Constitutional Court of the Republic of Turkey

Dear Mr. President,

The Dutch Foundation Judges for Judges — which aims to support fellow judges abroad who have experienced or may experience problems related to their profession — kindly draws your attention to the case of our Turkish colleague Murat Arslan.

Murat Arslan, chairman of Judges and Prosecutors Association (YARSAV) was recently removed from his duty as reporter in the Constitutional Court. He was informed earlier this month by the Court’s Secretary-General that he had been relieved of his post which he had held for the past 10 years. No reasons therefore were given.

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We condemn the unreasoned removal of Murat Arslan against his will to his former judicial post, we therefore ask you as the President of the Constitutional Court for reinstatement of Murat Arslan to his duty as reporter in your Court.

[Read the whole letter (pdf)]

See also: J4J concerned by the arrest and ongoing detention of two Turkish judges

Judges for Judges is very concerned by the arrest and ongoing detention of two Turkish judges Metin Özçelik and Mustafa Başer since April 30th and the 1st of May respectively.

In a society based on the rule of law it is the duty of the government to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary. But we are alarmed by this apparent serious interference with the work of these judges in politically sensitive cases.

This because there are serious indications that these two judges were arrested and detained as a result of decisions they made while discharging their professional duties rather than on evidence of criminal activity.

Continue reading J4J concerned by the arrest and ongoing detention of two Turkish judges →

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• MEDEL stresses that the arres of Judges and Prosecutors based on decisions they made as part of their job clearly contradicts the Turkisch Constitution, the European Convention of Human Rights, al other international texts on this matter and the basic principles of Judicial Independence.
• MEDEL declares that it is unacceptable to use arrests and dismissals to intimidate and deter Judges and Prosecutors when they work on critical cases and stresses that arrests and dismissals must no be misused as punishment from the government.
• MEDEL condemns the arrest and dismissal of Judges and Prosecutors on the basis of decisions taken in the exercise of their judicial functions and calls for the immediate release of the Judges and Prosecutors and their reinstament in their former duties.

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(PDF) / MEDEL

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• MEDEL affirme que les arrestations de juges et de procureurs fondées sur les décisions qu’ils ont prises dans le cadre de leurs fonctions sont contraires à la Constitution turque, à la Convetion européenne de droits de l’Homme, à tous les textes internationaux en la matière et aux principes fondamentaux d’indépendance du pouvoir judicaire.
• MEDEL déclare qu’il est inacceptable que de juges eet procureurs qui travaillent sur des affaires sensibles soient menacés d’être incarcérés ou révouqués et que l’arrestation et la révocation ne doivent pas d’être utilesés comme des punititions par le gouvernement.
• MEDEL condamne les arrestations et les révocations des juges et procureurs turcs sur le fondement de leurs décisions juridictionnelles et appelle à la libération immédiate de nos collègues et à leur réintégration dans leurs fonctions.

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(PDF) / MEDEL