The Hakimler ve Savcılar Kurulu (HSK) has finalized its 2026 Judicial and Administrative Judiciary Decree, resulting in the reassignment of 4,967 judges and prosecutors across Turkey. According to the official HSK announcement, the move impacts 4,608 judicial and 359 administrative personnel, including the appointment of 33 provincial chief public prosecutors and 27 commission presidents.
Scope of the 2026 Judicial Decree
The decree, published on the HSK official website, details a wide-reaching restructuring of the judiciary. Key appointments include 160 heavy penal court presidents, 113 regional court department heads, and 471 regional court members. Additionally, 80 regional court prosecutors, 12 Yargıtay (Court of Cassation) examination judges, and 15 Yargıtay public prosecutors were appointed. Notably, the Serik, Ortaca, Suşehri, and Sandıklı courthouses received their first-ever heavy penal court president appointments under this directive.
The 2026 decree marks a significant expansion of institutional capacity in smaller districts, as it includes the first-ever assignments of heavy penal court presidents to the Serik, Ortaca, Suşehri, and Sandıklı courthouses.
Changes in Provincial Leadership
Leadership transitions were confirmed for 33 provincial chief public prosecutors. Among these, Mardin Chief Prosecutor Mustafa Akbulut was moved to Denizli, and Şanlıurfa Chief Prosecutor Mustafa Çakmak was assigned to Samsun. Other significant shifts include the appointment of Diyarbakır Deputy Chief Prosecutor Ferhat Deniz to the Eskişehir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and İzmir Deputy Chief Prosecutor Necati Kayaközü to the Muğla Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. In Ankara, Murat Özcan, formerly a deputy chief prosecutor, has been appointed as the Ankara Batı Chief Public Prosecutor.
Large-scale decrees of this magnitude typically serve as a mechanism for balancing judicial workloads and institutional experience across the country. By reassigning nearly 5,000 personnel—including senior deputies and veteran prosecutors—the HSK is likely aiming to stabilize leadership in high-traffic jurisdictions and address specific administrative needs in newly elevated courts.
What Happens Next
Following the publication of the decree, the newly appointed judges and prosecutors are expected to transition to their respective duty stations. The HSK’s administrative units will now oversee the handover process to ensure that ongoing trials and investigations in the 33 provinces affected by the chief prosecutor changes are not interrupted. Legal observers and local bar associations may monitor these transitions to assess potential shifts in case management or procedural focus within the affected jurisdictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many judges and prosecutors were affected by the decree?
A total of 4,967 judges and prosecutors were reassigned, consisting of 4,608 in the judicial branch and 359 in the administrative branch.
Which provinces saw changes in their chief public prosecutors?
The decree changed the leadership in 33 provinces, including appointments in Denizli, Samsun, Mersin, Eskişehir, Çanakkale, Tekirdağ, Muğla, Kütahya, Konya, Artvin, Sinop, Ordu, Osmaniye, Batman, Aydın, Bingöl, Ağrı, Düzce, Muş, Tokat, Yalova, Bilecik, Mardin, Niğde, Erzincan, Adıyaman, Şırnak, Bitlis, Kırıkkale, Şanlıurfa, Hakkari, Nevşehir, and Bartın.
What did Justice Minister Akın Gürlek say regarding the decree?
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek stated on social media that the HSK conducted the process with “great sensitivity” and expressed his best wishes to the judges and prosecutors in their new roles, noting that the details were made available on the HSK website.
How will these leadership changes influence the daily operations of the local courthouses in the coming months?
