The Turkish authorities have drafted an ‘early parole law’  in response to the corona virus crisis. The Platform for an Independent Judiciary in Turkey urges those responsible to consider judges and prosecutors on the same grounds as other prisoners – without bias or predefined restriction.

The four European judges associations call on the President of Turkey, its Minister of Justice, and the President and Secretary-General of Parliament to include the imprisoned magistrates in the list of prisoners, whose sentences are going to be
postponed or who will be put under house arrest.

Decisions on early release during the ongoing pandemic crises should be non-discriminatory – taking into consideration the imperative of protecting their health – and objective, based on the risk prisoners may pose to others if released early.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Edith Zeller
President of the Association of European Administrative Judges 

José Igreja Matos
President of the European Association of Judges

Tamara Trotman
President of Judges for Judges

Filipe Marques
President of Magistrats Européens pour la Democratie et les Libertés