HAGB — Postponement of the Announcement of the Verdict (Hükmün Açıklanmasının Geri Bırakılması)

 

HAGB (Postponement of the Announcement of the Verdict) is a mechanism in Turkish criminal law that allows the postponement of the announcement of a sentence under certain conditions.

To be eligible for an HAGB decision, certain requirements must be met — for example, the offender must have no prior convictions, the offense must fall within specific sentencing limits, and the offender must show remorse.

When an HAGB decision is made, the verdict is not announced. Instead, a probation period (for example, 2 to 5 years) is set. If the offender does not commit another crime during this period, the verdict is nullified.

It is possible to appeal an HAGB decision; the conditions for finalizing the decision must be carefully evaluated.

However, if the offender commits another crime during the probation period, the previously postponed verdict is announced, and the execution of the sentence begins.