Project on Strengthening Judicial Ethics in Turkey
Project Information
Duration of the Project
24 months (December 2015 – December 2017)
Total Budget
€ 3,700,000
Project Beneficiary and other stakeholders
The High Council of Judges and Prosecutors is the main beneficiary of the Project. The other stakeholders are Turkish Justice Academy, The High Courts, the Union of Turkish Bars Associations and relevant NGOs.
Target Groups
Judges, prosecutors and auxiliary judicial staff, including members and staff of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors, lawyers, representatives from civil society organisations, academics.
Project Results
The expected results under the Project can be summarised under four main headings:
- A detailed analysis of the situation in the field of judicial ethics is made and a Code is developed.
- Awareness of the Turkish judges and prosecutors on judicial ethics is increased.
- Capacity of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors to implement the Code is enhanced.
- Public awareness on judicial ethics and the availability of complaint mechanisms is increased.
Project Activities
The results will be achieved through the following activities:
To make a detailed analysis of the situation in the field of judicial ethics and to develop a code:
- Regional meetings with judges and prosecutors to discuss and analyse frequent cases of ethical misconduct
- Meeting with lawyers about challenges related to judicial ethics, as seen from their perspective
- Organisation of international study visits to observe best practices and compare different approaches to judicial ethics
- Organisation of roundtable meetings with the participation of NGO representatives, academia and media in order to get their input and viewpoints as regards judicial ethics and the guidelines to be drafted
- Organisation of working group meetings to process the results of previous activities
- Organisation of an international conference to announce and present the Code of Ethics
To increase the awareness of the Turkish judges and prosecutors on judicial ethics:
- Design of training curricula and development of training materials
- Publication and dissemination of a guidebook on judicial ethics and other training materials
- Training Sessions for trainers of judges and prosecutors
- Cascade training
To enhance the capacity of the high council of judges and prosecutors to implement the code:
- Baseline study about complaints related to ethics, submitted by members of the general public to the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors.
- International study visits for the members, staff and Inspection Board of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors to observe practices in EU member states as regards judicial ethics complaints and related sanctions.
- International placements of secretariat members of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors and its Inspection Board into EU and/or other European or national structures supervising the respect of judicial ethics, or in anti-corruption or similar agencies.
- Internal seminars of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors to develop practices and policies regarding the link between judges’ and prosecutors’ respect of the Judicial Guidelines and their career advancement.
To increase public awareness on judicial ethics and the availability of complaint mechanisms:
- Media event to present the content of the new ethics guidelines.
- Information campaign for the general public about the new ethics guidelines and avenues for submitting complaints.
Project News
7th Working Group Meeting on the Development of a Code of Judicial Ethics in Istanbul
Consultation Meetings with Judicial Support Staff in Ankara and Istanbul
6th Working Group Meeting for the Drafting of a Code of Ethics for the Turkish Judiciary
4th and 5th Working Group Meetings for the Drafting of a Code of Ethics for the Turkish Judiciary
3rd Working Group Meeting for the Drafting of a Code of Ethics for the Turkish Judiciary
Activities on the Drafting of a Code of Ethics in Turkey Continue
Working Group starts developing a Code on Judicial Ethics
2nd Steering Committee Meeting of the Project on “Strengthening Judicial Ethics in Turkey”
Lawyers met to contribute to the determination of challenges related to judicial ethics in Turkey
Civil society, media and academia contribute to consultations on judicial ethics in Turkey
Project on Judicial Ethics was launched in Turkey