In the fundamental documents and recommendation decisions of international institutions and organizations concerning the judiciary, emphasis is frequently placed on the ethical principles that members of the judiciary are required to comply with. Under domestic law, the duty to determine the ethical rules of conduct to be complied with by judges and prosecutors has been entrusted to the General Assembly of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors pursuant to Article 7, paragraph 2, subparagraph (d) of the Law on the Council of Judges and Prosecutors, which provides for “determining the ethical principles of conduct to be complied with by judges and prosecutors.”
Among the principal international foundational documents on judicial ethics, the UN Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct were adopted by the decision of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors dated 27 June 2006 and numbered 315; likewise, the Budapest Guidelines, which set out ethical principles for prosecutors, were adopted by the decision of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors dated 10 October 2006 and numbered 424. In order to achieve objectives in the field of judicial ethics, the Judicial Ethics Bureau implemented, within the scope of the IPA, the “Project on Strengthening Judicial Ethics in Türkiye,” for which the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors was the main beneficiary.
As a result of these efforts, and based on the need to put forward a text specific to the Turkish judiciary, culture, and justice system, following the studies conducted to this end, the Declaration of Ethics For Turkish Judiciary was prepared. This Declaration sets forth the fundamental principles defining the ethical responsibilities of judges and prosecutors in their professional and private lives; is binding on judges and prosecutors as defined in Article 3 of Law No. 2802 on Judges and Prosecutors; and was prepared with the broad participation of judges and prosecutors, as well as academics, bar associations, relevant public institutions and organizations, and representatives of civil society organizations. It was formulated in compliance with international standards while being shaped in line with the needs of the Turkish judicial system, drawing upon our own values and preserving our heritage in judicial history. The Declaration of Ethics For Turkish Judiciary was adopted at the meeting of the General Assembly of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors held on 6 March 2019 and was published in the Official Gazette dated 14 March 2019 and numbered 30714.
Within the scope of guidance studies to be taken as reference regarding the application of the principles set out in the Declaration of Ethics For Turkish Judiciary, and as a requirement of the digital age, the Guidelines On The Use Of Social Media Within The Scope Of The Declaration Of The Ethics For Turkish Judiciary, which aim to ensure that the ethical principles set out in the Declaration continue to apply in digital platforms, were adopted by the General Assembly Decision dated 8 March 2022 and numbered 639, and were published in the Official Gazette dated 21 April 2022 and numbered 31816.
Within the framework of activities carried out under the objective of increasing trust in the judiciary and in line with the goal of strengthening the institution of judicial ethics in the 2024–2028 Strategic Plan of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors, the General Assembly decided that transforming the diverse and valuable opinions, documents, translations, and meeting outputs utilized during the stage of identifying the ethical rules set out in the Declaration into a guide would be instructive for judges and prosecutors and would facilitate their compliance with the rules of conduct. In line with this decision, the “Turkish Judicial Ethics Declaration Guide” was adopted by the decision of the General Assembly of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors dated 15 October 2025 and numbered 2025/1269. This guide, which illustrates guiding examples of the Declaration of Ethics For Turkish Judiciary that judges and prosecutors are obliged to comply with, will undoubtedly make a valuable contribution to strengthening public trust in justice.
Undoubtedly, the Guidelines On The Use Of Social Media Within The Scope Of The Declaration Of The Ethics For Turkish Judiciary and the Turkish Judicial Ethics Declaration Guide constitute commentaries on the Declaration of Ethics For Turkish Judiciary, which serves as a safeguard ensuring that judges and prosecutors maintain their reputation, independence, impartiality, and integrity in the eyes of society and refrain from attitudes and behaviors that would undermine trust in the judiciary.
The efforts of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors to oversee the implementation of judicial ethics principles, to adopt consultative decisions regarding these principles, and to effectively maintain its advisory function continue with determination.