Turkey Justice Minister Gürlek rejects foreign criticism of courts

Justice Minister Akın Gürlek posted on social media to denounce remarks by European Parliament reporter Nacho Sánchez Amor, who had commented on ongoing Turkish judicial proceedings. Gürlek asserted that Turkey is an independent, sovereign and democratic law‑state and that “no one can wave a finger at Turkish courts.” He described any pre‑emptive statements about pending cases as unacceptable interference aimed at pressuring the judiciary.

The minister emphasized that Turkish legal processes are governed solely by the Constitution, statutes and the evidence before independent judges, not by foreign parliamentary agendas, ideological expectations or lobbying. He also linked the stance to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership, noting Turkey’s resistance to external “democracy lessons” and its commitment to uphold national will and judicial independence.