MHP Deputy Chairman Feti Yıldız called for adherence to fundamental legal principles amid escalating debates over ongoing trials in Turkey, and signaled readiness to begin legislative work for a "Terror-Free Turkey."

What Yıldız Said

In a lengthy post on X on April 11, Yıldız — who serves as MHP's head of Legal and Electoral Affairs — listed the core principles of criminal procedure law and asked whether anyone is actually following them:

"Day and night we talk about courts, trials. Informed and uninformed alike debate cases and files. The principles of Criminal Procedure Law are clear. Nothing new is being invented."

He then listed: presumption of innocence, right to a fair trial, right not to be stigmatized, independence and impartiality of judges, the principle that doubt benefits the accused, proportionality, and the rule of law.

Critically, Yıldız referenced Article 288 of the Turkish Penal Code — which criminalizes public statements intended to influence judges, prosecutors, or witnesses in ongoing cases — and asked bluntly: "Does anyone care about this law?"

He also signaled movement on the Kurdish peace process: "We can begin legislative work for a Terror-Free Turkey." He called on all sides to "think calmly, avoid traps, and remember that procedure precedes substance."

Background: Why This Matters

The İmamoğlu Trial

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has been detained since March 2025 on charges of leading a criminal organization. His trial — involving over 400 defendants — began on March 9, 2026, with prosecutors seeking up to 2,430 years in prison. Human Rights Watch, the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament have condemned the case as politically motivated. Germany suspended a €10 billion Eurofighter Typhoon sale to Turkey following the arrest.

The Kurdish Peace Process

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli surprised Turkey's political landscape in late 2024 by initiating a "peace process" that included visits to jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan at İmralı Prison and discussions on "hope rights" (conditional release for prisoners serving aggravated life sentences).

Why Yıldız's Position Is Significant

Yıldız is not from the opposition. He is a senior figure in MHP, the junior coalition partner of the ruling AKP. His public invocation of presumption of innocence, fair trial rights, and his pointed question about Article 288 can be read as an indirect critique of how ongoing trials — potentially including İmamoğlu's — are being conducted. For someone inside the ruling coalition to make these arguments publicly signals internal tension within Turkey's government.