11th Judicial Package in Parliament: Early release path for 115,000 convicts

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKIYE — NOVEMBER 27, 2025

The 38-article 11th Judicial Package, submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) by AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler, introduces radical changes to the execution system and new measures in the fight against social crimes.

Expanding the scope of the practice known to the public as the "Covid Regulation," the proposal opens the way for the release of a total of 115,000 convicts by moving the probation period 3 years earlier. The package also aggravates penalties for stray bullets, blocking roads in traffic, and organized crimes.

Equality in execution and early release

The most critical article of the proposal was the probation regulation introduced for crimes committed on or before July 31, 2023. The regulation, which currently covers only those who were in prison on that date, has been expanded to include those who were not in prison on that date because their trial was ongoing but who committed the crime before this date.

According to the statements of AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler and MHP's Feti Yıldız, the details of the regulation are as follows:

• Scope: Convicts of crimes committed on or before July 31, 2023, will be able to transfer to an open penal execution institution or move to probation 3 years earlier.

• Number of Beneficiaries: It is expected that the total number will reach 115,000, with 55,000 convicts benefiting in the first stage and another 60,000 people within the following 6 months.

  
  

• Legal Guarantee: In case the regulation results against the convict, general provisions will be applied to prevent loss of rights.

Heavy penalties for social crimes

The package aims to increase deterrence against acts that disrupt public order:

• Firing into the Air: The penalty for the crime of firing a gun in a residential area in crowded places such as weddings and engagements will be increased by half.

• Traffic Magandas: A prison sentence of 1 to 3 years is envisaged for acts of blocking roads, stopping vehicles, or obstructing flow in traffic.

• Organized Crimes: In order to prevent criminal organizations from using young people, penalties will be increased if children are used in organizational activities.

Scalpel to economic and cyber crimes

New measures taken within the scope of combating economic crimes and fraud are listed as follows:

• Rental Vehicles: The penalty will be increased if the subject of the crime of abuse of trust is a motor vehicle (selling or dismantling rental vehicles).

• Blocking Accounts: In fraud crimes committed using information systems, banks will be able to suspend suspicious accounts for up to 48 hours.

• GSM Lines: While a chipped ID requirement is introduced for GSM subscriptions, inactive lines belonging to deceased persons will be checked and closed every 3 months.

www.wisenewspress.com