Seventy-eight bar associations in Turkey issued a joint statement opposing government plans to expand the use of artificial intelligence in the judiciary, warning that such systems could undermine the right to defense and fair trial guarantees.
The statement followed remarks by Justice Minister Akın Gürlek about projects involving artificial intelligence in judicial processes and AI-supported access to legal services for citizens.
The associations said they were closely monitoring the proposals, cautioning that the use of AI in legal proceedings could weaken core judicial safeguards and erode public trust in the justice system.
“The right to defense cannot be delegated to artificial intelligence,” the statement said.
Barolardan Ortak Açıklama:Savunma Hakkı Yapay Zekaya Devredilemez pic.twitter.com/ufL5xLiYOD
— İstanbul Barosu (@istbarosu) April 25, 2026
Citing Turkey’s Attorneyship Law, the bar associations said the legal profession is a public service and a fundamental component of the judiciary, representing the independent defense.
The statement warned that applications allowing citizens to receive legal assistance through AI without a lawyer’s support would amount to interference in the essence of defense rights.
It added that legal processes require case-specific judgment and the protection of rights beyond technical data processing.
The associations also said the right to a fair trial depends on an independent and impartial judiciary and the effective exercise of defense rights, warning that weakening these principles would directly undermine legal certainty.
The debate has drawn mixed reactions on social media, where some users argued that artificial intelligence could reduce legal costs and make basic legal processes more accessible.
Some posts claimed that individuals could handle certain financial or civil cases without hiring a lawyer by relying on AI tools, while others encouraged people to “read, research and seek support from artificial intelligence instead of paying legal fees.”
The bar associations claimed that digitalization should serve as a tool to support judicial processes rather than replace core legal functions and called on the Justice Ministry to prioritize reforms aimed at strengthening judicial independence, improving the quality of judges and prosecutors and upgrading technical infrastructure to speed up proceedings.
The criticism comes as Turkey expands the use of artificial intelligence across public institutions.
Official figures published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) in October showed that 19.2 percent of individuals in Turkey used generative AI tools in 2025, while 7.5 percent of businesses reported using AI technologies.
Separate data released in January found Turkey ranked first globally in web traffic referrals generated by ChatGPT, with 39.7 percent of internet users aged 16 and older reporting they had used the platform in the previous month.
Turkey has been pursuing AI under a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2021–2025), followed by an action plan containing more than 70 measures, including training AI experts, building a Central Public Data Space and aligning regulation with global norms.
However, the country still lacks a dedicated AI law. A draft Artificial Intelligence Regulation Bill introduced in June 2024 has yet to be passed, while the data protection authority has issued guidelines on ethical use.
The bar associations said they would continue their legal and institutional struggle against any initiative that weakens the defense institution, narrows professional powers or reduces legal services to a mechanical structure under the name of artificial intelligence.