About Hatice

With 5 years of criminal defense practice, Hatice Savranlıoğlu currently works as a freelance lawyer. She serves as Legal Aid Commissioner at the Kilis Bar Association and as Project Coordinator for the Association’s Refugee Access to Justice project. After graduating from law school in 2016, Hatice took on an active role at the Kilis Bar Association, focusing on access to justice for persons under Temporary Protection in Türkiye. Additionally, she participated in the Refugee Access to Justice Project, conducted in cooperation with UNHCR and TBB, through the Kilis Bar Association. Living in Kilis, a border province to Syria, Hatice views assisting refugees in the city as a crucial mission to help them seek and achieve their legal rights.

The Innovation

Hatice’s project aimed to ensure equal access to justice for Syrians under Temporary Protection in Türkiye by providing legal support throughout the criminal proceedings, including the investigation and prosecution phases, which are when human rights violations are most common. The project placed particular emphasis on women who had fallen victim to gender-based violence (GBV), either at home or within the criminal justice system. During the project, Hatice represented a victim of domestic violence who was placed in a shelter and informed about her rights. She also conducted a legal rights awareness event for approximately 70 detainees, educating them about their legal rights within the framework of the Code of Criminal Procedure. As a result of the event, the participants became aware of their rights and were able to proceed with the investigation process more safely with the support of a lawyer. Hatice partnered with the Kilis Bar Association, Care International, and Çatom to complete her project.

Serhat Hicri

About Serhat

Serhat Hicri works as a freelance attorney for the Şanlıurfa Bar Association. After joining the Refugee Rights Commission at the Şanlıurfa Bar Association, Serhat realized that Syrians in Türkiye often lack knowledge about their legal rights, which prevents them from benefiting fully from the Turkish justice system. This insight motivated him to focus full-time on refugee law. Serhat became one of the first employees at the Şanlıurfa Law Clinic, established in cooperation with UNHCR and TBB. Through his work at the Clinic, he has gained extensive experience in providing legal support to persons with Temporary Protection in Türkiye. Additionally, he is experienced in conducting information sessions (legal training) for refugees and training trainee lawyers to increase the number of professionals in this field.

The Challenge

One of the most common problems faced by vulnerable groups, including victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), in the criminal justice system is the inability to complete transactions due to barriers such as language, lack of information, and fear of deportation. This creates a low level of trust between clients and institutions. There is also a shortage of lawyers available to accompany these individuals throughout the legal process and address issues as they arise.

The Innovation

Serhat’s project aimed to provide free legal support to Syrian refugees, with a focus on women and children, by accompanying them at every stage of the legal process. He also sought to enhance legal awareness among beneficiaries through information sessions.

As part of the project, Serhat, along with fellow JusticeMaker Esra, trained approximately 50 Syrians in Şanlıurfa. They educated participants on the importance of early access to a lawyer, how to prevent potential rights violations, and the role of a lawyer in the criminal justice system. Serhat also participated in an interview with Syria TV, a prominent channel in Syria, to introduce the JusticeMakers Project. On World Refugee Day, Serhat organized a training event with SGDD-ASAM, providing legal information to around 100 Syrians, including community leaders, journalists, and lawyers. Beyond raising legal awareness, Serhat provided legal representation to 16 accused individuals and offered counsel to an additional 64. This high level of consultation was achieved by taking a holistic approach, treating each client as part of a family in need of protection, and informing them about the rights of their relatives. On average, Serhat provided consultancy services to three family members for each client. He was grateful for the opportunity to assist Syrians facing discrimination in the criminal justice system and recognized the project’s significant impact on Syrians living in Şanlıurfa.

Esra Yurum Aktaş

About Esra

Esra currently works as a lawyer and law consultant at her own law office in Şanlıurfa. She has 10 years of experience in criminal defense and has specialized in refugee law for 8 years. Esra has been a member of the Şanlıurfa Bar Association since she began practicing criminal law and has served as the coordinator for the association’s Women’s Rights and Refugee Rights centers. She was also involved in establishing the Refugee Rights center.

The Innovation

The core idea of Esra’s project was to collaborate with various administrative and judicial institutions in Şanlıurfa and leverage her network at the Şanlıurfa Bar Association to improve access to justice for Syrian refugees. By fostering broad collaboration, Esra aimed to enhance refugee rights awareness and implement effective solutions to address Syrian refugees’ legal needs promptly.

During the project, Esra participated in police statements for approximately 56 Syrians under temporary protection and provided legal representation. She developed strong collaborative relationships with her translator colleagues and the police, and around 96% of the cases she handled resulted in acquittals or positive conclusions. In addition to providing legal representation, Esra co-organized a legal fair about the JusticeMaker project with her fellow Şanlıurfa JusticeMaker fellow Serhat. The fair, attended by approximately 50 Syrian individuals under temporary protection, included a Q&A session to engage the beneficiaries. Esra and her team also distributed KYR cards to visiting NGOs, government institutions working with refugees in Şanlıurfa, and Syrian shopkeepers. They visited neighborhoods with a high concentration of Syrians, talked to shopkeepers individually, explained the project, and distributed the cards. In total, approximately 2,000 KYR cards were distributed during the project.

Elif Koçaslan

About Elif

Elif Koçaslan has been a lawyer with the Gaziantep Bar Association since 2015. She currently serves as the Coordinator of the Child Rights Commission at the Bar. For 6 years, Elif has actively contributed to the Gaziantep Bar Association’s Child Rights Commission, serving on both the executive board and the Council board. Since her election to the Board, she has held the position of Coordinator. Her experiences have made her adept at implementing and leading various projects.

The Challenge

Refugee children and women face numerous obstacles to justice in courthouses and official institutions. There is a shortage of lawyers willing to provide pro bono legal services to these women and children throughout the legal system.

The Innovation

Elif’s project focused on improving the representation of refugee children and women in criminal cases. The project aimed to first identify the obstacles that refugee women and children encounter in courthouses and official institutions, and then support them with advocacy services. During the project, a total of 4 individuals received free legal representation, resulting in 75% positive outcomes. Additionally, Elif provided legal counseling to 4 more individuals and encouraged them to seek further legal assistance. She also organized a legal rights awareness event for Syrian refugees, where she educated them about their legal rights and contextualized them within the framework of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The project reinforced for Elif that implementation requires effort and patience, and that progress is often gradual.

Cumali Simşek

About Cumali

With 9 years of experience in criminal defense practice, Cumali Simşek is a founding member of the Immigration and Asylum Commission at the Gaziantep Bar Association, where he has served as Chairman since January 2020. Cumali holds a Legal Aid Agreement with Care International and provides legal aid services to refugees under this contract. Additionally, he is the Gaziantep representative for the International Refugee Rights Association.

The Challenge

Vulnerable groups, including refugees, often face significant challenges in the criminal justice system in Türkiye. These challenges include difficulties in completing transactions with institutions due to language barriers, lack of information, and fear of deportation, which contributes to a low level of trust between clients and institutions. There is also a shortage of lawyers available to accompany individuals at every stage of the legal process and a widespread lack of awareness about the Turkish legal system among refugees.

The Innovation

Based in Gaziantep, Cumali’s project focused on enhancing refugees’ access to justice in criminal and administrative law and addressing barriers that hinder their ability to access justice. The project also aimed to increase awareness of the Turkish legal system within the refugee community through awareness-raising seminars.

During the project, Cumali organized 5 legal awareness events, including a legal fair with 25 Syrians, who were educated about the Turkish legal system and the importance of having access to a lawyer. Three accused individuals received legal representation, resulting in 100% positive case outcomes, and an additional three received pro bono legal advice. The project was implemented in cooperation with 11 different institutions in Türkiye, including the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (ASAM), the Union of Medical Relief and Care Organizations (UOSSM), and the Gaziantep University Migration Institute. As a result, Syrian refugees gained a better understanding of the Turkish legal system, and those who previously had difficulty accessing legal services are now better equipped to take action.