Turkish Criminal Defense Lawyer

Hiring a criminal defense lawyer in Turkey is very critical, considering the fact that the Turkish Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Law are highly complex legal fields in Turkey.  Another point is that a very limited number of lawyers are really specialized in Turkish Criminal Code. Therefore, it could be a major problem for whose who wish to hire an experienced criminal lawyer in Turkey.  And undoubtedly, it’s even more difficult for foreigners to hire a Turkish criminal defense lawyer.

English Speaking Criminal Lawyer

In Turkey, most of English speaking lawyers are corporate lawyers. However, as mentioned above, the number of criminal defense lawyers in Turkey is very limited. In addition to that fact, it can also be said that English speaking criminal lawyers are just a few, not only in Istanbul but all over Turkey. Because of this fact, finding an English speaking Turkish lawyer whose area of expertise is criminal law can be very challenging.

Criminal Law in Turkey

Turkey is one of the countries where the Roman (Civil) Law System is accepted. Therefore, the criminal law and the law of criminal procedure in Turkey are based on the inquisitorial system where judges are actively involved in investigating the facts. The criminal procedure in Turkey has two parts according to the Turkish Criminal Procedure Code. The first part is the investigation (pre-trial) process in which public prosecutors and the police (or the gendarmerie in rural areas) examine the facts to see whether a crime has been committed. After the gathering and examination of evidence, public prosecutors decide to open a criminal case or not.

Criminal Investigations and Cases

According to the Turkish Code of Criminal Procedure, a criminal case can be filed by only public prosecutors, not lawyers. Thus, the role of a criminal lawyer is to persuade prosecutors to open a criminal case by filing motions with adequate evidence.  At the end of the investigation process, if prosecutors gather persuasive evidence of any crime,  they prepare an indictment and present it to a criminal court to open a criminal case against suspects. The second part of a criminal procedure is the prosecution (trial) process which starts when a judge or a criminal court approves indictment. The second part of the criminal procedure basically consists of trials and as well as hearings. In this part, the role of a criminal defense lawyer is essential.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have been under investigation or are accused of committing a crime, it is very critically important to find a criminal defense lawyer before the interview or interrogation in the police station or the prosecutor’s office. Working with a criminal lawyer makes all criminal procedures easier and less risky for suspects. Moreover, if the suspect is a foreigner and cannot speak Turkish, it will be more critical to work with an English speaking Turkish lawyer. If you are under investigation and if the police ask you to come for an interview or testimony, you should never talk to the police before you consult with a criminal defense lawyer. It’s always advised that people under suspicion should get legal assistance from an experienced criminal defense attorney in Turkey.

Turkish Criminal Lawyers

Atamer Law Firm has been providing legal advice, representation, and defense services for its clients from different countries for over 15 years. Please visit our contact page, if you need legal advice, professional representation, or defense from English speaking criminal defense lawyers in criminal law matters.