Judicial cooperation
General description of the national system for international judicial cooperation in criminal matters
Pursuant to the provisions set forth in the conventions on judicial cooperation and the national legislation, Ministry of Justice acts as the Central Authority in international judicial cooperation. This mission is conducted by the General Directorate of International Law and Foreign Relations on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. With regard to judicial assistance requests coming from the foreign countries or the requests sent to them, Central Authority should be used as a mediator in all kind of correspondences to be made with Turkish judicial authorities and in giving information.
In terms of international legislation, judicial cooperation requests are conducted within the framework of bilateral and multi-lateral conventions to which Turkey stands as a party or according to the rules of international customary law and the principle of reciprocity in the absence of the former.
According to the Constitution, as the duly enforced international conventions are statutory, these documents adjudges directly in the domestic law.
In terms of national legislation, the provisions related to the international judicial cooperation in criminal matters are prescribed in the Law on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters numbered 6706. In the law, the issues of mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, extradition, transfer of proceedings, enforcement of foreign judgments and transfer of the sentenced persons are regulated.