Victim Rights · · 5 min read
Victims’ Rights During the Investigation Phase
Turkish criminal procedure grants victims significant rights during the investigation. Chief among them: a bar-appointed attorney can be requested free of charge — and in sexual offence cases, appointment upon request is mandatory.
You may ask for your statement to be taken with an expert present, for examination by a physician of the same sex, and for procedures to be completed in a single session where possible. Identity confidentiality in the file and restraining measures against the perpetrator are also available protections.
Being informed about the progress of the investigation is also your right. Through your counsel you can regularly learn what stage your file is at, and you may object to decisions not to prosecute.