President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday that Turkey is committed to strengthening the functioning of an independent and impartial judiciary.

"We are determined to strengthen the functioning of an independent and impartial judiciary in real terms which sets goals for the continuation of unity and peace for the people," Erdoğan said yesterday in a statement, ahead of the new judicial year that begins today.

Recalling the events of the failed coup bid on July 15, 2016 by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), the president said Turkey had witnessed in recent history how a terrorist group "used [the] judiciary as a tool for its own dark motives."

"All members of the judiciary must always choose the side of the rule of law," Erdoğan said.

He added that the newly established presidential system will contribute to the development, strengthening, independence and impartiality of the judiciary. "Throughout history, our people have built many strong states, famous for their justice," Erdoğan said.

The president also remembered prosecutor Mehmet Selim Kiraz and other members of the judiciary who were killed by terror groups.

Kiraz was killed on March 31, 2015 after being taken hostage in his office at Istanbul's Cağlayan Courthouse by two far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) terrorists, who had gained access to the building by posing as lawyers. After hours of negotiations between Turkish police and the two hostage-takers, Kiraz was shot in the head by his captors and later died.