Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors

Five public prosecutors involved in the stopping and searching of National Intelligence Organization (M?T) trucks in January 2013 have been removed from their duties by the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), on the grounds of the "safety of investigations and not harming the judiciary's influence or reputation."

I wrote a piece in this very column some three years ago with the exact same headline above: “The tragedy of Turkish justice.” I argued that Turkey’s justice system was a warzone between political camps, rather than being a fair arbiter of disputes. I concluded:

Attention in Turkey will now focus on the Sept. 12 elections for members of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), which oversees appointments and dismissals and conducts investigations in the judiciary.

Members of Turkey’s top judiciary body, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), will change with an election in October when the current members’ term in office expires.

The Supreme Election Board (YSK) has decided on the timetable of the elections, which will officially be announced in the Official Gazette on Aug. 26.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed a prosecution into suspects who were alleged members of “Selam Jerusalem Terrorist Organization,” which was mentioned in an eavesdropping case, saying there was not enough evidence to open a public case.

The Turkish government has replaced more than 2,500 judges and prosecutors, in its latest mass purge in the police and judiciary.