Istanbul Bar Association President Filiz Sarac, who demands equalizing the fee schedule for lawyers in tasks assigned under the Criminal Procedure Law (CMK) with the minimum wage for the year 2025, claimed that the fee is insufficient to cover basic needs such as transportation and meal expenses.

Speaking at a press conference in front of the Istanbul Courthouse in Caglayan, Istanbul Bar Association President Filiz Sarac stated that lawyers are paid according to the fee schedule determined by the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Finance for legal defense or representation services, which are of a public duty nature. Sarac, who argues that the fees given to CMK lawyers are below the current economic conditions, emphasized the need for an increase in these fees by 2025. Pointing out that there are 26,041 lawyers working in the Istanbul Bar Association, Sarac stated, “In the year 2023, a total of 126,709 assignments were made for investigations, 85,334 for investigations and 41,375 for prosecution files. As of today for the year 2024, assignments have been made for a total of 91,942 cases for 63,131 in the investigation stage and 28,811 in the prosecution stage.”

“Soliciting for Equalization” Sarac claimed that the fees received by CMK lawyers are insufficient to cover basic needs such as transportation and meal expenses, and stated, “To ensure fair trials and the right to defense, we call for taking concrete steps to give the CMK system and CMK lawyering the value they deserve, to prevent it from becoming a burden, to avoid repeating past mistakes, and to equalize the fee schedule at least with the minimum wage schedule for 2025.”