The Turkish Arbitrators Association, known in Turkish as Tahkim Hakemleri Derneği and abbreviated TAHAKDER, is a professional body constituted under the Turkish Associations Act no. 5253. It is seated in Ankara and holds registry number 06-162-173 in the Associations Information System maintained by the Ministry of the Interior.
Its purpose, set out in Article 2 of its Statutes, is to contribute to the development of arbitration in Türkiye, to raise the ethical, scholarly and professional standards of arbitrators, to broaden the use of national and international arbitration practice, and to foster solidarity among arbitrators.
Arbitration in Türkiye
For readers approaching Turkish practice for the first time, arbitration seated in Türkiye rests on two statutes. International arbitration is governed by the International Arbitration Act no. 4686, which follows the UNCITRAL Model Law; domestic arbitration is governed by the Code of Civil Procedure no. 6100. Türkiye is a party to the 1958 New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, which entered into force for Türkiye on 25 September 1992.
Institutional arbitration is administered principally by the Istanbul Arbitration Centre (ISTAC), the Arbitration Court of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, and the Insurance Arbitration Commission. The Department of Arbitration within the General Directorate of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Justice coordinates policy in the field.
The association works within this framework. It contributes to legislative work on arbitration, supports the establishment of new institutional arbitration centres, and promotes the choice of Türkiye as a seat and of Turkish law as the applicable law in disputes with a foreign element.
Independence and impartiality
The association is impartial and independent in its activities. It is not affiliated with any political party or movement, may not act as the organ, extension or support body of a political party, and no political propaganda may be conducted in its name. The personal freedom of thought and expression of members is reserved.
The same principle governs the practice of arbitration itself. In their work as arbitrators and in the affairs of the association, members undertake to observe independence and impartiality, honesty and professional diligence, confidentiality and the duty of secrecy, and the avoidance and timely disclosure of conflicts of interest. The application of these principles is governed by a Code of Ethics adopted by the board.
Membership
Membership is open to individual arbitrators; legal persons and unincorporated bodies may not join. Full membership requires that the applicant be listed on the panel of arbitrators of an institutional arbitration centre operating in Türkiye or abroad, or that the applicant has served as arbitrator in at least one arbitration. Being listed as inactive on such a panel does not bar an application.
Foreign nationals may become full members provided they hold the right to reside in Türkiye. Foreign arbitrators who do not meet that condition may be elected honorary members by decision of the board, as may persons who have made a scholarly, professional or institutional contribution to arbitration, members of the higher judiciary, academics and senior public officials. The requirements and the application procedure are set out on the Membership page.
Organs and representation
The mandatory organs of the association are the general assembly, the board and the audit committee. Article 13 of the Statutes further provides for a disciplinary committee. The association is represented by the president of the board; transactions placing the association under debt or obligation require the joint signature of the president together with the treasurer or a board member authorised by the president.
The organs of the association were constituted at the first general assembly held on 10 October 2026; until then, the association was represented by an interim board. The founding members and the interim board are listed on the Governance and Founders page, and the members of the committees elected at the first general assembly on the Management page.
Branches and representation offices
The association has no branches. The board may open representative offices where it considers this necessary for carrying out the association's activities. Representative offices are not represented at the general assembly and are not organs of the association.
Correspondence
Enquiries from arbitrators, arbitral institutions and professional bodies abroad are welcome and may be sent in English to [email protected]. Contact details are set out on the Contact page.