Disabled People to Become Prosecutor, Judge in Turkey

According to an article of an upcoming omnibus bill, disabled people can be a prosecutor and a judge. Previously, this discrimination was discussed in Turkey’s Parliament.  

Disabled people can't be a judge or a prosecutor until today for Article 8, Law of Judges and Prosecutors (Law 2802)  

This is a discrimination

AKP deputy and Disabilities Coordinating Center's chairperson Murtaza Yetiş drafted a bill on this issue.

These regulations on the law will eliminate the obstacles against disabled people to become a judge or prosecutor.  

Yetiş said the following:

“It is a discrimination that the blind individuals in the condition of mental health certificate and orthopedic disabled individuals can't be a judge or prosecutor. If a disabled person has an education on law and pass their exams, they must have a working right for being judge or persecutor. We believe that this is one of the basic rights to them.”

Every person must perform their desired profession 

Güven Kışlalı, member at Universal Lawyers Association for the Visually Disabled, expressed bianet his happiness on the omnibus bill by emphasizing on the international treaties that Turkey has signed recently.   

"Every person must perform their desired profession. It is the individual who has to decide by own preference for her\his ability to work. One group can't put obstacles on their working right.           

A disabled person came second in the exam but…

On June 2012, CHP deputy Özgür Özel brought to the parliament’s agenda the story of E.E. who is a disabled person.

Although E.E graduated with alma mater from Law Faculty and came second to judicature exam in Turkey, he wasn’t assigned to a court due to the lack of his arm. Article 8 on Law of Judges and Prosecutor blocked that.  

EU Rapporteur Also Urged For Amendment 

On February 2013, European Union Special Rapporteur Prof. Dr. Thomas Giegerich had criticized that Turkey demanded health certificate about mental faculties and said that it was the practice was “discriminatory”. 

Although Turkey accepted the EU Convention on the Rights of Disabled People on September 28, 2009, Turkey overruled their obligations, Giegerich expressed.

Reminding that the European Union recognized the rights of disabled people for their integration to work life,  Giegerich had urged Turkish authorities to amend the legislations in Turkey. (NV/GOA/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.