The authorized courts have long been under examination after controversial cases, including the extensive investigations of the Ergenekon (sledgehammer) and Balyoz cases.

These courts are known to prosecute extreme cases of crime and are considered to be a continuance of State Security Courts.

Some of the cases that they handle now are the Ergenekon and Balyoz cases and a 2011 football match-fixing case.

The State Security Courts were established in 1973 and were harshly critiqued by the public as particular positions were occupied by military judges.

The military judges were removed from the court in 1999.

These courts were abolished following a constitutional amendment as part of reforms undertaken in 2004 for EU candidacy.

Turkey's parliament already banned the special courts on July 5, 2012. However, the courts continue to function after the resolution as an exception to the bill which specified that any cases already open would be completed through the special court.