build a stronger rule of law.”

I WILL EXERT EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES

Recalling that he himself comes from within the judiciary, having served both as a judge and a public prosecutor, Minister Gürlek stated as follows: “I closely follow the problems of our fellow judges and public prosecutors. Hopefully, I will exert every effort to resolve these problems.”

Minister Gürlek also expressed his gratitude to Mr. Yılmaz Tunç for his contributions and service to date.

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE HONOR AND PRIDE OF STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF THE JUSTICE ORGANIZATION

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Yılmaz Tunç stated that he had been entrusted with the office of the Minister of Justice on 4 June 2023 with the approval of the President Erdoğan, and that today he was handing over the office to Mr. Gürlek with honor and pride.

Recalling that his political journey with President Erdoğan has spanned a long period of time, Mr. Tunç said as follows: “For more than two and a half years, we have been together. We have experienced the honor and pride of strengthening the capacity of the justice organization.”

Mr. Tunç emphasized that Türkiye has continued to develop over the past 23 years, sustaining its democratic progress. In this context, he noted that the reform efforts in the Constitution and legislation have been carried out to consolidate the democratic rule of law. Stating that the public offices are “a trust of the nation”, Mr. Tunç extended his best wishes for success to the Minister of Justice Mr. Akın Gürlek in his new position.

Following the speeches, Mr. Akın Gürlek and Mr. Yılmaz Tunç presented flowers to each other.