[1] Yüksel is a member of the Istanbul Bar Association and worked in Turkey from 2005 onwards as a lawyer, including on human rights issues.
[3] In April 2019, Yüksel was elected judge at the European Court of Human Rights by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) after having been put forward as one of the three candidates by the Turkish Government,[1] replacing Ayşe Işıl Karakaş.
[5] During his stay in Turkey, Spano received an honorary doctorate by the Istanbul University, which drew criticism by Turkish academics like Mehmet Altan[6] and politicians of the Peoples' Democratic Party.
[7] Following Yüksel’s appointment, human rights observers expressed concern over her impartiality given the close relations between Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the judge.
[8] Her brother is Cüneyt Yüksel, a former member of parliament of the Justice and Development Party[8] and a professor at the Istanbul University.