Justice Minister Gürlek Comments on 'Right to Hope' and Social Media Regulations

Current Legislation and the Right to Hope Justice Minister Akın Gürlek made significant statements regarding the execution processes for terror convicts sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment.
Gürlek noted that under current laws, sentences for those convicted of terrorism are served for life.
"There is no possibility of conditional release for those whose sentences were commuted from the death penalty or those who received aggravated life sentences for terrorism.
Therefore, there is no 'right to hope' application within the current framework," Gürlek stated.
He emphasized that the authority to make any new regulations on this matter rests entirely with the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
General Amnesty and Social Media Regulations Minister Gürlek stressed that potential legal regulations would not lead to a general amnesty.
He stated that the fundamental condition for any process is for the terrorist organization to lay down its arms and dissolve itself.
Gürlek noted that the state's security units would determine if these conditions are met, while the Ministry of Justice would provide technical support for legislative work in Parliament.
Regarding social media, the Minister announced a transition period during which fake accounts will be closed.
He stated that identity verification requirements will be introduced, including verification via passports and mobile phones for citizens living abroad.
Security Measures for Lawyer Consultations Addressing restrictions on lawyer-client meetings, Gürlek reminded that such measures can only be implemented with concrete evidence and a judicial decision.
He stated that using these meetings to transmit organizational instructions is unacceptable in a state governed by the rule of law, adding that European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings find such restrictions reasonable in terrorism-related cases.