506 judges and prosecutors reassigned

The First Chamber of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) has reassigned 506 judges and prosecutors as part of the 2023 autumn decree based on excuses in judicial and administrative jurisdiction.

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The Chamber completed its work on the decree and announced it on the Council's website. Accordingly, the duty stations of a total of 506 judges and prosecutors, 480 in judicial jurisdiction and 26 in administrative jurisdiction, have been changed based on their requests for excuse.

JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS REASSIGNED

Within the scope of the decree, Beykoz Chief Public Prosecutor Mehmet Aydın was appointed as Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor of Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse.

Istanbul Regional Court of Justice Chamber President Tayyip Özdurmaz was appointed as President of the Bakırköy High Criminal Court, İzmir Regional Court of Justice Chamber President Aysel Gökçe as President of the İzmir High Criminal Court, Istanbul Anatolian High Criminal Court President Ziyaeddin Mümtaz as President of the Chamber at the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice, Istanbul Public Prosecutor Kadir Yılmaz as Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor of Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse, and Istanbul Regional Court of Justice Chamber President Reyhan Yaman as a judge in Bakırköy.

Ankara Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Ahmet Yıkılmaz was appointed as a Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Istanbul Anatolian Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Mesut Erdinç Bayhan as a Prosecutor at the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice, and Okan Bato, who previously served as İzmir Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor, was reassigned from his position as a Prosecutor at the Antalya Regional Court of Justice to a Prosecutor in Erzincan.

Ankara Public Prosecutors Melih Aladağ and Şenol Taşkale were appointed as Deputy Chief Public Prosecutors of Ankara. In administrative jurisdiction, Gaziantep Regional Administrative Court Chamber President Ferhat Metin was appointed as a member of the Istanbul Regional Administrative Court.

AYHAN BORA KAPLAN DETAIL

The decree, which includes notable reassignments, also involves the deputy chief public prosecutor leading the Ayhan Bora Kaplan investigation into an organized crime group. According to the decree, Ahmet Yıkılmaz, the deputy chief public prosecutor responsible for the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Smuggling and Organized Crime Investigation Bureau, was removed from this position and appointed as a Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation.

DİLAN POLAT INVESTIGATION PROSECUTOR

Another notable name in the decree was prosecutor Gökalp Kökçü. Prosecutor Kökçü, who was under investigation by the HSK for alleged bribery while conducting the Dilan Polat investigation, was removed from his position and appointed as a prosecutor to the Erzurum Regional Court of Justice (BAM).

HRANT DINK INVESTIGATION

Gökalp Kökçü also played a critical role in investigations that left a mark on Turkey's agenda. He was the prosecutor who conducted the investigation and prepared the indictment regarding public officials in the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) conspiracy allegations and the murder of Agos Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink. Kökçü had been removed from his post while conducting the investigation.

STATEMENT FROM MINISTER TUNÇ

Making a statement on the matter via his social media account, Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç said, "I wish this to be beneficial for our country and our judiciary community, and I wish our judges and public prosecutors success in their new duties."

The 2023 Autumn Decree based on excuses in Judicial and Administrative Jurisdiction has been completed by the First Chamber of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors.

The decree will be published on our HSK website (https://t.co/Vp8Znu1zTs) shortly.

I wish this to be beneficial for our country and our judiciary community…
— Yılmaz TUNÇ (@yilmaztunc) December 21, 2023