Self-defense As A Justification Reason İn Turkish Criminal Law

Türk Ceza Hukukunda Bir Hukuka Uygunluk Nedeni Olarak Meşru Savunma

Hasan SINAR

Self defense as a justification reason is one of the oldest institutions of criminal law and recognised by almost all legal systems around the world. However, there can be different understandings and practices regarding to the scope and limits of this institution among different legal systems. In this study, the basic aim is to make an observation on the self defense institution in Turkish Criminal Law. In this frame, it is aimed to examine the legislation regyme in Turkish Penal Code (TPC) “Law Nr. 5237” on self defense, by comparing the former TPC “Law Nr. 765” legislation. In this scope, the main issues such as the concept of self defense, the conditions of self defense, error in self defense and exceeding the limit in self defense will be evaluated by regarding the legal opinions in the doctrin and the practices of the Court of Appeal.

Self Defense, Reasons of Justification, The Conditions of Self Defense, Error in Self Defense, Exceeding the Limit of Self Defense.

Hukuka uygunluk nedeni olarak meşru savunma ceza hukukunun kadim kurumlarından birisidir ve neredeyse istisnasız olarak dünya üzerindeki her hukuk düzeni tarafından kabul edilmiştir. Bununla birlikte, farklı hukuk düzenleri arasında meşru savunma kurumunun kapsamı ve sınırları konusunda farklı anlayış ve uygulamalar söz konusu olabilmektedir. Bu çalışmada da esas itibarıyla, meşru savunma kurumunun, Türk ceza hukukundaki konumu irdelenmektedir. Bu çerçevede, 5237 sayılı TCK’da meşru savunma kurumuna ilişkin düzenleme rejiminin, yeri geldikçe önceki 765 sayılı TCK ile karşılaştırılarak ortaya konulması amaçlanmaktadır. Bu kapsamda, meşru savunma kavramı, meşru savunmanın hukukî esası, meşru savunmanın koşulları, meşru savunmada hata ve meşru savunmada sınırın aşılması gibi temel konular, öğretideki görüşler ve Yargıtay uygulaması göz önüne alarak değerlendirilmektedir.

Meşru Savunma, Hukuka Uygunluk Nedenleri, Meşru Savunmanın Koşulları, Meşru Savunmada Hata, Meşru Savunmada Sınırın Aşılması.

I. THE CONCEPT OF SELF-DEFENSE

Self-defense is the basic instinct of survival of all living creatures in the nature. Any living creature facing any threat, danger or de facto aggression tries to defend itself with survival reflex. Consequently, as a part of the order of the nature, any human being will try to defend himself/herself without hesitation and take perpetrate a number of acts in reaction when he/she is subjected to aggression.

Since these acts, perpetrated by any individual to defend his/her rights, aim at protecting his/her rights that are safeguarded by the legal system; the law considers this reaction, which is in violation of the law itself, as a rightful reaction.¹ Thus, the legal system respects refusal by a righteous person to give in to unlawful acts and to react to and struggle with unlawful acts, and tolerates reactive acts perpetrated during this struggle.

Self-defense is one of the few archaic instruments of criminal law that have been recognized since primeval ages.² Almost every legal system around the world has adopted the rule that someone in self-defense cannot be penalized due to the act he/she had perpetrated in reaction.³