23.02.2025 15:31
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç spoke today about the preparations for the "partial amnesty" regulation that was reported in the media. Minister Tunç stated, "Those who committed crimes earlier and are currently in prison did not benefit from this. The decision is up to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. A regulation can be made here in terms of the principle of equality, but this is not an amnesty." A notable call came from MHP member Feti Yıldız.
There is a regulation on the agenda that allows those who committed crimes before July 31, 2023, to complete their remaining sentences outside under supervised release. The regulation aims to grant rights to those who could not benefit from the "COVID law" enacted during the pandemic.
"REGULATION CAN BE MADE, BUT THIS IS NOT A PARDON"
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, who was in Ankara for the 8th Ordinary Congress of the AK Party, made statements regarding this regulation during a live broadcast. Minister Tunç said, "This is not a pardon reflected in the press today. Those in prison who benefited were those who were able to take advantage of the COVID law. However, those who committed crimes earlier than those currently in prison could not benefit from this. They have a request in this regard. The discretion is with the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. A regulation can be made here in terms of the principle of equality, but this is not a pardon."
SUPERVISED RELEASE FOR REMAINING SENTENCES
Reports indicated that the scope of the regulation, which foresees the execution of the remaining sentences of prisoners in open prisons under supervised release during the pandemic, would be expanded. If the regulation, expected to be added to the judicial package that will come to the agenda of the Assembly, is accepted, those who committed crimes before July 31, 2023, will also complete their remaining sentences outside under supervised release. Those who have committed crimes before July 31, 2023, and have five years or less remaining until their supervised release, will serve their remaining time under supervised release. Only those whose sentences were finalized benefited from the previous regulation as of July 31, 2023.
MHP ALSO SUPPORTS
MHP's Deputy Chairman responsible for Legal Affairs, Feti Yıldız, also stated on his social media platform X account, "The discussion that the supervised release regulation enacted in July 2023 during the COVID-19 pandemic is contrary to the equality principle of the Constitution has never ended. Hundreds of people call me every day." Yıldız shared the following message: "The regulation allows those who have five years or less remaining until their supervised release to serve their remaining time under supervised release. This regulation, which covers those whose sentences were finalized before July 31, 2023, does not cover those who committed crimes before that date but whose sentences have not been finalized."
WHAT IS THE COVID LAW?
With the Temporary Article added to Law No. 5275 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a regulation was implemented regarding supervised release, excluding terrorism and organized crime. The Temporary Article 9 added to the Law on the Execution of Sentences and Security Measures No. 5275 allowed prisoners in open penal institutions or those entitled to be separated to open penal institutions, as well as those whose sentences were decided to be executed under supervised release, to be granted leave for 2 months. Since April 14, 2020, the leave periods of prisoners on COVID leave have been extended every 2 months. Later, a regulation was made with the 6th paragraph of the Temporary Article 10 of Law No. 5275, stating that as of July 31, 2023, prisoners in closed penal institutions could be released to open penal institutions 3 years early if they met the necessary conditions, without the requirement of good behavior. The Temporary Article 10 was published in the Official Gazette on July 15, 2023, and came into force.