Turkish Law in EnglishTÜRKİYE
Code of Criminal Procedure

Article 12: Competent court

Part One: Scope, Definitions, Subject-Matter Jurisdiction and Territorial Jurisdiction › Chapter Four: Territorial jurisdiction

(1) Jurisdiction to hear the action belongs to the court of the place where the offence was committed.

(2) In attempts, the court of the place where the last act of execution was performed; in continuing offences, the court of the place where the continuity ended; and in successive offences, the court of the place where the last offence was committed shall have jurisdiction.

(3) If the offence was committed by means of a printed work published in the country, jurisdiction belongs to the court of the place that is the centre of publication of the work. However, where the same work is printed in more than one place and the offence occurred in an edition other than that at the centre of publication of the work, the court of the place where the work was printed shall also have jurisdiction for that offence.

(4) In the offence of insult, the investigation and prosecution of which are subject to complaint, if the work has been distributed at the domicile or the place of residence of the victim, the court of that place shall also have jurisdiction. If the victim is detained or convicted in a place other than the place where the offence was committed, the court of that place shall also have jurisdiction.

(5) The provision of the third paragraph of this Article shall also apply to visual or audio broadcasts. If the visual and audio broadcast has been heard or seen at the domicile and the place of residence of the victim, the court of that place shall also have jurisdiction.

(6) Added: 8/7/2021, Law No. 7331, Art. 10 In offences committed by using information systems, banks or credit institutions, or bank or credit cards as an instrument, the courts of the domicile of the victim shall also have jurisdiction.

Original Turkish text

MADDE 12 · Yetkili mahkeme

(1) Davaya bakmak yetkisi, suçun işlendiği yer mahkemesine aittir.

(2) Teşebbüste son icra hareketinin yapıldığı, kesintisiz suçlarda kesintinin gerçekleştiği ve zincirleme suçlarda son suçun işlendiği yer mahkemesi yetkilidir.

(3) Suç, ülkede yayımlanan bir basılı eserle işlenmişse yetki, eserin yayım merkezi olan yer mahkemesine aittir. Ancak, aynı eserin birden çok yerde basılması durumunda suç, eserin yayım merkezi dışındaki baskısında meydana gelmişse, bu suç için eserin basıldığı yer mahkemesi de yetkilidir.

(4) Soruşturulması ve kovuşturulması şikâyete bağlı olan hakaret suçunda eser, mağdurun yerleşim yerinde veya oturduğu yerde dağıtılmışsa, o yer mahkemesi de yetkilidir. Mağdur, suçun işlendiği yer dışında tutuklu veya hükümlü bulunuyorsa, o yer mahkemesi de yetkilidir.

(5) Görsel veya işitsel yayınlarda da bu maddenin üçüncü fıkrası hükmü uygulanır. Görsel ve işitsel yayın, mağdurun yerleşim yerinde ve oturduğu yerde işitilmiş veya görülmüşse o yer mahkemesi de yetkilidir.

(6) (Ek:8/7/2021-7331/10 md.) Bilişim sistemlerinin, banka veya kredi kurumlarının ya da banka veya kredi kartlarının araç olarak kullanılması suretiyle işlenen suçlarda mağdurun yerleşim yeri mahkemeleri de yetkilidir.

Text as of 1 October 2026 · Official source (Turkish): mevzuat.gov.tr ↗

Unofficial translation for information only. The Turkish text published in the Official Gazette is the only authoritative version. This page is not legal advice.