Greenpeace Turkey has won a lawsuit challenging the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry's refusal to release pesticide residue analysis results to the public.
The Ankara 5th Administrative Court ruled on Oct 28 that withholding the results of pesticide testing is unlawful, ordering the annulment of the ministry’s decision.
According to the ruling, the ministry must publicly disclose the results of 246,946 pesticide inspections conducted between 2022 and 2024.
The court stated that information such as the number of inspected products and samples, identified noncompliances, levels exceeding legal limits, and corrective measures could not be withheld under the exceptions outlined in the Right to Information Act.
After the ruling, Greenpeace Turkey submitted a renewed request to the ministry, demanding the immediate release of the data.
One in three food items found noncompliant
The decision marks a significant gain for Greenpeace Turkey's “Don’t Poison” (Zehir Etme) campaign, which has been urging the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry to disclose pesticide analysis results since Oct 2024.
The campaign’s report, titled “Pesticides and Children,” revealed that one in every three tested food items failed to meet legal standards. As of Nov 2025, the campaign has gathered 50,000 signatures.
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As part of the campaign, Greenpeace formally requested the ministry on Dec 10, 2024, to disclose its Residue Action Plan and pesticide testing results for the 2022–2025 period. When the ministry failed to respond within the legally required timeframe, the organization filed a lawsuit.
In its defense submitted to the court, the ministry argued that releasing pesticide test results would not benefit the public and could potentially harm both domestic and international trade.
Greenpeace countered these claims in a subsequent petition, asserting the ministry's arguments were invalid and requesting a hearing. Following the Oct 28 hearing, the court annulled the ministry’s implicit rejection, ruling that the request for information must be fulfilled under the Right to Information Act.
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Greenpeace urges immediate compliance
Berkan Özyer, Director of Greenpeace Türkiye, called the ruling a major step forward for food safety in Turkey. He urged the ministry to act without delay and release the pesticide test data.
“The court made it clear that the ministry’s reasons for withholding the analysis results have no legal basis," said Özyer. "This decision sends a strong message that public authorities cannot hide information about routine inspections and must operate transparently and accountably when the public interest is at stake.”
Özyer added that after the release of the “Pesticides and Children” report, the ministry’s response to increase inspections was a positive step.
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(HA/VK)
