In the late 1990s in Turkey, Sami Selcuk was a name synonymous with the notion of “law.” President of the Court of Appeals, one of Turkey’s two top judicial posts, he developed a reputation for his unorthodox and progressive views, which he used to assert in speeches at annual ceremonies marking the inauguration of judicial terms.
In 2001, after Selcuk’s retirement, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other principal founding fathers of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) invited him to join them. Selcuk turned down the invitation, but nevertheless remained a revered figure in legal affairs and always a respected source of reference.
