Turkish lawmakers are preparing an amendment to a major judicial reform bill to ensure that those responsible for deadly building collapses in earthquakes will not benefit from early release provisions as the legislation prepares to grant freedom to over 50,000 other inmates.
Known publicly as the 11th Judicial Package, the proposal introduces a significant shift in parole eligibility.
Under the proposal, inmates convicted of crimes committed before July 31, 2023, would qualify for transfers to open prisons and subsequent probation up to three years ahead of schedule.
It also expands what is widely known as the “COVID leave,” a measure first introduced during the pandemic.
This 2020 regulation allowed for the temporary release of inmates in open prisons due to COVID-19, enabling earlier transfers to open facilities and earlier eligibility for probation. Those who had five years or less remaining before qualifying for probation were allowed to remain outside prison without returning.
Abdullah Güler, parliamentary group chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said a technical study is underway to define offenses related to buildings that collapsed during earthquakes and add them to the bill’s list of exceptions.
This follows protests and public statements by relatives of those killed in the Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes, which killed more than 50,000 people across southern Türkiye and led to widespread investigations into contractors, developers and public officials over building safety violations.
Following strong public backlash, lawmakers had already narrowed the scope of the regulation by excluding serious violent crimes, including the intentional killing of women — such as spouses and former spouses — as well as sexual assault and sexual abuse of children.
Though the regulation is expected to lead to the release of 55,000 inmates initially, this figure could potentially rise to around 115,000 in the following months.
