Founding Attorney Aziz Emre YILMAZ | Criminal Law Specialist (Istanbul)
Aziz Emre YILMAZ, the Founding Attorney of our firm, is a Criminal Law Specialist who has built his legal career not only within Turkey but also through a strong international criminal law perspective. He approaches criminal defense with a holistic methodology that combines legal theory, courtroom practice, and strategic case management, with a particular focus on high-risk and high-stakes proceedings.
To deepen his academic and practical expertise, he completed one year of specialized training in International Criminal Law in Poland, and actively took part in various legal projects and professional initiatives across Europe. During this period, his work concentrated on cross-border crimes, international judicial cooperation, the use of foreign-sourced evidence in Turkish criminal proceedings, and fundamental rights / fair trial implications.
He holds a Master’s degree in Public Law and Criminal Law, and continues his academic work at the doctoral level. Importantly, his academic depth is not limited to theory; it is translated into effective defense strategies for Serious Crime Courts (Ağır Ceza Courts), investigation files, and complex criminal trials.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Attorney YILMAZ provides direct legal representation to foreign nationals and international clients without reliance on interpreters, particularly in cases involving international investigations, extradition requests, and multi-jurisdictional matters. This ensures clarity, speed, and transparency at every stage of the defense.
In addition, Attorney YILMAZ actively delivers Criminal Law trainings to legal professionals. Based in Istanbul, he and his highly specialized team provide top-tier legal representation and criminal defense services throughout investigation and prosecution phases, including serious crime litigation.
Why Us? | Strategic Criminal Defense for Your Freedom and Reputation
Criminal proceedings are among the most sensitive legal processes, capable of producing irreversible consequences. A criminal investigation, arrest, detention order, or allegation of a serious offense can threaten not only your liberty, but also your reputation, financial stability, career, and social life.
For this reason, at the decisive line between freedom and imprisonment, the quality of your criminal defense counsel—expertise, experience, and strategy—is critical.
1) Serious Crime Defense (Ağır Ceza) with a Proactive Strategy
Our firm handles serious criminal offenses under Turkish law with a proactive, structured, and evidence-driven approach—from the first moment of investigation to final judgment and beyond. We regard pre-statement preparation as a cornerstone of criminal defense, because even a single poorly-managed statement can create long-term legal damage.
2) Multilingual and International Representation (TR / EN / ES)
We remove the language barrier from your defense. With advanced professional proficiency in English and Spanish, we represent foreign clients and international cases directly, without losing accuracy or time due to translation layers.
3) Academic Depth + Courtroom Strength
Success in criminal law requires more than knowing the statutes. It requires understanding case-law trends, forensic/evidentiary standards, and how courts evaluate credibility and proof. We combine academic depth with strong courtroom experience to identify decisive details and build a defense that targets the outcome.
OUR MAIN PRACTICE AREAS (Criminal Law & Serious Crime Defense)
Our law office is highly specialized in Criminal Law and Serious Crime litigation in Istanbul and across Turkey, managing defense strategies from the earliest investigative stage to final decisions—and, when needed, to international legal remedies after domestic remedies are exhausted.
Each case is treated as more than a file: it is about the client’s freedom, reputation, professional future, and family life. Below are key offense categories where we provide focused, high-level representation:
Drug Trafficking, Drug Manufacturing, Transportation and Possession Offenses
Drug-related alegations are among the most heavily penalized offenses in Turkish Criminal Law, frequently resulting in prolonged detention and severe prison sentences. These cases often rely on surveillance, undercover operations, wiretaps, physical monitoring, and digital evidence.
Our defense focuses on the most decisive issues: the legal distinction between personal use and trafficking, the alleged substance amount/type, the chain of custody, and the legality of search/seizure and investigative measures. We carefully analyze whether the prosecution has established a clear and direct link between the client and the alleged conduct. In many serious cases, our strategies aim for release from detention, reduction of charges, acquittal, or substantial mitigation depending on the facts and the evidentiary record.
Criminal Organization: Establishing, Managing, or Membership Allegations
Organization-related cases are frequently subject to overly broad interpretation in practice. However, to legally establish the existence of a criminal organization, the prosecution must prove concrete elements such as hierarchical structure, continuity, coordination, and a unified criminal purpose.
We challenge unsupported “organization narratives” by demonstrating the absence of organic links, and by separating individual allegations from the legal definition of an organization. We also have strong experience with cases involving foreign-sourced digital evidence (e.g., ANOM, SkyECC, EncroChat), focusing on legality, reliability, admissibility, and fair trial implications.
Money Laundering, Financial Crimes and MASAK-Based Proceedings
Money laundering allegations often accompany drug, fraud, or organization cases and typically rely on MASAK reports, banking flows, crypto transactions, corporate structures, and cross-border transfers.
We do not treat MASAK reports as unquestionable proof. Instead, we evaluate them as technical assessments that must be tested against the presumption of innocence and criminal proof standards. Our approach examines legitimate sources of funds, ordinary commercial activity, documentation, and whether the alleged “criminal origin” is proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Aggravated Fraud, Cyber Fraud and Banking-Related Offenses
Fraud cases committed via information systems and banking tools have become one of the most common serious crime categories. These files often depend on IP data, transaction logs, alleged fake accounts, and third-party money routes.
We analyze intent, attribution, and technical reliability: whether the accused had real control, whether the evidence actually identifies the client, and whether the matter should legally be treated as a civil/commercial dispute rather than a criminal offense. Where appropriate, we pursue charge reduction, dismissal, or acquittal strategies based on evidence quality and legal classification.
Homicide, Attempted Homicide, Assault and Result-Aggravated Offenses
Offenses against life and bodily integrity are among the most sensitive and severely penalized areas of criminal law. In such cases, the legal outcome can turn on intent (mens rea), provocation, self-defense boundaries, and forensic evaluation.
We conduct detailed analysis of forensic reports, crime scene findings, CCTV footage, witness credibility, and the consistency of evidence. Where the proof threshold is not met, we focus on insufficiency and contradictions. Where the legal classification is disputed, we build a strategy on the correct characterization and mitigating legal doctrines.
Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment Cases
Sexual offense files are highly sensitive and often involve significant public pressure. However, criminal proceedings must remain anchored to presumption of innocence and concrete evidence.
Our defense approach is evidence-driven and legally precise: consistency analysis of statements, scientific/medical findings, timing, procedural legality, and proof standards are examined carefully. We ensure the case is evaluated under lawful evidentiary principles, not assumptions.
Weapons and Ammunition Offenses
Unlicensed possession/carrying, weapons trade, and ammunition-related allegations may appear alone or within organization files. These cases require close review of actual possession/control, the circumstances of seizure, and legality of search procedures.
We examine whether the alleged weapon can be legally attributed to the client, whether the client had effective control, and whether procedural violations undermine admissibility.
Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking
These accusations carry heavy penalties and can affect immigration status and cross-border travel. In practice, files may include misclassification—confusing humanitarian assistance with criminal conduct or conflating different legal categories.
We focus on the legal boundaries of the offense, the presence/absence of financial benefit, organizational structure, and evidence of intent, aiming to correct misclassification and protect the client’s rights.
Tax Evasion, Fake Invoicing and Economic Crimes
Tax and economic crime files often involve complex accounting and corporate realities. Allegations such as fake invoices and record manipulation require technical understanding and a defense grounded in commercial documentation and criminal liability boundaries.
We analyze corporate roles, management responsibility, transaction reality, and whether criminal intent is proven.
APPEALS & HUMAN RIGHTS LITIGATION: ISTINAF, SUPREME COURT (YARGITAY), CONSTITUTIONAL COURT & ECHR
In many serious criminal cases, the most decisive legal battle begins after the first-instance judgment. Errors in evidence evaluation, insufficient reasoning, and procedural violations can be corrected through higher courts—provided that appeals are prepared with precision, structure, and deep doctrinal support.
Istinaf (Regional Court of Appeal) – Full Legal and Factual Review
The Regional Court of Appeal examines the file from both factual and legal perspectives. Our istinaf work goes far beyond formal objections. We build comprehensive submissions highlighting:
- contradictions in witness/statement evaluation
- missing or unlawfully assessed evidence
- incorrect legal qualification of the alleged act
- procedural violations affecting fairness
- proportionality issues in sentencing and measures
We create appeal strategies that are evidence-mapped, case-law supported, and outcome-oriented.
Yargıtay (Turkish Supreme Court) – High-Level Legal Review and Precedent-Based Advocacy
The Supreme Court phase requires rigorous legal argumentation and familiarity with established and evolving precedents. We prepare Supreme Court appeals by focusing on:
- errors of law and legal qualification
- violations of defense rights and fair trial safeguards
- reasoning and justification deficiencies
- unlawful evidence and admissibility issues
- inconsistency with Supreme Court jurisprudence
Our approach is not generic: each ground of appeal is tied to the record, the governing legal doctrine, and the applicable jurisprudence.
Individual Application to the Turkish Constitutional Court
Where fundamental rights are violated—particularly right to liberty and security, fair trial, legality of crimes and punishment, and effective remedy—an individual application to the Constitutional Court may be required.
We build Constitutional Court applications with a rights-based structure, demonstrating:
- the specific right violated
- the concrete procedural or evidentiary failure
- causation between the violation and the outcome
- exhaustion of domestic remedies
- the legal necessity of redress
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) – International Human Rights Protection
After domestic remedies are exhausted, ECHR litigation may become essential in cases involving:
- excessive or unjustified detention
- unlawful evidence and systemic fair trial issues
- ineffective investigations (including victims’ rights cases)
- disproportionate restrictions and procedural unfairness
We prepare ECHR strategies through an international human rights lens, aligning arguments with Convention standards and case-law logic to seek effective remedies.
In Summary
We do not treat criminal proceedings as a single-stage event. We manage them as a multi-layered legal battle—from investigation to trial, appeal, constitutional review, and international litigation—always focused on the client’s freedom and the best achievable outcome.
Victims’ Rights and Effective Representation in Criminal Proceedings
Criminal justice is not only about suspects and defendants. The protection of the victim’s rights is a core aspect of Turkish Criminal Procedure. In practice, however, victims may be pushed into a passive position while their safety, compensation, and access to justice are overlooked.
Our firm represents victims proactively through:
- complaint drafting and investigative requests
- participation as “intervening party” (katılan) in trial
- evidence collection and witness coordination
- protection measures (including Law No. 6284)
- compensation strategies (material and moral damages)
- appeals and human rights-based remedies when investigations are ineffective
We also assist foreign victims in English and Spanish, ensuring clarity and strong procedural participation.
Investigation Stage: Detention, Judicial Control and Travel Ban (Exit Ban)
The investigation stage is often the most critical phase of criminal proceedings. Decisions taken at this time—detention, judicial control (reporting obligations, house arrest, bail), and travel bans—can immediately affect freedom, family life, and professional activity.
Our firm provides rapid and strategic defense actions including:
- preparation for police/prosecutor statements
- detention objections and release applications
- judicial control reduction/removal motions
- travel ban removal or temporary permission requests
- proactive evidence collection during investigation
- aiming for dismissal / non-prosecution decisions where appropriate
We treat early intervention as essential, because delays at the investigation stage can have lasting consequences.
CONCLUSION | Istanbul Criminal Defense Lawyer with Nationwide and International Reach
Led by Founding Attorney Aziz Emre YILMAZ (Criminal Law Specialist), our Istanbul-based law office provides high-level criminal defense representation not only in Istanbul but also across Turkey, and in international criminal matters involving the United States, Latin America, and Europe.
Criminal Defense in Istanbul and Across Turkey
We handle serious crime cases before:
- Serious Crime Courts -High Penal Courts (Ağır Ceza Courts)
- Criminal Courts of First Instance
- Regional Courts of Appeal (Istinaf)
- Turkish Supreme Court (Yargıtay)
with active practice extending to major cities such as Ankara, Bodrum, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Adana, Mersin, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Samsun, and Trabzon—reflecting a strong field-based capability, not only theoretical knowledge.
High Success Rate through Results-Focused Strategy
Our firm is focused on measurable outcomes. Depending on the file and evidence, we pursue:
- non-prosecution / dismissal at investigation stage
- release from detention and removal of judicial measures
- acquittals, charge reductions, and significant sentencing mitigation
- reversals and retrials through istinaf and Supreme Court appeals
- constitutional and ECHR remedies for rights violations
This results-driven model is supported by detailed file analysis, strategic planning, and rigorous legal drafting.
International Criminal Cases, Extradition & Interpol-Related Proceedings
We take an active role in international criminal matters involving:
- cross-border investigations
- extradition requests and judicial cooperation
- foreign-sourced evidence and fair trial challenges
- Interpol-related proceedings, including Red Notice contexts
- human rights-based defense under international standards
Our multilingual capacity (English and Spanish) allows us to communicate directly with foreign clients and coordinate efficiently with international stakeholders.
Istanbul-Based, International-Level Criminal Law Office
Our practice is designed for complex cases: serious crime defense, international scope, multi-jurisdictional evidence, and advanced appeals. If you are seeking a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Istanbul, an International Criminal Lawyer in Turkey, or legal support for Interpol/extradition and human rights litigation, our team is prepared to act swiftly and strategically.
Contact us for professional representation in serious criminal allegations, investigation measures (detention/judicial control/travel ban), appeals, and international criminal matters.