The European Parliament is calling for an examination of possible sanctions against Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek due to political developments in Turkey.
In a report adopted during a plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday regarding Turkey's accession to the European Union, lawmakers called on the European Commission and EU countries to consider freezing assets in the EU for "key actors in Turkey's repressive state apparatus."
The report said the promotion of Gürlek, the former chief public prosecutor, showed that throughout his career, he had consistently acted as a politically motivated actor.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry condemned the report as containing "misinformation and unfounded claims" against Gürlek. It said the Turkish judiciary was independent and suggested the report had been drafted as part of a "deliberate political agenda" at a time when relations between Turkey and the European Union were becoming increasingly important.
Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU have been completely frozen amid ongoing concerns over democratic standards, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appointed Gürlek as justice minister in February. That also made him chairman of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors, which appoints legal professionals to courts.
The appointment was highly controversial because, during his time as Istanbul's chief public prosecutor, Gürlek ordered numerous investigations into politicians from the main opposition CHP party.
The most prominent case concerns Erdoğan rival and former Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been in pre-trial detention since March 2025 on corruption allegations.
Turkey's opposition views the case against İmamoğlu as politically motivated and accuses Erdoğan of seeking to sideline his most prominent rival with the help of the judiciary - a claim the government rejects.
EU sanctions are decided by the bloc's member states. Such a step would be politically sensitive because Turkey is regarded as an important partner in migration policy and is also a key NATO member.
