Children’s rights organizations demand withdrawal of NGO bill

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After the General Assembly of the Parliament passed a bill foreseeing tighter control on civil society organizations in Turkey, 17 children's rights organizations have demanded the withdrawal of the legislation in a joint statement. "Keep your hands off children's rights organizations: We are enraged, concerned, but determined," they have said.

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The joint statement for the press was read out by Sevinç Koçak, a member of the Human Rights Association (İHD) Children's Commission.

Addressing the public in front of İHD Ankara Branch, she said, "We are enraged by the criminalization of civil society activities, including those of children's rights groups, by being taken into the scope of the 'Bill on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction'."

"It is unacceptable that the guarantees granted by the Constitution and international conventions are eliminated by paving the way for closing and shutting down children's rights organizations and seizing their assets with various excuses," added Koçak further.

The statement of the organizations also raised concerns about the investigation and prosecution of children's right defenders as well as the closure of the organizations where they carry out their activities.

The organizations reminded the public that the children's rights defenders and groups "had been patiently documenting the violations of children's rights, insistently pointing out the chain of responsibility, insistently demanding that children be addressed, requesting a holistic and rights-based children's policy, regarding children as right holders and equal citizens, struggling against the culture of impunity and making efforts to ensure that another child will not face a right violation that a child was subjected to."

"We are concerned that the cases of children will become unclaimed and violations of children's rights will increase as a result," they noted.

"Until the rights of every single child are guaranteed, we will keep on standing up against children's rights violations and siding with children anywhere and under any circumstances. Keep your hands off children, children's rights defenders and children's rights organizations. Withdraw your legislation that deals a heavy blow to children's rights immediately."

The Undersigned (Alphabetical order in Turkish)

1. Network of Lawyers Working in the Field of Child
2. Youth Network of Lawyer Working in the Field of Child
3. Children Everywhere Association
4. Association for Preventing Child Abuse and Negligence
5. Diyarbakır Bar Association / Children's Rights Center
6. Diyarbakır Children Studies Association
7. Migration and Humanitarian Aid Foundation
8. Everywhere Child
9. İHD Children's Rights Commission
10. Children First Association
11. Colorful Hopes Association
12. Romani Peoples' Rights Association
13. Social Service Specialists' Association
14. Social Freedom Party / Children's Rights Assembly
15. Flying Broom Association
16. Uğur Özkan Children's Culture House
17. ZAN Social Political Economic Research Foundation

(AÖ/SD)