Justice System and Everyday Life in Türkiye
🥩 Kayseri Pastrami Secures EU Geographical Indication Status
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, has announced that Kayseri pastırması has been granted European Union geographical indication status, becoming the 46th Turkish product to receive the designation. In a statement, he noted that the registration process faced objections and required extensive legal and technical efforts before success was achieved, congratulating local stakeholders in Kayseri for their role. He added that work is ongoing for a further 46 geographical indications and two traditional speciality names currently under EU review, highlighting Türkiye’s rich diversity of region-specific products.
⚖️ Justice Call Ahead of Rönesans Residence Trial
Ahead of the 3 April hearing into the collapse of Rönesans Rezidans—one of the most emblematic buildings destroyed in the 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquakes—lawyers and bereaved families gathered at the Istanbul Bar Association to demand accountability for a disaster that claimed hundreds of lives. Lawyer Yeşim Toplu, who lost family members in the collapse, delivered an emotional appeal, saying she would face the defendants in court and urging judges to ensure a fair trial. Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu also criticised the political context following the disaster, noting that the 2023 elections were brought forward shortly after the quake without clear justification. Families and legal representatives have called on the public to stand in solidarity and not remain silent as the case proceeds.
⚖️ ‘Newborn Gang’ Trial Continues Amid Fierce Criticism of Prosecutor
The second session of the eighth hearing in the so-called Yenidoğan davası has concluded at the Bakırköy 22nd High Criminal Court, where 63 defendants—10 of them in custody, including doctors and healthcare workers—stand accused of directing infant emergency patients to pre-arranged private hospital neonatal units, allegedly contributing to multiple deaths. Prosecutors called for the continuation of detentions, while defence lawyers sharply criticised the investigation, accusing lead prosecutor Yavuz Engin of media leaks, misconduct, and violating the right to a fair trial, with one lawyer branding him a “paper hero”. Defence teams also questioned delays in launching the investigation despite earlier deaths and pointed to alleged inconsistencies in the indictment, arguing systemic issues in the healthcare sector rather than organised criminal intent. The court is still awaiting key forensic and financial reports, and proceedings are set to resume the following morning.
⚠️ Fake MHRS Sites Scam Targets Patients Booking Appointments
Fraudsters are targeting users of Türkiye’s official hospital booking platform, Merkezi Hekim Randevu Sistemi, by creating convincing imitation websites that trick people into making payments. Victims attempting to book appointments are redirected to fake pages displaying warnings about supposed unpaid debts and prompting immediate payment; once approved, money is withdrawn from their accounts. Cybersecurity expert Ali Murat Kırık urged users to verify website addresses before entering any information, stressing that digital fraud is increasingly about awareness as much as technology, while legal expert Hadi Dündar emphasised that no fees are ever charged through MHRS and that such schemes constitute aggravated fraud under Turkish law. Citizens are advised to confirm any financial claims via the e-Devlet system, where official records can be checked securely.
🧾 Top Court Clears Nine Turkish Parties in Financial Audits
Türkiye’s Constitutional Court of Turkey has approved the financial accounts of nine political parties, ruling that their records comply with the country’s Political Parties Law following detailed audits published in the Official Gazette. Among those cleared were Yeniden Refah Partisi, Demokrasi ve Atılım Partisi and Vatan Partisi, alongside six others, with reviews covering accounts from 2021 and 2022 depending on the party. The court concluded unanimously that all examined financial statements were accurate, balanced and in full accordance with Law No. 2820 governing political parties.
Politics
🛂 Türkiye Assures Border Security Amid Iran Conflict
Mustafa Çiftçi has stated that all necessary precautions have been taken along the Türkiye–Iran border in response to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, assuring there is “no problem” on the Turkish side. Speaking at the Gürbulak Border Gate after inspections in the region, including visits to migration facilities and the Sarısu Border Trade Centre, he said authorities had reviewed contingency plans and border measures following developments across the frontier since late February. Emphasising preparedness, Çiftçi expressed hope that the conflict would end soon and that stability would return to the region.
🌍 Fidan: Türkiye’s Foreign Policy Guided by Strategy, Not Short-Term Reactions
Hakan Fidan has stressed that Türkiye’s foreign policy is not driven by short-term reactions but by long-term strategic thinking and statecraft. Emphasising a consistent and calculated approach, he underlined that every step taken on the international stage reflects careful planning and foresight rather than day-to-day impulses, signalling Ankara’s commitment to a stable and deliberate diplomatic course.
🇨🇾 Öztürkler Dismisses Greek Cypriot NATO Ambitions as ‘Wishful Thinking’
Ziya Öztürkler, Speaker of the Parliament of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, has rejected claims about the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus seeking NATO membership, calling such ambitions “wishful thinking” and reaffirming that Turkish military presence on the island remains essential for peace and security. Speaking after talks with Hulusi Akar and a Turkish parliamentary delegation, Öztürkler emphasised the unbreakable ties between Türkiye and the TRNC, insisting that the role of Turkish forces on the island is non-negotiable. He also accused the Greek Cypriot side of militarising the island in violation of international agreements, while Akar reiterated that safeguarding the Turkish Cypriot population remains a national priority for Türkiye and that all necessary defence measures are in place.
Ruling Government (AKP, MHP and DEM coalition aka People’s Alliance)
🗣️ Tayyar Claims Erdoğan Told Justice Minister to Avoid Clash with Opposition Leader
Former AKP MP Şamil Tayyar has said that Akın Gürlek told him he was instructed by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan not to engage in public disputes with CHP leader Özgür Özel. Speaking on television, Tayyar relayed Gürlek’s remarks that he was deliberately remaining silent due to presidential guidance to “avoid polemics” and not take Özel seriously, despite claiming he could easily confront him politically. The comments come amid a dispute over allegations by Özel that Gürlek holds property worth hundreds of millions of lira, which the minister denies, stating he owns four properties valued at under 40 million lira in total. Gürlek has reportedly filed a defamation lawsuit seeking damages, while the exchange reflects escalating political tensions between the government and opposition.
💰 State Enterprises Owe Treasury ₺6.1 Billion as Debt Mounts
Türkiye’s public enterprises have accumulated ₺6.1 billion in debt to the Treasury as of March 2026, according to data from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance of Turkey, with the vast majority attributed to Turkish State Railways. The railway operator alone accounts for roughly 99% of the total liabilities—about ₺6.08 billion—far outpacing other state firms such as BOTAŞ and Electricity Generation Company, whose debts remain comparatively limited. The figures highlight a broader upward trend in liabilities among state economic enterprises over recent years, rising significantly from around ₺3.3 billion in 2018, amid ongoing criticism over governance and management practices.
Opposition Parties (CHP and others)
🌿 209 Arrested at Nowruz Celebrations as Posters of Attack Perpetrators Deepen Peace Process Contradictions
A total of 209 people have been detained across Istanbul, İzmir, Manisa, Siirt, and Bitlis following Nowruz celebrations on 24–25 March, with police citing violations of assembly laws and terrorist propaganda offences after banners, slogans, and songs associated with PKK were recorded at events — including the display of posters of the perpetrators of last year’s TUSAŞ attack. The arrests have drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians who say they expose a glaring contradiction at the heart of the government’s position: senior figures including MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli have repeatedly declared the organisation has dissolved itself, yet the state is simultaneously prosecuting hundreds for propagandising on its behalf. İYİ Party MP Cihan Paçacı put the logical problem bluntly: if the organisation has been dissolved, whose propaganda is being made, and if propaganda offences are still being committed, does that not prove the organisation continues to exist? He called on the government to end what he described as a grey area created by its own dissolution rhetoric — an ambiguity he argued was emboldening those who display terrorist symbols in public — and demanded a clear, law-based counter-terrorism policy in place of a process whose boundaries remain undefined.
⚖️ Istanbul Prosecutor Urgently Requests Copy of Retraction Petition Filed by Key IBB Trial Witness
Istanbul’s public prosecutor’s office has formally requested that Murat Kapki’s retraction petition — in which the businessman says he gave his active remorse testimony under promises of release and in order to protect his family — be forwarded to them as a matter of urgency. Kapki had told the court he was misled by prosecutors who assured him he would not spend a single day in custody, that some of the statements he wished to make were not recorded at the prosecutors’ suggestion, and that he ultimately signed testimony he knew to be false because his wife was facing arrest and his brother was already detained. CHP leader Özgür Özel has also alleged that former AKP-affiliated lawyer Mücahit Birinci visited Kapki in custody on 31 July and presented him with a one-and-a-half page statement, telling him to sign it, pay two million dollars, and “walk out of here quietly.” The prosecutor’s urgent request for the petition comes as the retraction threatens to undermine a significant strand of the evidence against İmamoğlu and his co-defendants.
Economy
🐔 Lades Poultry Brand Put Up for Auction After Bankruptcy as Sector Pressures Bite
The Lades brand, a well-known name in Turkey’s poultry industry, has been put up for compulsory sale by Adana’s 1st General Enforcement Office following the bankruptcy of its owner, Garip Tavukçuluk. The Adana-based company, which had been a prominent exporter for many years, filed for a concordat in 2019 amid financial difficulties, and subsequently went bankrupt once that process concluded. All usage rights to the Lades trademark across its registered categories will be sold by open auction, with a reserve price set at approximately 42 million lira.
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