General prosecution office eyes name change for ‘global recognition’

ANKARA

Bekir Şahin, the head of the General Prosecution Office of the Court of Appeals, has proposed changing the body's name to the "General Prosecution Office of the Turkish Republic" in a bid to enhance its international standing and better reflect its role.

The responsibilities of the prosecution office extend beyond the top appeals court, with members serving as chief public prosecutors at institutions such as the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the Court of Disputes, Şahin told daily Hürriyet on Jan. 7.

Additionally, the office oversees the dissolution of political parties, making it, in Şahin's words, "de facto the attorney general of the country."

This proposition aligns with a previous statement by Court of Appeals chief Mehmet Akarca, who argued for the establishment of equivalence between Türkiye's judicial authorities and the system of country attorneys general, a practice widely adopted in other nations.

One of the key motivations behind the proposed name change is to strengthen Türkiye's representation in international legal matters, according to Şahin. While the organization representing Türkiye at the International Union of Prosecutors signs memorandums of understanding with various countries, the country's name is notably absent from these texts, he pointed out.

Drawing attention to examples from other nations, Şahin highlighted the specificity with which they identify their attorney general's office, emphasizing the need for a similar equivalence in Türkiye.

The chief prosecutor further argued that the revamped office, under its new name, should be responsible for investigating "attacks on Türkiye's national and spiritual values abroad," a task currently handled by the chief public prosecutor's office in the capital Ankara. Şahin believes that such a move would be more effective globally, asserting that crimes against the country should be investigated by an office bearing the country's name.

To implement this proposed change, a constitutional amendment would be required. Despite the challenge, Şahin expressed optimism about the potential success. "If it is brought to parliament as a constitutional amendment proposal after the local elections, I think it will be accepted with the support of the opposition," he stated.

Moreover, Şahin highlighted that a positive outcome could empower the office to investigate a broader range of crimes, including transnational cybercrimes, illegal trade, international human trafficking, the use of artificial intelligence in criminal activities and money laundering through cryptocurrency.

Anticipating that the constitutional amendment could be achieved this year, Şahin is hopeful that the general prosecution office will soon bear its new name.