Türkiye’s parliament on July 16 approved a comprehensive reform bill, known publicly as the 12th judicial package, while excluding several measures previously announced by Justice Minister Akın Gürlek.
The bill, submitted by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers, introduces changes aimed at improving the “effective and efficient” functioning of the judiciary and includes new regulations addressing provisions previously annulled by the Constitutional Court.
Measures concerning children involved in crime, identity verification requirements for social media users, sentence execution rules and age limits for gender reassignment surgery were not included in the package.
AKP lawmaker Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu said many of the issues initially planned for the package would instead be presented to parliament through separate judicial reform bills.
Among the approved changes, the maximum period between hearings in civil cases will be limited to three months. Preliminary hearings in court cases will also be allowed to be conducted through a video conferencing system.
The package also reorganizes the Court of Appeals’ authority to overturn lower court decisions. Under the new regulation, except for rulings issued by regional courts of appeal acting as first-instance courts, decisions made by first-instance courts solely on grounds of lack of jurisdiction or authority will no longer be subject to reversal by the high court.
The bill allows judges to extend deadlines in cases requiring lengthy expert examinations or investigations through judicial assistance requests, provided they explain the reasons. It also introduces disciplinary sanctions for judges who unnecessarily appoint experts.
The reform limits the use of the postponement of the announcement of verdicts in cases involving torture and certain crimes of ill-treatment committed by public officials while performing their duties.
The legislation also gives heirs priority in the sale of inherited real estate by allowing only heirs to participate in the first public auction.
Another provision ends the practice of directly launching enforcement proceedings against the administration for monetary claims, attorney fees and litigation costs awarded by courts. Claimants will first have to apply in writing to the relevant administration and provide their bank account information before beginning enforcement proceedings.
According to AKP officials, the provision would affect around 400,000 files currently in investigation and prosecution phases.
