Choose the heading closest to your situation
Pick the heading that fits you and you will jump straight to that section.
Being arrested, questioned or accused of a crime in Turkey is stressful, especially if you do not speak Turkish or know how the system works. A criminal lawyer in Istanbul protects your rights from the first hour of police custody to the final appeal. We defend Turkish citizens and foreign nationals in English and Turkish, and act quickly when deadlines are counted in hours or days.
Criminal Lawyer
Criminal lawyer Istanbul: we defend Turkish and foreign nationals from the first police statement to the final appeal. We attend interrogations, challenge detention and judicial control measures, defend at trial and represent victims, in English and Turkish, and can be reached by phone or WhatsApp in urgent cases.
Your Rights if You Are Detained in Turkey
Under the Turkish Code of Criminal Procedure, a detained suspect has the right to:
- remain silent and not incriminate themselves,
- consult a lawyer at any time, including before and during the police statement,
- an interpreter free of charge if they do not speak Turkish,
- inform a relative and, for foreigners, their consulate,
- be brought before a judge within 24 hours (extendable in limited cases for collective offences).
A statement given without a lawyer can be used against you later, so ask for a lawyer before you sign anything.
Criminal Defence Services
- Police custody and statements: attending interrogations at the police station and the prosecutor’s office.
- Arrest and judicial control: challenging pre-trial detention and requesting release under judicial control (travel ban, reporting obligations).
- Criminal trials: defence before criminal courts of first instance and high criminal courts.
- Appeals: applications to the regional court of appeal and the Court of Cassation, and individual applications to the Constitutional Court.
- Victim representation: filing complaints and joining proceedings as an intervening party.
We regularly handle cases involving fraud, assault, drug offences, cybercrime, insult and threat, traffic offences causing injury and economic crimes.
Criminal Cases Involving Foreigners
Foreign nationals face additional risks: a criminal investigation can trigger an administrative deportation process, an entry ban or the loss of a residence permit. As an English-speaking criminal lawyer in Turkey, we coordinate the criminal defence with the immigration side of your case. See our guide on deportation and entry bans in Turkey.
Deadlines That Matter
Criminal procedure deadlines are short: an appeal against a first-instance judgment must generally be filed within two weeks of the pronouncement or notification, and objections to detention or judicial control decisions are subject to similarly short periods. Missing a deadline can make a judgment final, so contact a lawyer immediately.
Criminal Defence Lawyer in Istanbul
Our office is in Bakırköy, Istanbul, and we act throughout Turkey. We offer a free short preliminary consultation and can be reached by phone or WhatsApp, including for urgent detention cases.
Can I have a lawyer during my police statement in Turkey?
Yes. You have the right to consult a lawyer before and during your statement to the police or the prosecutor. You can refuse to give a statement until your lawyer arrives.
Will I get an interpreter if I do not speak Turkish?
Yes. Foreign suspects and defendants are entitled to a free interpreter during statements and hearings.
How long can the police hold me in Turkey?
Police custody is generally limited to 24 hours before the suspect must be brought before a judge, with limited extensions for collective offences.
Can a criminal case lead to deportation?
It can. A criminal investigation or conviction may lead to an administrative deportation decision or an entry ban, which must be challenged separately.
How long do I have to appeal a criminal judgment?
Generally two weeks from the pronouncement or notification of the judgment. Contact a lawyer immediately after the decision.
Can I leave Turkey during a criminal investigation?
Only if no travel ban has been imposed as a judicial control measure. Your lawyer can check this and apply to lift a ban.
Do you represent victims of crime?
Yes. We file criminal complaints and represent victims as intervening parties in criminal proceedings.
How much does a criminal lawyer cost in Turkey?
Fees depend on the stage and complexity of the case and cannot be below the bar minimum tariff. We provide a written proposal in advance.
In the office or by video, we listen to your situation and review your documents.
We set out in writing which action to file, the estimated timeline and cost items.
Filings, hearings and evidence are followed by a single lawyer.
You hear from us on every development by WhatsApp or e-mail.