Judicial reforms winning praise from Turkish public: Minister

TRABZON-Anadolu Agency

Turkey's new judicial reform package is being well received by the public since it takes into account every sector of society, the Turkish justice minister said on Oct. 4.

“It contains some important measures to strengthen freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and measures that will ease the judiciary's
workload and facilitate the daily lives of our people,” Abdulhamit Gül said at a regional justice assessment meeting in the Black Sea province of Trabzon.

Gül said the new Judicial Reform Strategy Document will serve as a roadmap for Turkey from now until the year 2023.

Legal stability is as important for a country as political and economic stability, he added, saying: “Without legal stability, people lack confidence in the judiciary.”

The reforms also include measures to help ensure legal precedents are followed, he said.

Using a victim-centered approach, the reforms support victims' rights, dignity, autonomy, and self-determination, he added.

“Along these lines, we're seeing up forensic interview rooms and child monitoring centers where women or children who have been subjected to sexual assault or violence will be able to testify without meeting with the perpetrator,” he added.

This year Turkey is set to implement the Judicial Reform Strategy Document, a plan unveiled on May 30 to improve the working of the nation's judiciary.