# Turkish criminal investigations and law enforcement actions

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-criminal-investigations-and-law-enforcement-actions
> Updated: 2026-09-04T08:08:00.000Z. Sources: 43. Developments: 2.

Law enforcement and judicial authorities in Turkey have conducted several significant criminal investigations and operations. In Erzincan, provincial police apprehended 22 wanted suspects during city-wide operations. Those detained faced various charges, including drug trafficking, intentional injury, and deprivation of liberty. Some individuals held finalized prison sentences totaling over 43 years, including one individual with a sentence of 28 years and 11 months.

On a national level, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek reported the detention of 31 lawyers as part of an investigation into the illegal use of personal data. Coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the Istanbul Police Department's Cyber Crimes Branch, the probe targets the use of unauthorized digital inquiry systems known as ‘panel’ systems, specifically mentioning ‘HukukBİS’ and ‘AsistBİS’. Authorities allege that these systems were sold to law firms via a subscription model, allowing them to access stolen data—including identity numbers, addresses, phone numbers, SGK records, and property details—to defraud citizens. 

Some firms allegedly used this data to contact individuals with no legal relationship to them, using deceptive messages such as ‘your debt is under legal pursuit’ or ‘seizure proceedings have been initiated’ to cause distress. In the initial phase of the investigation, 10 suspects involved in operating the illegal system were charged in a public lawsuit. As the investigation expanded, searches and seizures were conducted at 39 different law offices to gather evidence. Investigators have seized digital evidence, including access logs and remote connection traces via programs such as AnyDesk and TeamViewer. Additionally, the Unsolved Crimes Research Department reported progress in resolving cold cases, having closed 40 files involving 46 victims since April 2026.

## Claims

- Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that 31 lawyers have been detained in connection with an investigation into the illegal use of personal data via 'panel' systems. (corroborated by 16 sources)
- Police conducted searches and seizures at 39 different law offices. (corroborated by 16 sources)
- Illegal 'panel' systems were sold to law firms via a subscription model to access citizens' personal data. (corroborated by 15 sources)
- Lawyers used the data to send false messages to citizens claiming they were under legal pursuit or facing seizures. (corroborated by 15 sources)
- Ten suspects have already been charged in a public lawsuit regarding the establishment and operation of the illegal system. (corroborated by 15 sources)
- The body of Zeynep Yıldırım, who had been missing since September 2022, was found following the arrest and interrogation of Fethi Dağlı. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The illegal digital panel systems used to access personal data were identified as 'HukukBİS', 'AsistBİS', and similar programs. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The illegal systems included modules for searching citizens' identity, address, phone, SGK records, and property records. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The Unsolved Crimes Research Department has resolved 40 cases involving 46 victims and 7 injured persons since its establishment in April 2026. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Fifteen suspects were detained in a simultaneous operation across four provinces regarding a 2012 murder in Mardin. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-04: Turkey detains 31 lawyers in illegal data panel investigation

Turkish authorities have detained 31 lawyers and searched 39 law offices in Istanbul for allegedly using illegal 'panel' systems to access citizens' personal data and send fraudulent legal notices.

41 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/istanbul-police-detain-six-suspects-in-zeynep-yldrm-murder-case

### 2026-09-03: Erzincan police apprehend 22 wanted suspects

Erzincan police apprehended 22 suspects wanted for various crimes, including drug offenses and theft, with several individuals facing combined prison sentences exceeding 43 years.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/erzincan-police-apprehend-22-wanted-suspects

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Cite as: Turkish criminal investigations and law enforcement actions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-criminal-investigations-and-law-enforcement-actions