Türkiye’s major operation unveils systemic failures in justice: Are reforms needed?

Turkish authorities have captured 4,491 fugitives in the extensive “Cember-21” operation, targeting individuals wanted for various crimes over the past five days.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that among those detained, 118 were wanted for murder and 128 for sexual offenses, highlighting a significant apprehension of violent offenders.

Minister Yerlikaya detailed that 4,455 of the captured fugitives had been on the run for over five years, with 19 evading capture for 5-10 years and 17 for 10 years or more.

The arrests include suspects wanted for theft (690), fraud (291), extortion (130), drug offenses (860), terrorism (26), smuggling and organized crime (400) and various other crimes (1,848).

The large scale of this operation has sparked a public debate over why these criminals were not previously incarcerated.

Speaking to Türkiye daily, Hadi Dündar, Vice President of the Turkish Justice Research Center (TURKAD), attributed the issue to shortcomings in current incarceration policies.

Key issues identified

• Penal execution law: Dundar criticized the law for enabling convicted individuals to avoid imprisonment, thus weakening the deterrent effect of penalties.
• Short sentence, early release: Many offenders, including those sentenced to three years and four months, often avoid actual imprisonment, leading to repeat offenses.
• Lengthy judicial processes: Extended legal proceedings contribute to delays in justice.

Proposed solutions

• Revise penal execution law: Dundar called for a complete overhaul to ensure effective imprisonment and rehabilitation.
• Expedite criminal trials: Faster resolution of criminal cases is needed to address delays.
• Improve prison rehabilitation programs: More comprehensive rehabilitation methods should replace simplistic activities.

Current inmate statistics

As of June, Türkiye’s prison population stands at approximately 340,268.

Drug offenses account for 36% of detainees, theft 25%, and assault 15%, while terrorism offenses represent 7% of the prison population.