Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said Türkiye wants to see the “terror-free Türkiye” process for the disarmament of the PKK terrorist group reach its conclusion, emphasizing that Parliament will ultimately determine legal arrangements as political consultations continue.
Speaking during an iftar gathering with Ankara bureau chiefs at the Ankara Judges’ House, Gürlek said discussions about potential legislation are ongoing and that public expectations for progress have grown.
“We want the terror-free Türkiye process to reach its conclusion,” Gürlek said. “There is now an expectation in society. Our people are ready.”
Türkiye’s efforts to end PKK violence that killed over 50,000 people and remove the division the terrorist group has fostered for over four decades have entered the second stage.
After the group announced it would dissolve itself last year, a parliamentary committee recently approved a report for legislation to speed up the process. The report, which will serve as a guide for Parliament to draft legislation, will help facilitate the process after authorities confirmed that the PKK fully abandoned arms.
Gürlek said the head and members of the parliamentary Justice Commission, as well as the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) delegation, also expressed support for swift legal steps following negotiations in Parliament.
A negotiation text prepared in Parliament has already been submitted to the Justice Commission, he said, adding that the commission will decide the next steps.
The Justice Ministry, Gürlek noted, is not directly involved in drafting the legislation but stands ready to provide technical support if requested. Judges and prosecutors within the ministry can assist lawmakers during the legislative process.
The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee, set up exclusively for the PKK’s disarmament, has heard from all segments of society since last August and wrapped up the work with a report offering advice on the fate of PKK members. The report involves suggestions for the rehabilitation of terrorists after the complete dissolution of the PKK. The Justice Ministry will set up a working group on legislation, while the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will invite other political parties to set up an informal working group in Parliament to debate future legislation.
Gürlek emphasized that Türkiye cannot adopt arrangements resembling a “personalized general amnesty” for PKK members, suggesting that any legal changes would likely come through temporary provisions within existing laws.
Possible amendments could involve legislation such as the Penal Execution Law, the Turkish Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, he said, though the scope and framework would be determined by Parliament. Legal amendments would be categorized in three groups: those involved in acts of terrorism, those who were not involved and those already incarcerated in PKK-related crimes.
Members of the PKK who were not involved in any acts of terrorism will be subject to legal proceedings once they return to Türkiye and judicial monitoring. The PKK announced last year that all of its members in Türkiye had left the country as part of the initiative. The PKK’s senior leadership and most members hide out in mountainous territories in northern Iraq, particularly in and around the Qandil mountain area.
The nature of judicial control is not clear, but it will most likely be similar to judicial control for other crimes, in which convicts are required to report to a local police station regularly and/or are banned from traveling abroad. PKK members in this category will also benefit from a string of rehabilitation and reintegration programs, including education, vocational training and psychiatric support.
Gürlek also underscored that the process requires the complete disarmament and dissolution of the PKK terrorist organization before legal steps move forward.
“First, the organization must fully lay down its arms and dissolve itself,” Gürlek said, adding that official confirmation that the group has ended its activities would be necessary.
The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the Defense Ministry are tasked with supervising the PKK’s disarmament and full dissolution in the field.
Responding to questions about the “status” of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, Gürlek said the government is not overseeing that aspect of the process and that decisions on possible legal status changes rest with Parliament.
He also reiterated that under current Turkish law, there are no conditional release provisions for terrorism-related crimes, including sentences of aggravated life imprisonment, unless Parliament decides otherwise through legislative changes.
