The New Wind of Change in Turkey's Justice System: The 8th Judiciary Package

New legal regulations in Turkey, bringing significant changes in the field of law, have been implemented through the efforts of the Ministry of Justice. The "Law Amending Some Laws, Including the Criminal Procedure Code" numbered 7499, published in the Official Gazette on March 12, 2024, has come into effect.

These new legal regulations aim to expedite the administration of justice and make judicial processes more effective. Particularly noteworthy is the abolishment of the application of time limit extension petitions in criminal trials.

With amendments made to the Criminal Procedure Code and the Execution and Bankruptcy Law, the time frames determined for legal remedies have been changed from days to weeks and months, and the application periods have been harmonized. The periods for objection, appeal, and cassation applications have been determined as two weeks from the notification of the reasoned decision.

Changes in the Execution and Bankruptcy Law include new provisions regarding the commencement and termination of periods, as well as the expansion of appeal routes for debtors and creditors.

Significant amendments have been made in the Turkish Civil Code concerning the execution of finalized prison sentences and restriction decisions. The emphasis is on the individual's requests and needs in the process of lifting restriction decisions.

Changes in the Turkish Penal Code include adjustments to the amounts of administrative fines and the introduction of separate penalties for crimes committed on behalf of organizations.

In the Criminal Procedure Code, new measures have been introduced alongside arrest, detention, and judicial control procedures to ensure fair and efficient legal processes.

Regarding the resolution of applications made to the European Court of Human Rights through compensation, important changes have been made. This includes the regulation of processes for claiming compensation for damages arising from delayed justice and protection measures.

Finally, amendments in the Personal Data Protection Law address exceptions to processing special categories of personal data and the transfer of personal data abroad. Additionally, the possibility of challenging administrative fines imposed by the Board has been introduced.

These comprehensive changes in Turkey's justice system aim to strengthen the rule of law and ensure the administration of justice. The effective implementation of these new regulations is intended to establish a more just and reliable legal system.