Turkey Justice Minister Akın Gürlek rejects European Parliament report and sanctions call

The European Parliament’s 2025 Turkey report denounced the independence of the Turkish judiciary and urged sanctions against Justice Minister Akın Gürlek. Turkish officials, including several AK Party deputies and the minister himself, condemned the document as ideologically driven, biased and a diplomatic scandal, stressing that Turkish courts remain independent and that the country will defend its sovereignty. They highlighted Gürlek’s anti‑crime work on drugs, illegal betting and online gambling, and rallied public support. Opposition leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu also criticised the report, labeling it “unfair” and alleging media censorship of dissenting views. The controversy has sparked nationwide rallies and calls for a public demonstration in Ankara on 27 June.