The legitimate way to confront the legacy of 15 July is not to suspend the rule of law, but to apply it equally to everyone.

İlhan İşbilen may, of course, be tried before a competent court. He may not, however, be gradually separated from life under the guise of judicial proceedings.

The true test of a state governed by the rule of law is not whether it predetermines the outcome of judicial proceedings, but whether it ensures that, whatever the outcome may be, every individual can genuinely believe that the decision was reached through a fair process.

A genuine reckoning with a coup must examine not only those accused, but also those who managed the intelligence, concealed the report, and turned the purge into an opportunity.

The Court found violations of Article 5 § 1, Article 5 § 3, and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In addition, it awarded the applicant EUR 16,250 in respect of non-pecuniary damage and EUR 4,406 for costs and expenses.

The Grand Chamber judgment of the ECtHR dated 5 May 2026 in Yasak v. Turkey constitutes a highly significant turning point for criminal proceedings conducted after 15 July. The Court found that the most fundamental principle of criminal law was violated in the applicant’s conviction for membership in an armed terrorist organization: a person cannot be punished without their personal culpability and criminal intent being concretely established.

Justice continues to be our common hope and responsibility.

In a country where lawyers are not free, no one is safe.

10 July, World Law Day, should be a day for all of us, not just lawyers or judges. Because where there is law, there is peace; where there is law, there is equality.

Torture should not be sought only in cells; sometimes it echoes in the silent halls of justice.