An Independence Tribunal ( tr, İstiklâl Mahkemesi, plural ''İstiklâl Mahkemeleri'') was a court invested with superior authority and the first were established in 1920 during the

Turkish War of Independence The Turkish War of Independence "War of Liberation", also known figuratively as ''İstiklâl Harbi'' "Independence War" or ''Millî Mücadele'' "National Struggle" (19 May 1919 – 24 July 1923) was a series of military campaigns waged by th ...

in order to prosecute those who were against the system of the government. Eight such courts were established. They were located in

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

Eskişehir Eskişehir ( , ; from "old" and "city") is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of the Eskişehir Province. The urban population of the city is 898,369 with a metropolitan population of 797,708. The city is located on the banks of the ...

Konya Konya () is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium (), although the Seljuks also called it D ...

Isparta Isparta is a city in western Turkey and the capital of Isparta Province. The city's population was 222,556 in 2010 and its elevation is 1035 m. It is known as the "City of Roses". Isparta is well-connected to other parts of Turkey via roads. Ant ...

Sivas Sivas (Latin and Greek: ''Sebastia'', ''Sebastea'', Σεβάστεια, Σεβαστή, ) is a city in central Turkey and the seat of Sivas Province. The city, which lies at an elevation of in the broad valley of the Kızılırmak river, is a ...

Kastamonu Kastamonu is the capital district of the Kastamonu Province, Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 102,059 of which 64,606 live in the urban center of Kastamonu. (Population of the urban center in 2010 is 91,012.) The ...

Pozantı Pozantı ( gr, Πενδοσις, Pendhòsis, formerly ar, الْبَدَندُون, el-Bedendûn) is a town and a district in the Adana Province of Turkey. The town is in the highlands of Çukurova, and is a major gateway to the Mediterranean c ...

, and

Diyarbakır Diyarbakır (; ; ; ) is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province. Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortress, ...

. All but the Ankara court were terminated in 1921. After the law authorizing the Independence Courts was passed, the former Commander of

Turkish Armed Forces The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; tr, Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, TSK) are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. Turkish Armed Forces consist of the General Staff, the Land Forces, the Naval Forces and the Air Forces. The current Chi ...

, General

İsmet İnönü Mustafa İsmet İnönü (; 24 September 1884 – 25 December 1973) was a Turkish army officer and statesman of Kurdish descent, who served as the second President of Turkey from 11 November 1938 to 22 May 1950, and its Prime Minister three tim ...

, proposed founding 14 Independence Courts. Only 7 courts were established, as it was felt that there would not be enough cases to justify fourteen courts. One month after the establishment of the courts, another court in Diyarbakır was established, bringing the total number to eight. After the end of the war, many felt that the Courts were no longer needed. Although the government hoped to extend the life of the Courts, opposition pressure led to the closure of seven of the Independence Courts in 1921.

The Independence Tribunals of 1925

In March 1925, the allowed that Independence Tribunals were reinstated in Ankara and Diyarbakır. The re-establishment was opposed by members of the Progressive Republican Party (TCF), who voiced concerns that they could issue death sentences without the permission of the

Grand National Assembly Great National Assembly or Grand National Assembly may refer to: * Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia, an assembly of Romanian delegates that declared the unification of Transylvania and Romania * Great National Assembly (Socialist Republic of R ...

. The Tribunal in Ankara prosecuted members of the TCF for their alleged links with the Sheikh Said revolt. The Party was closed down on the 5 June 1925, but the politicians were later acquitted and released. In Diyarbakır the Tribunal was reinstated to counter the Sheikh Said Rebellion. More than 7000 people were arrested by orders of the Independence tribunals and 660 people were executed In order to suppress the revolt. The Independence Tribunal in Diyarbakir prosecuted and sentenced the most. 5010 people were prosecuted of which 2779 were found not guilty and 420 sentenced to death.

References

{{Turkey-hist-stub Courts in Turkey History of Turkey