Criminal law in Turkey

Criminal law in the Republic of Türkiye is mainly based on the Türk Ceza Kanunu, often shortened to TCK. It describes crimes, required mental states, defenses, and possible punishments. A criminal case may begin with a complaint, a report, an arrest, an investigation, or information given to the authorities. The police and other law-enforcement bodies, called kolluk, gather information under the direction of a prosecutor. The Cumhuriyet savcısı, or public prosecutor, leads the public prosecution stage. The prosecutor investigates facts that may support both accusation and defense and may decide whether a case should be brought before a court. A person may be a suspect during investigation and a defendant after formal prosecution begins. These roles are different from being convicted, and a person is not legally guilty merely because an investigation exists. Gözaltı means being held by authorities during an investigation, while tutuklama means pretrial detention ordered by a judge under legal conditions. Neither term is the same as a final criminal sentence. Important safeguards include the right to a defense lawyer, the right to understand the accusation, the right to remain silent in appropriate circumstances, and the requirement that evidence be assessed through lawful procedure. The exact use of these rights depends on the stage and facts. A criminal trial may involve statements, documents, expert reports, physical evidence, witnesses, and digital records. The court assesses the evidence and decides whether the legal elements of the crime have been proven. Possible outcomes include dismissal, acquittal, conviction, a sentence, security measures, or another legally recognized result. Appeals and other remedies may exist, but their availability depends on the decision and procedure. Criminal law protects public safety and individual rights, but a case can affect liberty, reputation, work, family, and immigration status. Anyone arrested, detained, questioned, accused, or contacted as a witness should obtain qualified criminal-defense advice promptly.