The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a report urging the European Union to consider human rights sanctions against Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, naming the former İstanbul chief public prosecutor as a key figure in what lawmakers described as the state’s machinery of repression.
Lawmakers approved the resolution by 381 votes to 107, with 171 abstentions, during a plenary session in Strasbourg.
The resolution is the parliament’s response to the European Commission’s 2025 report on Turkey. It was prepared by Nacho Sánchez Amor, a Spanish lawmaker and the European Parliament’s standing rapporteur on Turkey.
Citing what it described as democratic decline in Turkey, the resolution calls on Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief and a European Commission vice president, to consider measures under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Turkish officials accused of serious and deliberate violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The text cites officials appointed as trustees to replace elected mayors, those responsible for the appointments and people it describes as key actors in the state’s repressive machinery. It names Gürlek and expresses alarm over his appointment as justice minister, accusing him of pursuing a political agenda during his judicial career.
Gürlek served as İstanbul’s chief public prosecutor from October 2024 until President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appointed him justice minister in February 2026.
During his tenure as chief prosecutor, his office led investigations targeting İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other members of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
İmamoğlu, regarded as Erdoğan’s main political rival, has been jailed pending trial since March 2025. He and the CHP deny the criminal allegations against them and say the investigations are intended to remove Erdoğan’s opponents from politics.
The Turkish government rejects allegations that it controls the courts and maintains that judicial proceedings are independent.
Vote does not impose sanctions
The resolution is non-binding and does not put Gürlek on an EU sanctions list.
A listing would require a separate decision by the Council of the European Union, which represents the bloc’s 27 member states.
Measures under the EU human rights sanctions system can include a travel ban, an asset freeze and a prohibition on EU citizens and companies providing money or other economic resources to the listed person.
The European Parliament report specifically calls for consideration of measures that include freezing assets held in the EU.
Gürlek rejected the sanctions proposal before the vote, describing European Parliament reports as advisory political texts and saying attempts to pressure Turkey’s judiciary would fail.
Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik also condemned the proposal, accusing European lawmakers of targeting a Turkish cabinet minister.
Parliament says Turkey is moving away from EU standards
The report says Turkey is missing a period of renewed EU enlargement because its government has failed to carry out reforms involving democracy, the rule of law and human rights.
It calls on Ankara to address concerns over judicial independence, press freedom, fundamental freedoms and democratic standards.
Sánchez Amor said Turkey was moving toward an authoritarian system and accused the government of using the judiciary for political purposes. He cited court proceedings targeting the CHP and its leadership as evidence of damage to political pluralism and the rule of law.
The report also criticizes other EU institutions and member states for what the parliament described as a limited response to Turkey’s democratic decline.
Turkey’s EU accession process has been at a standstill since 2018. The report nevertheless describes the country as important to the bloc because of its regional role and membership in NATO.