Justice Minister Gürlek Issues Obscenity Directive to Chief Public Prosecutors in All 81 Provinces

Justice Minister Akın Gürlek sent a directive on September 14, 2026, to all Chief Public Prosecutors across all 81 provinces, aimed at protecting children and youth from obscene content. The directive was prepared by the Criminal Affairs General Directorate of the Justice Ministry.

The directive set out three concrete mandates: the assignment of specialized public prosecutors to investigations involving the use of children in obscene content; the immediate identification and preservation of digital evidence; and the concurrent pursuit of financial investigation alongside criminal investigation in files where an organized network is suspected.

The directive arrived in tandem with public reaction triggered by an obscenity operation targeting an association, several workplaces, and numerous individuals, followed by a wave of social media account blocks. Minister Gürlek had previously weighed in on the matter via social media.

The directive is notable for constituting a sweeping instruction to Chief Public Prosecutors nationwide. Criticism over fragmented jurisdiction in child exploitation investigations had been a long-standing issue in Turkey; the directive aims, for the first time, to establish a coordinated investigative standard across all 81 provinces.