Türkiye’s parliament passed the 10th Judicial Reform Package, expanding house arrest eligibility for women, minors, the elderly, and ill prisoners, and increasing penalties for assault, threats, and traffic offenses. It also allows repeat non-terror offenders early release, but has drawn criticism for excluding political prisoners. The pro-Kurdish DEM Party condemned the law as deepening judicial inequality, while opposition lawmakers accused the government of abandoning promised reforms and using the package for political gain. Eight articles were dropped, including controversial online content controls. Critics say the reforms fail to address mass incarceration tied to post-2016 crackdowns on the Gülen movement and Kurdish activists. Türkiye’s prison population now nears 400,000, exceeding capacity. While government allies call the package a step forward, legal experts and opposition figures argue it sidesteps systemic injustice and offers only superficial change without addressing political repression or true judicial reform.
Pray for the Türkiye’s lawmakers to reconsider the approved judicial reforms and to include the promised reforms. Pray for justice to prevail in the nation (The Holy Bible, Deuteronomy 27:19).
Pray for an end to the political repression in Türkiye. Pray for the government to uphold the rights and freedom of its citizens without any partiality (The Holy Bible, Job 36:6).
News Source: Turkish Minute
Image Source: Canva
