Laws in Turkey
How Turkey is classified on 36 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal on request Abortion is available on request, subject to a gestational limit.
- Euthanasia
- Illegal Euthanasia is strictly forbidden, and assisting suicide is punishable by imprisonment.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- Surrogacy
- Banned Surrogacy is effectively banned nationwide under the Civil Code and related health laws.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Banking ban / restricted Cryptocurrency is legal to hold but banks are barred from handling it.
Daily Life
- Public Smoking Bans
- Comprehensive ban Turkey prohibits smoking in all indoor public spaces, including bars, restaurants, and workplaces, with fines for violations.
- Homeschooling
- Illegal Homeschooling is prohibited.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned Turkey banned animal testing for cosmetic products already introduced to the market.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Taxed / charged Plastic bags are legal but carry a mandatory charge or tax.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Compulsory (not enforced) Turkey has a legal duty to vote with fines, but enforcement is not confirmed.
- Minimum Working Age
- Under 14 Minimum working age: 13.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 18+ The age of consent is 18.
- Sex Work
- Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal and regulated in Turkey, requiring registration and health checks, though many workers are unregistered.
- Pornography
- Restricted Turkey criminalizes the distribution and sale of obscene content, particularly in contexts involving children or public display.
- Divorce
- Legal Divorce is legal and generally available by mutual consent without fault.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Limited (step-child / single) Joint adoption is not open to same-sex couples; step-child or single-person adoption is.
- Incest Laws
- Legal between adults
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Blasphemy Laws
- Criminal offense Blasphemy is a criminal offense in Turkey punishable by imprisonment under Article 216.
- Apostasy Laws
- Legal Turkey is a secular country that does not legally enforce punishments for apostasy, though social pressures exist.
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Burning the flag of any nation, including Turkey, is strictly forbidden in Turkey.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Licensed / moderate Handguns can be licensed for sport, hunting or collecting, but personal protection alone is not a sufficient reason.
- Military Conscription
- Active conscription
Substances
- Cannabis
- Legal (Medical) Cannabis is legal for medical use only; recreational use remains prohibited.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Illegal Psilocybin is a controlled substance; possession is a criminal offence.
- E-Cigarettes
- Sales banned E-cigarettes are effectively banned because no production or import licenses have been issued under tobacco laws.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.