Osman Arslan, president of Türkiye's Supreme Court of Appeals, opened the new judicial year at a ceremony in Ankara by stressing that all residents of Türkiye enjoy equal legal standing regardless of ethnicity, language, religion, or political views.
Arslan urged that Türkiye's unitary structure serves the common interest of everyone on its territory, and called on the international community to work collectively to end armed conflicts and eliminate terrorism.
He warned that certain domestic and foreign actors support separatist and religious extremist movements, arguing that colonial ambitions seek to fragment Türkiye through ethnic and sectarian division. He also condemned a recent armed attack on members of the Council of State, and reaffirmed that secularism is a foundational principle of the republic, saying no one may legitimately seek to govern the state by religious rules.
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan each sent written messages for the occasion. Arinc emphasized the need to safeguard judicial independence to protect fundamental rights, while Erdogan stated that his government was working to modernize the justice system and improve conditions for legal professionals.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.