Cansu
Lawyer · Izmir, Turkey
- 209 cases handled · 2 in this service
- 13+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Turkish
- Law, Yeditepe University
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4.96(9 reviews)
Legal Help for Prisoners in Turkey
This page is for foreigners held in a Turkish prison and for their families abroad. It explains the difference between pre-trial detention and serving a sentence, and what a lawyer in Turkey can do at each stage.
About Legal Help for Prisoners in Turkey
Legal help for prisoners in Turkey covers a foreigner in prison, a relative in prison in Turkey and anyone held in pre-trial detention (tutuklu) or serving a sentence (hükümlü) in a Turkish prison (ceza infaz kurumu). This page is for the prisoner and for families trying to help from abroad. It is general information, not legal advice. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Represent Incarcerated Person”.
Pre-trial detention or a sentence
A judge can order detention (tutuklama) while the investigation or trial continues. Detention can be challenged by an objection (tutukluluğa itiraz), is reviewed during the case, and can be replaced by release with conditions (adli kontrol) such as a travel ban. After a final judgment the person becomes a convicted prisoner, and the questions change: appeals, how the sentence is served, release on conditions and transfer.
What families usually need first
- to find out where the person is held and what the charge is;
- a lawyer who can visit, explain the file in the prisoner’s language and report back;
- contact with the consulate of the prisoner’s country;
- a power of attorney (vekaletname) from the prisoner, which can be arranged inside the prison, so that a lawyer can act in the case.
During the sentence
Complaints about prison conditions or disciplinary decisions go to the enforcement judge (infaz hakimliği). With good conduct, the last part of a sentence can be served under supervised release (denetimli serbestlik) or ended by conditional release (koşullu salıverilme); the terms depend on the offence and are changed by law from time to time, so a lawyer confirms the ones that apply. Turkey takes part in the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons and has bilateral agreements, so a foreign prisoner may be able to serve the rest of a sentence at home; the request goes through the Ministry of Justice, documents are translated into Turkish and both states have to agree.
What an English-speaking lawyer does
A lawyer can visit, read the case file, object to detention, prepare appeals, deal with the prison administration and the enforcement judge, prepare a transfer request and keep the family informed. Related pages: extradition proceedings and power of attorney; see also criminal law in Turkey.
Questions and answers
Can a family member visit a prisoner in Turkey?
Close relatives can visit under the prison’s rules, which set who may come and how visits are arranged. A lawyer or the consulate can explain the arrangements of a particular prison.
Can the family hire a lawyer for the prisoner?
Yes. The family can find and pay a lawyer; to act in the case, the lawyer then normally needs a power of attorney signed by the prisoner.
Can a foreign prisoner serve the sentence at home?
It may be possible when Turkey and the prisoner’s country are bound by a transfer agreement and both states and the prisoner agree. The procedure runs between ministries and takes time.
What happens after release?
A foreign national may face removal from Turkey and a ban on re-entry, decided by the migration authorities separately from the criminal case. Such decisions can be challenged in court.
5 lawyers who provide Legal Help for Prisoners in Turkey
Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.
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Yasin
Lawyer · Istanbul, Turkey
- 187 cases handled · 2 in this service
- 4+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Turkish
- Law, Yeditepe University Faculty of Law
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5.00(6 reviews)
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Mert
Lawyer · Antalya, Turkey
- 43 cases handled · 1 in this service
- 11+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Turkish
- Bachelors of Law, Ankara University
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Gamze
Lawyer · Bodrum, Turkey
- 123 cases handled
- 14+ years in practice
- Speaks: Turkish, English
- Law, Yeditepe University
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4.94(4 reviews)
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Sadi Berk
Lawyer · Kusadasi, Turkey
- 80 cases handled
- 15+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Turkish
- Law, Marmara University
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5.00(6 reviews)
Contact form · a chat with a lawyer
Talk to a lawyer about Legal Help for Prisoners
5 registered lawyers provide this service in Turkey. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.
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Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.
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What our clients say about our service in Turkey
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She is active and answers customers quickly. I recommend her.
— Tusaneeya03 Jul 2021 -
His service to me was very professional and prompt, and he went out of his way to keep me informed about what he was doing, all in perfect English.
— Alan16 Oct 2023 -
The lawyer went above and beyond in every possible way. Several steps had to be completed in a specific order, and she replied to everything within minutes, every time. She explained it all in perfect detail and advised us on what would give the best chance of success. She was kind and friendly yet professional. She gave us the legal help we needed and also eased our stress, because it felt like having a friend in the country who wanted to help, and we are very satisfied with the outcome.
— Brandon31 Jan 2023Residency Visa, Turkey -
A fast response and excellent advice.
— Elena03 Jan 2023 -
I experienced nothing but the highest level of professionalism and responsiveness from the lawyer. She was always extremely knowledgeable, calm and very responsive, with excellent communication skills in perfect English, and she got things done quickly. I am very grateful for all the help she gave me and would recommend her very highly.
— Michael08 Sep 2022 -
Excellent service. We needed to set up a company in Turkey and get legal support, and they quickly connected us with a lawyer there, with great results.
— Sergio27 Jun 2022 -
The lawyer knows Turkish law extremely well, including the options open to me as a dual Turkish and American citizen living abroad, and I was amazed at how fast she understood my situation. At each stage she laid out the possible next steps, and I never felt stuck or pushed in one direction. Costs were agreed in advance and were very reasonable for the work done. I truly felt she was on my side throughout, and I am completely satisfied with the result. She is extremely friendly and very professional, and I will certainly keep using her for any other legal matter I need handled in Turkey.
— Cheryl28 Apr 2022 -
The lawyer was very professional and responsive. On every matter we discussed she offered solutions drawn from her experience and expertise, and we found that very useful. We are very pleased with how she worked with us, and her English was perfect.
— Mohammed14 Feb 2022 -
He made me feel as if I were his only client, and in my view he went far beyond what was needed to look after my requirements. I felt completely safe in his hands, I am very satisfied with his work, and I count myself lucky to have him as my lawyer. I plan to use his office for as long as I am in Kusadasi.
— Dennis18 Aug 2021EU Residency Visa (Non-EU), Turkey -
The lawyer is great and guided me through the whole process. I am very happy with the help she gave, and her English was flawless. I would certainly recommend her to friends and to anyone who needs a professional with a problem-solving mindset.
— Fabio08 May 2021 -
Working with her is very easy, and for any future needs I will hire her again.
— Fahimeh29 Mar 2021EU Citizen Registration Certificate (Residency Certificate), Turkey -
The lawyer was extremely helpful and could not have done any more for me.
— Andrew16 Feb 2021Family Law Consultation, Turkey