By News Centre
The Commission on National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy convened for its sixth session, where it heard from the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) as well as bar association chairpersons from ten different provinces. The discussions focused on gathering opinions and recommendations from the legal community regarding upcoming legislative regulations under the framework of the “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative.
Opening the session, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) Numan Kurtulmuş emphasized the inevitability of legislative measures to support the goal of a terror-free country. He stated:
“At this stage, ensuring the successful continuation of the process requires certain legal and institutional preparations. I believe that contributions from Türkiye’s legal community, particularly the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, will be invaluable.”
Kurtulmuş also evaluated the steps taken so far within the scope of the commission and the “Terror-Free Türkiye” vision. He underlined the importance of public support:
“We need to embrace this process and increase public backing. From what we have heard so far, and from our own personal views, it is clear that this model is unique to Türkiye. Tremendous progress has been made. This issue must be concluded and removed from Türkiye’s agenda once and for all. Where others have reached in five years, we have achieved in nine months. The success of establishing this Türkiye-specific model will belong to this commission.”
On the broader issue of terrorism, Kurtulmuş added: “This matter must be eliminated from Türkiye’s national agenda. Presenting the Türkiye model will stand as one of the historic successes of this historic commission. It is essential that this process—built upon our own unique model—incorporates contributions from different sectors of society.”
Speaking on behalf of the legal community, Gökhan Ağdemir, President of Ankara’s 2nd Bar Association, stressed the importance of strictly safeguarding Türkiye’s constitutional framework throughout the process:
“Article 1 of the Constitution guarantees the republican regime. Article 2 defines the state as a democratic, secular, and social rule-of-law state. Article 3 protects the indivisible unity of the state with its territory and nation, as well as its flag, language, and national anthem. Article 66 defines every individual bound by citizenship to the Republic of Türkiye as Turkish. These provisions cannot be amended or even proposed for amendment. Therefore, no step taken in this process can go beyond these boundaries. The fundamental principles of our Constitution guarantee both peace and the ability to live together.”
Meanwhile, Yasin Şamlı, President of Istanbul’s 2nd Bar Association, argued that the “Terror-Free Türkiye” objective would narrow the scope for imperialist interference and exploitation. He recommended adopting legal arrangements for organization members who have not participated in acts of terrorism, thereby encouraging wider societal involvement in the process.
Şamlı stated:“Our state should encourage all who wish to contribute to the process through justice and compassion. Public sensitivities must be respected. Certain issues should be left to time and to the common acceptance of society. We must avoid divisive language and rhetoric. The public should be regularly informed about the process to prevent manipulation. We must be able to take bold and fair steps. Our bar association is ready to contribute in every possible way.”
The commission will continue its work tomorrow, hearing from former parliamentary speakers Hikmet Çetin, Ömer İzgi, Bülent Arınç, Köksal Toptan, Mehmet Ali Şahin, Cemil Çiçek, İsmet Yılmaz, İsmail Kahraman, Binali Yıldırım, and Mustafa Şentop. They are expected to share both their experiences and insights regarding past efforts to address terrorism and eliminate the PKK, along with lessons drawn from their own tenures.
