A judge who was accused of bribery and misconduct in 2023 has been appointed to lead Turkey’s Justice Academy, a body tasked with training the country’s future judges and prosecutors.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan approved the appointment of Bekir Altun, previously the head of the İstanbul Judicial Commission, as president of the Justice Academy, according to a decision published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday.
Altun has been at the center of controversy following allegations detailed in a letter sent by former İstanbul chief public prosecutor İsmail Uçar to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) in 2023. The letter accused members of Turkey’s judiciary of engaging in bribery, nepotism and the manipulation of court decisions for financial gain. Altun was specifically named as exerting undue influence over judges and orchestrating rulings favorable to those willing to pay.
Uçar’s allegations, which included claims of unlawful access bans on internet content and the release of suspects in exchange for bribes, prompted an investigation by the HSK. However, the inquiry resulted in limited action, with only one judge, Sidar Demiroğlu, suspended for alleged misconduct. Altun, meanwhile, has not faced repercussions and has continued to climb the ranks of the judiciary.
The Justice Academy, established in 2017, is responsible for the professional training of judges and prosecutors in Turkey. Altun’s new role places him at the helm of shaping the country’s judicial training and standards.
Uçar, the former İstanbul chief public prosecutor who exposed corruption in Turkey’s judiciary, was appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeals in early 2024.
Uçar’s promotion to the top appeals court came as a surprise since people leveling corruption claims or investigating corruption are generally punished either by getting fired and jailed or sometimes both.
However, some have claimed that Uçar’s unexpected promotion is a covert attempt to silence him.
Altun has denied the allegations, claiming that Uçar’s complaints stemmed from personal grievances rather than substantiated misconduct. In a statement to the HSK, Altun described Uçar as “uncooperative” and alleged that their disputes were professional rather than ethical.
Following Uçar’s letter, in October 2023, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), rejected a parliamentary motion to investigate judicial corruption.
Critics argue that Altun’s appointment reflects broader issues within Turkey’s judicial system, which has faced significant erosion in independence under Erdoğan’s rule. The government has been accused of replacing experienced judges and prosecutors with individuals loyal to the AKP, particularly following a failed coup in 2016 that led to the dismissal of over 4,000 judicial officials.
Turkey’s judiciary has been under intense criticism for its lack of independence and transparency, as reflected in its ranking of 117th out of 142 countries in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index published in October 2024.