'We increase penalties, but incidents continue,’ says Turkey's new justice minister

* Photo and news: AA

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Recently appointed by President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in place of Abdulhamit Gül, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ spoke at the "Meeting of Struggle Against Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women" yesterday (February 2).

Attending the meeting at ATO Congresium in Turkey's capital city of Ankara, Justiec Minister Bekir Bozdağ said, "We have increased the penalties and measures, but incidents continue. Even though the number drops, a murder is a murder and violence is violence."

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While the meeting was also attended by Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Minister of Family and Social Services Derya Yanık, Justice Minister Bozdağ made a speech at the meeting and said that "the government and state institutions had been making great efforts for years to struggle against domestic violence and violence against women" in Turkey.

Amid criticisms for reducing the prison sentences and fines of male perpetrators due to "good conduct", the Minister said, "Good conduct time is applied not due to [wearing] ties, clothing, mustache, hair or beard, but due to the true repentance of the perpetrator of crime. I am determined to forestall it by amending the law and offering training if necessary."

Bekir Bozdağ noted that "in addition to the deterrence of penalties, a preventive legal system should be established in a powerful way and great efforts should be made to prevent the committal of these crimes by introducing the mechanisms together." The Minister stressed that the issue is "something to be resolved only in cooperation", explaining: "There is a need for the mobilization of the media, universities, institutions, mothers, fathers, women, men, all 84 million people."

We have increased the penalties and measures, but incidents continue. Though the number drops, a murder is a murder, violence is violence. They are all great catastrophes and crimes against humanity.

Further in his speech, the Justice Minister argued that under the Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments since 2002, "serious steps have been taken to transform the mentality in this field."

Concluding his remarks, Minister Bozdağ said:

"A [ministry of] interior or judiciary that gives decisions as a result of the pressure of social media, public or newspapers gives us harm. We will make the right decision before the media, social media and public shows backlash. They will thank us, saying, 'Thank you.' Let's address this issue by making and implementing decisions not because of public pressure, but because they are the right decisions. Only then will we pave the way for the nation's satisfaction in heart and conscience." (AÖ/SD)