Turkish Law in EnglishTÜRKİYE
Turkish Penal Code (Law No. 5237)

Article 131: Condition for investigation and prosecution

Book Two: Special Provisions › Part Two: Offences Against Persons › Chapter Eight: Offences against Honour

(1) Except where committed against a public official on account of his or her duty, the investigation and prosecution of the offence of insult shall be subject to a complaint by the victim.

(2) Where the victim dies before filing a complaint, or where the offence has been committed against the memory of a deceased person, a complaint may be filed by the ascendants and descendants of the deceased up to the second degree, or by the spouse or siblings.

Original Turkish text

MADDE 131 · Soruşturma ve kovuşturma koşulu

(1) Kamu görevlisine karşı görevinden dolayı işlenen hariç; hakaret suçunun soruşturulması ve kovuşturulması, mağdurun şikayetine bağlıdır.

(2) Mağdur, şikayet etmeden önce ölürse, veya suç ölmüş olan kişinin hatırasına karşı işlenmiş ise; ölenin ikinci dereceye kadar üstsoy ve altsoyu, eş veya kardeşleri tarafından şikayette bulunulabilir.

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.