President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statement on the Kobani Case: Not a 'protest', but an 'insurrection'

President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the 26th Term Judicial and 16th Term Administrative Judiciary Draw Ceremony.

EXTENDED HIS CONDOLENCES FOR RAISI

Highlights from Erdoğan's remarks are as follows:

I pray for God's mercy upon the late Raisi and other officials. On behalf of myself and my nation, I extend my condolences to the Iranian people. After receiving the news, we announced that we were ready to contribute to the search and rescue efforts with all our means. Our teams set out immediately to assist our Iranian brothers. We sent an Akıncı UAV and a helicopter to the region.

I had been in very close dialogue with the late Raisi. I personally witnessed the sincere efforts he made for both his country and our region during his time in office. I remember them with gratitude and appreciation. As Turkey, we will stand by the friendly and brotherly Iranian people, as we always have. I once again convey my deepest condolences.

"JUSTICE IS THE MAIN PILLAR OF OUR CIVILIZATION"

Today, we are together on the occasion of the draw ceremony for the 26th Term Judicial Judge and Public Prosecutor candidates. In addition to the 26th Term, we will also conduct the draw for some of our judicial and administrative judge candidates from different terms. Thus, with today's draw ceremony, we will be sending off 1,044 judges and public prosecutors to their posts across the four corners of our country. I wish them success in their new positions in advance. I want our judges and prosecutors to love this country very much, with all its 81 provinces and 85 million citizens, and to serve this state in the best possible way. I believe that these young brothers and sisters, all of whom are successful, diligent, and well-equipped, will uphold the banner of justice in the places they go. Hopefully, we will continue to support everyone who tries to fulfill their responsibilities to the country and the nation properly, just as we have for 21 years. With today's draw ceremony, we are bringing the number of our judges and prosecutors close to 25 thousand.

- Quality human resources are the fundamental element of a system's success in every field of life, regardless of whether it is the public or private sector. The primary condition for the flawless operation of the justice system is also qualified, trained, and sufficient personnel. With this understanding, at the very top of the steps we have taken to raise the standard of justice services is the increase in our personnel numbers. By increasing the number of judges and prosecutors, which was 9,349 when we came to power, by more than 2.5 times, we have eased the burden on our courts. The number of our auxiliary personnel increased from 26,274 to 96,650, and the number of staff in penal execution institutions increased from 25,407 to 83,000. While the number of personnel in our justice organization was 61,000 in 2002, this figure has reached 204,000. In addition to personnel, we have provided strong support to our justice community in terms of the number of courts, buildings, technology, and other areas. In other words, we have reached today's physical conditions from a 'basement' system. The number of courts increased by 99 percent in the judicial judiciary and 51 percent in the administrative judiciary. We established Courts of Appeal to minimize errors in court decisions and prevent congestion in appeals.

We put regional courts of justice into operation in 15 locations and regional administrative courts in 9 locations. We have shown sensitivity to ensuring that justice institutions have modern and functional spaces. With the 284 justice service buildings we have constructed, we have offered modern working conditions worthy of our judges, prosecutors, and lawyers. Beyond buildings and staffing, we have strengthened the rule of law with the legal regulations we have implemented, and we have created the legal and constitutional infrastructure for the judiciary to act impartially and independently. We have eliminated one by one the tools of tutelage that had permeated our legal system and stood in the way of the manifestation of justice. From ending the dual-headedness in the judiciary to the right to individual application, from target durations to e-government applications, from forensic medicine to expert witness systems, from the right not to be stigmatized to the institution of mediation, and from detention conditions to the expansion of freedom of expression, we have signed historical reforms that facilitate access to justice and accelerate the functioning of the justice system across a very wide spectrum. We will continue our work in this field without slowing down, with the goal of a justice system that inspires confidence and is accessible. Justice is the main pillar of our civilization.

We will be on the heels of every last FETÖ traitor until they are held accountable before the judiciary.

KOBANI EVENTS

The October 6-8 incident was never a protest demonstration; it was a terrorist insurrection in which 37 of our people were brutally murdered. Those who incited the October 6-8 events and caused our nation to experience such pain are known. No one can excuse or legitimize these events. We want everyone to understand by now that politics cannot be conducted in this country by turning the streets into a bloodbath.