Animal rights law left hanging for years: 'They are waiting for justice'

Photo: Pixabay

Click to read the article in Turkish

The parliamentary debates on the Draft Law on Animal Rights, for which animal rights advocates have fought for years, haven't begun yet despite promises by the government.

Özlem Zengin, the parliamentary group deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said on February 3 that the draft law would be presented to the parliament within two weeks.

We have talked about the draft law with Eray Özgüner, the founder of the Law for Life Initiative and the mother of Burak Özgüber, an animal rights activist who lost his life in 2019.

"Animals are waiting for justice," she said. "I made a call to make the struggle for animal rights more visible in our country and to emphasize that it is as valuable as other fields of rights advocacy.

"My son Burak Özgüner, whom I lost last year, was an animal rights activist and a life advocate. He had started his struggle at the age of eight.

"As a person who witnesses his efforts ... I picked up the baton. I made a call. I invited people, NGOs from every section to join the struggle. My intention was to draw attention to the struggle for animal rights. After my call, we have founded the Law for Life Initiative. The name 'Law for Life Initiative' is very inclusive. We demand the right to life for humans, animals and nature."

Noting that government officials promised a law in European standard, she reiterated her call for a fair law rather than a law that "protects the interest of capital groups."

"Animals are waiting for justice. Justice is as important for animals as humans. They have the right to continue their lives freely. They don't have anyone but us to defend their rights."

What does the draft law include?

While killing or inflicting violence on animals is currently within the scope of the misdemeanor law, which means those culpable of such acts usually get away with monetary penalties, they will be included in the Turkish Penal Code with the new law, the AKP's Zengin said earlier in the month.

Prosecutors will take ex-officio action in cases of violence on animals where the culprit is caught red-handed and investigations will start upon tip-offs, according to Zengin's statement.

Also, measures will be taken to prevent people from throwing their pets out of their homes as chips will be put on animals and those who throw animals out will be fined 2,000 lira (~273 USD).

The sale of animals in pet shops will be prohibited, according to the draft law.

Animal rights advocates say that the draft law was prepared after making some additions to a 2011 draft law, which was dubbed as "the law of death."

The Law for Life Initiative has started an online campaign to send a letter to the 26 members of the parliamentary committee on animal rights. (TP/VK)