Authorities have begun parole procedures for thousands of inmates following the implementation of a major judicial reform bill, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced on Dec. 25.
"The main purpose of this regulation is to prevent delays in investigation and prosecution processes, which occur outside the will of the convict, from resulting in an unfavorable outcome for the individual," Tunç said in a social media post.
The legislation, widely known as the 11th judicial package, aims to streamline the transition from closed prisons to open facilities and parole, potentially affecting more than 100,000 prisoners in the coming months.
Under the new rules, inmates convicted of crimes committed before July 31, 2023, can qualify for transfers to open prisons and subsequent probation up to three years earlier than previously allowed. The reform also expands the "COVID leave" policy, a 2020 pandemic-era measure that permitted certain inmates to remain outside of prison if they had five years or less remaining before their official probation date.
"In this way, the differences that arise between convicts who are in similar situations as of the date of the crime are eliminated and the principle of equality in execution is strengthened," Tunç wrote.
Following strong backlash, MPs narrowed the scope of the package to exclude those convicted of serious violent crimes. The exclusions apply to the intentional killing of women, sexual assault, child abuse and offenses related to the collapse of buildings during earthquakes.
