A Turkish lawyers' group filed a criminal complaint against U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, alleging she bore responsibility for crimes against humanity in Iraq, but prosecutors in Ankara declined to pursue the case.
The Izmir branch of the Contemporary Lawyers' Association (CHD) submitted its petition on 24 April 2006, the day before Rice arrived in Türkiye on an official visit. The group argued that U.S. military operations in Iraq violated basic legal principles and that large numbers of Iraqis had been subjected to mistreatment and torture.
Ankara Press Attorney Kursat Kayral conducted a review of the complaint and concluded that no proceedings were warranted. He determined that only the Türkiye Justice Ministry holds the authority to request an investigation into crimes allegedly committed by a foreign national in another country, and the ministry had filed no such request regarding Rice.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in August 2006, in its own words.