President Tayyip Erdogan has named Akin Gurlek as Türkiye’s new justice minister, drawing fierce criticism from critics. He is the Istanbul chief prosecutor behind the sweeping crackdown on the main opposition party.
Since his appointment as chief prosecutor in 2024, Gurlek has overseen a series of arrests and indictments targeting the Republican People’s Party (CHP), including investigations into jailed Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.
Hundreds of party members and elected officials have been detained in the sweeping crackdown that has been widely criticised as politicised, a claim rejected by the government.
CHP deputy chair Gul Ciftci said on X that Gurlek’s appointment was “an open reward for the operations he has carried out against our party”.
Erdogan’s appointment of Gurlek as justice minister, replacing Yilmaz Tunc, is the first cabinet shuffle since the last election in mid-2023. It was announced in the country’s Official Gazette.
The announcement also said Erdogan had appointed Erzurum provincial governor Mustafa Ciftci as interior minister, replacing Ali Yerlikaya.
A reason for the shuffle was not given.
Reuters
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