17.02.2026 14:35
The National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission will meet tomorrow (February 18, Wednesday) at 11:00 AM in the Parliament under the leadership of the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş. The joint report will be discussed at the 21st meeting.
The National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission will meet tomorrow at 11:00 AM in the Parliament under the leadership of the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş. The joint report will be discussed at the meeting.
DRAFT REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED
The report writing team, consisting of one representative from each political party group, formed under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, has completed the draft of the joint report.
RIGHT TO HOPE DESCRIBED INDIRECTLY
The expression "right to hope" was not directly included in the report, but an indirect description was provided.
LEGAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED
Additionally, there was a proposal to end the trustee practice and to amend the Turkish Penal Code and the Anti-Terror Law within the scope of a new definition of terrorism.
The report also includes a proposal for a law specific to the process.
THE REPORT CONSISTS OF 7 MAIN HEADINGS
The draft report obtained by BBC Turkish is 60 pages long. The report consists of seven main headings:
- Commission activities
- Basic objectives of the Commission
- Historical roots of Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood and the law of brotherhood
- Consensus areas of the individuals heard in the Commission
- Dissolution of the organization and laying down of arms
- Legal regulation proposals regarding the process
- Proposals related to democratization
HERE IS THE SECTION WHERE "RIGHT TO HOPE" IS DESCRIBED INDIRECTLY
The expression "right to hope" proposed by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli for PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan was not directly included in the report.
However, the following proposals were included in the section on "regulations regarding prosecution and execution" under the main heading of "democratization proposals":
- It is proposed that the execution legislation be reviewed in the context of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the Constitutional Court (AYM) and be re-evaluated on a basis that prioritizes execution justice.
- In particular, the execution processes of convicts, including conditional release conditions and execution durations, should be addressed with a more just, equitable, and holistic approach within the framework of universal principles of criminal law.
- For sick and elderly prisoners, the institution of postponement of execution should be evaluated, considering the fact that the right to life precedes every right.
- The structure and decision-making processes of prison administrations and observation boards should be reviewed by identifying the shortcomings in practice.
- Within the framework of universal principles of law and in line with the established case law of the ECHR and AYM, care should be taken to ensure that non-custodial trials are prioritized in all judicial processes. The legislation should be reviewed in accordance with the principle that detention is an exception, adhering to the conditions of detention in the law.
In Turkey, "terror" offenders who have been sentenced to death, like Öcalan, but whose sentences have been converted to aggravated life imprisonment upon the abolition of the death penalty, or who have been directly sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, cannot benefit from conditional release provisions.
DEMOCRATIZATION SECTION
In the section titled "expansion of rights and freedoms" under the main heading of "Democratization," the definition of terrorism is included, and it was proposed to end the trustee practice. The following proposals were included in the report regarding this matter:
- No act that does not involve violence should be classified as a terrorist crime, and actions that should fall under the scope of freedom of expression should not be considered terrorist crimes.
- In this context, it is proposed that the Turkish Penal Code, the Anti-Terror Law, and related legislation be restructured to strengthen freedom of expression within the framework of the principle of legal certainty.
- Legislation should be reviewed with the aim of removing obstacles to the full and complete exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms, which are inherent, inviolable, and inalienable, and an indispensable part of human dignity.
- It is proposed that the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations be restructured to expand rights and freedoms and preserve the essence of rights.
- The Turkey Human Rights and Equality Institution should be restructured to enhance its effectiveness.
- While effectively combating calls for violence, hate speech, and terrorist propaganda, it should be ensured that all forms of criticism, objection, and demand that remain within legal limits are protected as an integral part of democratic life; therefore, laws related to the press and publication should be reviewed.
- Statements of thought made for the purpose of criticism that do not exceed communication limits do not constitute a crime. Accordingly, laws that produce restrictive results on press freedom in practice should be re-evaluated within the framework of the principles of legal certainty and predictability.
- It is proposed to prepare new Political Parties Law and new election laws to ensure that general judicial processes and election judiciary are organized in accordance with the principles of certainty and legality as per Article 79 of the Constitution.
- Practices should be reviewed based on the preservation of the institutional identity of political parties, which are indispensable elements of democratic political life.
- It is proposed to prepare a Political Ethics Law.