A new era in judicial reform: Highly debated 'unjust provocation' and 'good conduct' sentence reductions are being abolished

Within the scope of the Judicial Reform Strategy Document announced by President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, significant changes are being made to the judiciary. With the new reform package, it is planned to put an end to the 'unjust provocation' and 'good conduct' reductions that are frequently criticized in courts.

According to the report by Türkiye Gazetesi, new regulations regarding sentences given on the grounds of unjust provocation will be implemented in the first phase of the reform. Defendants will no longer be able to take advantage of this reduction mechanism to receive lighter sentences. On the contrary, an increase in sentences is foreseen for crimes committed under unjust provocation. 

For crimes requiring life imprisonment, the lower limit will be increased from 16 years to 22 years, and for crimes requiring aggravated life imprisonment, the lower limit will be increased from 22 years to 30 years.

IT HAD ONCE AGAIN COME TO THE AGENDA WITH THE PINAR GÜLTEKİN CASE 

The 'unjust provocation' reduction applied by the 1st Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation in the Pınar Gültekin murder verdict had drawn significant public backlash, and the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation had appealed this decision. The reactions to this and similar incidents were influential in accelerating the judicial reform process.

Furthermore, the 'good conduct' reduction applied in courts will also be abolished. Thus, the sentences of defendants in crimes that deeply wound the public conscience will not be mitigated. It is stated that the new regulation aims to increase trust in the judiciary. 

News Source: 12punto