Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ stated that there is a personnel shortage and announced that new hires will be made. Speaking after participating in the Year-End Evaluation Meeting of the HSK Inspection Board, the Minister outlined details of the upcoming recruitment.
Minister Bozdağ emphasized the importance of increasing the number of judges and prosecutors, noting that efforts to expand these numbers have been ongoing since 2002 and that opportunities have been opened up for women in this field. He highlighted the insufficiency of current personnel and said the shortages will be addressed. The Ministry announced plans to recruit more than three thousand clerks and approximately five thousand enforcement and protection officers.
Which Positions Will Be Filled?
Following the Ministry of Justice’s announcement to expand staffing, questions arose about the number of recruits and the specific positions to be filled. It has been reported that at least 10,000 candidates with a minimum high school diploma will be hired. The Ministry typically publishes recruitment notices in the Official Gazette during April each year.
This recruitment round is expected to include roughly 5,000 enforcement and protection officers for prisons, and the details for court clerk positions (zabıt kâtibi) are also anticipated to be announced in April. In 2022 the Ministry hired 3,618 court clerks, 1,125 prison wardens, 5,016 enforcement and protection officers, 830 ushers, 202 drivers, 25 social workers, 5 boiler attendants, 141 office staff, 159 technicians, 66 cooks and nurses, 54 psychologists, 202 drivers, 919 attendants, 7 statisticians, 10 technical staff, 12 sign language interpreters, 27 teachers, 35 engineers, 4 physiotherapists and 2 veterinarians.
Successful candidates from those recruitments commenced duty and were employed. In 2023 the Ministry again announced measures to close staffing gaps.
Recruitment Good News
Minister Bekir Bozdağ reiterated that personnel numbers will be increased. In addition to the expected recruitment of more than 3,000 court clerks and around 5,000 enforcement and protection officers, roughly 1,000 ushers and about 1,000 security officers are also expected to be hired. Announcements are projected to appear in April, as in previous years. The Minister conveyed this positive news to those seeking employment in these areas and confirmed that recruitment will take place.