Turkey
Law No. 5378 on Disabled Persons (Engelliler Hakkında Kanun) — ICT Accessibility Mandate
Law No. 5378, enacted 1 July 2005 (as amended by Law No. 6518 of 6 February 2014); Official Gazette 7 July 2005, No. 25868; Article 7 (Erişilebilirlik)
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Summary
Turkey's Law No. 5378 on Disabled Persons (2005), as substantially amended in 2014, mandates ICT accessibility at Article 7 (Erişilebilirlik / Accessibility). Article 7 explicitly requires that 'information services and information and communication technology shall be made accessible for persons with disabilities' (Bilgilendirme hizmetleri ile bilgi ve iletişim teknolojisinin engelliler için erişilebilir olması sağlanır). The law defines accessibility in Article 3(f) as covering buildings, open spaces, transport, information services, and ICT. Enforcement for physical accessibility violations includes administrative fines (TRY 1,000–5,000 per finding for private entities; TRY 5,000–25,000 for public bodies). Implementation of web accessibility is supervised by the Presidency of Digital Transformation Office (CBDDO). No explicit WCAG version is cited in the statute itself, but CBDDO implementation guidance references Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) accessibility standards.
Scope & Coverage
Sources & References
- Official source →
- https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2005/07/20050707-1.htm
Notes
Law No. 5378 is Turkey's main disability rights statute (the 'Özürlüler Kanunu', renamed 'Engelliler Hakkında Kanun' in 2013). Article 7 ICT mandate added/clarified by 2014 amendment (Law 6518). No explicit WCAG version in statute text; CBDDO issues implementation guides referencing TSE standards. Physical accessibility deadlines were extended multiple times (Geçici Madde 2 and 3). Web/ICT enforcement details are in subordinate regulations.