Criminal reform bill eases prison terms for sick, elderly
ANKARA
The parliament has approved a long-debated judicial reform package with a sweeping amendment to the country’s laws on the execution of sentences, opening the door to house arrest for sick and elderly prisoners.
Known publicly as the "10th judicial package," the proposal passed in a plenary session after lawmakers removed eight provisions from the original 30-article text following negotiations.
Under the new law, prisoners suffering from severe illness or disability who are not considered a serious threat to public safety will now be eligible for release or house arrest, with the exception of those sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment.
The decision will be made by the execution judge, and convicts’ medical conditions will be reviewed annually by prosecutor's offices.
The regulation also expands the scope of house arrest based on age. For women, children and individuals over 65, the maximum duration of house arrest will increase from one to three years.
For those aged 70 and above, the limit rises from two to four years, and for those over 75, it will extend from four to five years. Convicts over 80 will be eligible to serve up to six years of their sentence at home.
Electronic monitoring will become mandatory for inmates serving sentences of more than 10 years while under probation. Additionally, all convicts will now be required to spend at least one-tenth of their sentence in prison to qualify for probation.
The legislation also toughens penalties for a number of offenses. The lower limit of the sentence for intentional injury has been increased from one year to one year and six months.
If the injury only requires simple medical treatment, the penalty will now range from six months to one year and six months, up from the previous four-month minimum. The upper limit of prison time for aggravated forms of threats has risen from five to seven years.
Drunk or drug-impaired drivers will also face stricter punishment, with the lower limit of imprisonment increased from three to six months.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) introduced the bill amid what it calls the "terror-free Türkiye" initiative. The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) had pushed for broader measures addressing political prisoners and ill inmates.
The removed articles concerned traffic regulations, juvenile inmates and internet-related provisions.
