One in five Turks were classified as a “suspect” in criminal investigations last year, according to annual judicial statistics released by Turkey’s justice ministry.

For a long time, the country’s legal infrastructure has been facing a “file load” crisis. Data from the ministry suggest that the number of cases reaching chief public prosecutors’ offices rose by 57% over the past decade to 11.6mn in 2025 from 7.4mn in 2016.

16.8mn unique suspects

In 2025, prosecutors were dealing with a backlog of 13.3mn investigation files, involving 16.8mn unique suspects. Turkey has a population of 86mn people, according to official statistics.

A total of 23mn criminal investigations were conducted. Of the 13.3mn files, 6mn files were opened last year alone.

Crimes against property, crimes against liberty and crimes against honour under the Turkish penal code were top three-ranked among the investigation files.

Government and economic woes blamed

According to local news portal bianet, the spike in cases reflects both the widening of the government’s judicial net and a society that is increasingly litigious amid economic troubles.

“The judiciary is being used as a primary tool for dispute resolution in a way that is beginning to paralyse the system,” an Istanbul-based legal analyst told the publication.

Judicial process becomes punishment

“When 20% of your population is under investigation, the process itself becomes the punishment,” the analyst added.

In 2025, Turkish courts oversaw the trials of some 3.8mn individuals. Of the cases concluded, 43% resulted in convictions while 20% ended in acquittals.

Also last year, 48% of the 12mn investigation files handled by prosecutors’ offices were resolved. Decisions for non-prosecution were delivered as regards 49% of the files. Public lawsuits were filed for 37%.

Business world feels strain too

The duration of proceedings remains a persistent grievance for investors and human rights advocates alike. While criminal trials average 248 days, the backlog in enforcement and bankruptcy offices, a critical metric for the business community, has stretched to an average of 883 days.

More than 25mn active execution (debt collection) files are currently clogging up the system.

Domestic violence, child suspects, gender gap

In 2025, authorities issued more than 1mn preventive protection orders. More than 330,000 children were, meanwhile, classified as “pushed into crime”.

The gender imbalance problem within the country’s judiciary also continues. Women now make up a slight majority of judges in first-instance courts at 52%. However, they remain “glass-ceilinged” out of senior leadership.

Only 4% of chief public prosecutors are women. There are no women in the chief prosecutorial offices of the court of appeals and the council of state.