Justice Minister Eken Gürlek met with Saudi Arabia's Justice Minister Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani on Wednesday at the Ministry of Justice in Ankara. The meeting addressed ways to strengthen judicial and legal cooperation between the two countries.
Gürlek noted that Turkey and Saudi Arabia have deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, and said the two brotherly countries bear significant responsibilities in strengthening regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
Gürlek stated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's official visit to Riyadh reflected the advanced level of bilateral relations, and emphasized that the joint will demonstrated by Erdoğan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has given new momentum to the ties.
Expressing his satisfaction that this will has turned into concrete results in areas such as economy, trade, investment, energy, defense, culture, tourism, technology, and justice, Gürlek noted that the inclusion of legal and judicial cooperation in the joint statement issued after the Riyadh visit was an important step.
Preparing to Share Experience
Gürlek stated that Turkey has carried out a series of reforms in recent years to speed up judicial services and facilitate access. He said that digitalization in the judiciary, development of alternative dispute resolution methods, and facilitating citizens' access to justice are among the ministry's priorities.
Gürlek explained that thanks to the National Judicial Network Project (UYAP), judicial proceedings in Turkey can be conducted electronically, and said, "We are ready to share our experience with the Saudi Ministry of Justice in judicial digitalization, artificial intelligence-supported applications, cybersecurity, legal aid, and alternative dispute resolution methods."
Cooperation in Combating Crime and Terrorism
Gürlek drew attention to the importance of cooperation between Turkish and Saudi judicial authorities in combating terrorism and its financing, organized crime, cybercrimes, and money laundering.
Gürlek said, "I have full confidence that Turkey and Saudi Arabia will maintain their common stance on protecting international law, justice, and human dignity at the regional and international levels," and added that this meeting would contribute to the implementation of agreements signed between the two countries and open new horizons for cooperation in the fields of law and justice.
