Official Gazette June 5, 2025: "10th Judicial Package" Enacted! A New Era in Prisons, Critical Issue Full of Public Tenders and Appointments

Turkey's official publication, the Official Gazette, drew public attention with its critical issue published on Wednesday, June 5, 2025, on the eve of Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice). The most prominent development in this special issue was the long-awaited execution regulation, popularly known as the "10th Judicial Package." However, the Official Gazette was not limited to this legal change, also including new regulations from various ministries, extensive public tender announcements, institutional appointments, and important Presidential decrees, shedding light on the country's administrative and economic agenda.

"10th Judicial Package": Not Amnesty, But Conditional Facilitation and Increased Penalties

The execution regulation, debated in public with expectations of a general "amnesty law," does not carry the nature of a general amnesty. Instead, it aims to facilitate humane conditions for sick and elderly prisoners and pregnant and child-bearing female prisoners within the penal execution system. For these groups, conditional release and house arrest possibilities have been expanded, with a staggered system allowing prisoners aged 65 and over to serve up to 6 years of their sentences at home. Although the new regulation anticipates the release of approximately 19,000 prisoners, the fact that Turkish prisons remain over capacity indicates that it does not provide a complete solution to chronic overcrowding.

The package also includes provisions aimed at increasing deterrence. Penalties for attempted crime, intentional injury, and threat offenses have been increased, and situations requiring imprisonment for traffic offenses have been expanded. One of the most notable innovations is the "night execution" practice. Convicts sentenced to up to 5 years for negligent offenses and up to 3 years for intentional offenses will be able to complete their sentences by entering prison in the evening and leaving in the morning. This practice aims to ensure convicts do not completely lose touch with their social lives.

Key Regulations and Institutional Developments from the Official Gazette

The June 5th Official Gazette also featured significant legal regulations beyond the "10th Judicial Package." Here are some of the prominent headlines:

• New Regulations in Health and Law: Amendments were made to regulations concerning the investigation of medical professionals for medical procedures and practices, and the recourse of compensation paid by the administration, as well as regulations on clinical trials of human medicinal products.
• Transportation Fee Adjustments: Changes were included in the regulation on the determination and application of toll fees on motorways and controlled-access roads under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Highways.
• Sports Federations' Main Statutes: The main statutes of various sports federations, including Bocce Bowling and Dart, Bridge, Traditional Equestrian Sports, Traditional Turkish Archery, Golf, Folk Dances, and Karate Federations, were published. This demonstrates regular updates in Turkish sports administration.
• Financial Sector Permissions: Junomoney Electronic Money and Payment Services Inc. and MPS Payment Institution Inc. were granted operating licenses as electronic money institutions.

Extensive Public Tenders and Institutional Appointments

The Official Gazette hosted numerous public tender announcements, reflecting the country's economic dynamism. Many municipalities, from Antalya Finike to Van, announced real estate sale and rental tenders. Large-scale tenders were also announced, such as the Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone Entrepreneur Committee Presidency's tender for the construction of the TSE Service Building; the General Directorate of Turkish Coal Enterprises' tenders for the procurement of Computerized Radiography (CR) Systems; and TCDD Tasimacilik A.Ş. General Directorate's announcement to purchase AC Filter Reactors for YHT sets.

Furthermore, rector appointments were made to numerous universities across the country (Tekirdağ Namık Kemal, Hitit, Alanya, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman, Sakarya Applied Sciences, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa, İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent, İstanbul Beykent, Gaziantep İslam Bilim ve Teknoloji, Kapadokya, Yozgat Bozok, Ankara, Bartın, Fenerbahçe, İstanbul, and Tarsus Universities). Personnel recruitment announcements were also published from various ministries, including Justice, Health, Agriculture and Forestry, and Culture and Tourism.

Presidential Decrees and Judicial Section

Two important Presidential Decrees were also published in the Official Gazette:

1. The urgent expropriation of certain immovables by Eti Maden İşletmeleri General Directorate within the borders of Eskişehir Seyitgazi District, aimed at minimizing landslide risks in Sarıkaya Open Pit Mine and ensuring the supply of high-quality ore for refined boron production.
2. The extension by one year of the period for finalizing applications for compensation for damages arising from acts within the scope of the Anti-Terror Law No. 3713 or activities carried out within the scope of counter-terrorism.

In the judicial section, decisions of the Constitutional Court dated February 6, 2025, and November 28, 2024, were included. Additionally, the decision of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) dated June 4, 2025, and numbered 13566, was published.