[REPORT] Witch Hunt’s Judicial Club: Platform for Unity in Judiciary

Platform for Peace & Justice (PPJ) has published its second report, Witch Hunt’s Judicial Club: Platform for Unity in Judiciary (YBP). The report examines how the government in Turkey has taken control of judiciary namely the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK, formerly known as HSYK) through YBP. The report shows that YBP has been established by pro-government jurists to get the judges and prosecutors who are in favour of the government together in the 2014 HSYK elections against the independent candidates. According to the report, YBP has used all the state sources including state money and premises during the election campaign. Also, members of the ruling party including President Erdogan and the minister of Justice have publicly supported the platform and intimidated the other candidates. The report gives details on how Turkey’s High Judicial Council has been politicized which resulted in the judiciary’s loss of independence and impartiality.