TURKEY: Thousands of Prisoners Released & more – 6th Jan 2026

Merhaba from Oakley! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 6th of January twenty twenty-six. A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

In late December, the Parliament passed the Eleventh Judicial Reform Package, a wide-ranging set of legal changes that has already led to the early release of thousands of prisoners. The reform excludes people convicted of terrorism, organized crime, sexual violence, intentional killing of family members, and those held responsible for buildings that collapsed in deadly earthquakes. It also allows people convicted of less serious offenses committed on or before the 31st of July twenty twenty-three to move from closed prisons to open facilities or supervised release.

The decision has sparked public backlash, especially after reports that a man released under the new rules killed his partner days later in the southern city of Diyarbakır. Critics questioned risk assessments and supervision, while women’s rights groups warned the releases could increase violence against women.

On a similar note, on Saturday the 3rd, the Sözcü news outlet reported that the ruling Justice and Development Party is working on a legal amendment that could reduce prison time for some people convicted under terrorism laws. The proposal would change sentence enforcement rules, allowing the release of eligible prisoners after serving half of their sentence instead of three-quarters.

Sözcü linked the move to renewed peace talks involving the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and said it could lead to the release of thousands jailed for PKK membership. The PKK announced in May twenty twenty-five that it would disband following a call from Abdullah Öcalan, its imprisoned leader.

Eligibility would reportedly depend on whether an organization has formally dissolved, a condition that would apply to the PKK but exclude people imprisoned for links to the Gülen movement, responsible for the twenty sixteen coup attempt. Officials have not confirmed the report.

On Tuesday the 6th, a court sentenced Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party, to over a year in prison for insulting the president. The case focused on speeches Demirtaş delivered in twenty fifteen in the southern cities of Mersin and Diyarbakır, during the height of political tensions following the collapse of the peace process between the PKK and the government.

Demirtaş couldn’t attend the hearing because he has been in prison since twenty sixteen in connection with terrorism-related cases. His lawyers asked for additional time to respond to the prosecutor’s opinion, but the court rejected the request and also dismissed a motion to recuse the judge.

On Monday the 5th, President Erdoğan commented on many international issues in an interview with news outlet Bloomberg. He once again addressed Turkey’s return to the F-35 fighter jet program. He said Turkey’s participation was necessary for NATO security and that the decision to remove Turkey from the program was unjust.

Erdoğan also commented on the Halkbank case, calling the accusations unfounded and saying he expects a lawful and fair outcome. The case in the United States focuses on allegations that Halkbank, a state-owned bank, helped Iran bypass US sanctions through gold and money transfer schemes in the twenty tens.

He also commented on Gaza, saying Turkey stands in a key position for a planned International Stability Force because of its historical ties with Palestinians, past diplomatic and security channels with Israel, and its role as a NATO member.

On the same day, Erdoğan also spoke with Donald Trump on the phone about bilateral relations, defense industry cooperation, trade, and several global issues.

Erdoğan later revealed that he raised concerns about the U.S. operation that led to Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, being taken to the United States. He warned that actions violating sovereignty and international law risk wider instability and said Venezuela should not be pushed into chaos.

With the end of December, Turkey finalized pay increases for millions of public employees and retirees. Retirees under the Social Security Institution, the social security scheme that covers private-sector workers or business owners, will receive a 13% raise, while civil servants and retired civil servants will get a 19% increase.

The six-month inflation difference determines these adjustments and also raises social assistance payments and the severance pay ceiling. Under the current agreement, civil servants will receive an additional 11% raise in the first half of twenty twenty-six, with inflation differences added on top. In contrast, Social Security Institution retirees receive increases directly tied to inflation. The gap between the groups has revived debate over a possible welfare adjustment. The government plans to address that issue during the upcoming Cabinet and Economic Coordination Board meetings.

On Friday the 2nd, it came to light that the Court of Accounts, Turkey’s top audit body, found rule violations in salary and benefit payments at the state-owned Petroleum Pipeline Corporation or BOTAŞ, which reported a forty-five billion Turkish lira loss, about 1.27 billion US dollars, in twenty twenty-four. Auditors said the company paid managers and senior staff shift fees above legal limits and excluded those payments from official salary caps set by a presidential decree. They said the fees didn’t qualify as overtime because employees did not work extra hours.

The audit also found unlawful extra payments to non-union staff and child care assistance paid to over 450 employees without a legal basis. The Court of Accounts called for the payments to stop and for the money to be recovered.

On Wednesday the 1st, a New Year’s Day march in İstanbul held in solidarity with Gaza drew hundreds of thousands of people and sparked strong criticism. Anadolu Agency reported that around 520 thousand people gathered.

Critics said the event pushed Gaza into the background as Groups linked to the Turkey Youth Foundation placed Bilal Erdoğan, President Erdoğan’s younger son, at the center of the rally. He leads the foundation and has drawn attention as debate continues over whether ruling-party circles see him as a possible future leader, despite holding no elected office.

Opponents described the march as a state-backed show presented as civic activism. They said it raised Bilal Erdoğan’s public profile while sidelining calls to confront companies accused of maintaining trade links with Israel.

On Friday the 2nd, Tayfun Kahraman, a city planner imprisoned since April twenty twenty-two in the Gezi Park case, was hospitalized after a multiple sclerosis attack. Kahraman has reportedly been living with multiple sclerosis since two thousand five and requires further tests and treatment.

The twenty thirteen Gezi case was a high-profile trial linked to plans to open Gezi Park in İstanbul to construction, and later expanded into wider demonstrations against government policies.

A journalist pointed out that the symptoms could indicate a new lesion in the brain or spinal cord. His lawyer renewed calls for his release pending trial, citing his health and time already served.

In July twenty twenty-five, the Constitutional Court ruled that Kahraman’s right to a fair trial had been violated and ordered a retrial. The Heavy Penal Court hasn’t enforced the ruling, despite its publication in the Official Gazette back in October twenty twenty-five.

On Friday the 2nd, Turkey began allowing visa-free entry for Chinese citizens following a presidential decree. The decision allows Chinese nationals to visit Turkey for tourism or transit for up to ninety days within a 180-day period.

The move, which does not apply to Turkish citizens traveling to China, aims to boost tourism and deepen bilateral ties. The Chinese Ambassador to Turkey welcomed the step, while critics raised concerns over its one-sided nature and raised concerns about security and human rights, particularly regarding the treatment of Uyghur Turks in China.

The decision has fueled debate as Turkey seeks to expand tourism while recalibrating its relationship with China.

Closing this edition, on Monday the 5th, in a Turkish-language article published on Anadolu Agency, journalist Gülseli Kenarlı reported that climate change, marine pollution and invasive species will shape Turkey’s marine science agenda in twenty twenty-six.

Scientists said research will focus on the northwestern Sea of Marmara, the Turkish Straits and the Black Sea in the north, alongside expanded national climate monitoring systems. Experts linked this push to preparations for COP31, the United Nations climate summit where countries present data, policy plans and mitigation strategies.

Bayram Öztürk, president of the Turkish Marine Research Foundation, warned that warming seas speed up invasive species, with more than one hundred already identified in the Sea of Marmara. Researchers stressed that stronger data will help Turkey influence climate negotiations and policy decisions.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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