The amendments related to juveniles prosecuted under the Anti-Terror law were adopted by the Turkish Parliament. Children convicted for "terror" crimes will be released pending trial. They will be prosecuted at juvenile courts instead of high criminal courts.

The Turkish Parliament passed clauses 1 to 7 of the first part of the amendments of the Anti-Terror Law. Children shall no longer be tried as if they were members of a terrorist organization. UNICEF appreciated the adoption of the amendments.

The draft law of the Anti-Terror Act concerned with the situation of children on trial will be discussed in the Turkish Parliament this week. Children's rights advocators still find the amendments insufficient and urge the MPs to recognize related international agreements.

I wasn’t sure what to expect about my trip to the Southeast of Turkey in March. Practically everything I’ve heard about this region is scary and summed up in the question I was most often asked when I told people I’m going there on a vacation: “What business do you have there?” At the time things were relatively calm so I felt comfortable enough to go with an open mind.

The Constitutional Court annulled parts of the government's constitutional reform package that redefined the process of electing member to the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors and the High Court. The package is to be approved in a referendum on 12 September.

The Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses declared that the cells of the juveniles who protested against conditions of detention were closed. A criminal investigation was launched into the juveniles involved. Then, they were all transferred to different institutions.

18-year-old Abdullah Akçay is kept at the convicts ward of a SSK Hospital in Istanbul, even though he is in critical condition because he is suffering from blood cancer. Lawyer Taner expects the urgent release of Akçay and warned that valuable time has been lost.

Torrential rainfall in western Turkey and in south-east Anatolia left parts of the country under water.. In Gebze, one person drowned in his car in Gebze, another person is still missing. The State Meteorology Department issued flood and landslide warnings for 15 provinces.

Important changes have been made in the new version of the Anti-Terror Law. Children are tried at juvenile courts and stones do no longer account as weapons. Some anticipated increases of crimes and punishments will be lifted.

Data compiled by the Turkish Statistical Institute reveals that there are 958,000 child workers in Turkey. Children rights advocator Fişek demands to increase primary education to 12 years and take women confined at home into employment.

After incidents of multiple child abuse recently emerged in the south-eastern city of Siirt, criticism rose regarding the Regional Primary Boarding Schools. Zübeyde Kılıç from the teachers union talked to bianet about the problematic situations at the schools.

19 of the 20 defendants face aggravated prison sentences of at least 15 years each under charges of "aggravated sexual abuse" in the case of sexual abuse and harassment of 9 girls over the duration of 2 years in the south-eastern province of Siirt.

The "Purple Roof" Women's Shelter Foundation pointed out that one out of four children is exposed to sexual abuse: "In order to prevent child abuse we have to accept the fact that it mostly happens within the family; silent witnesses should be mobilized".

The Turkish law allows abortion until the 20th week of pregnancy in case a woman got pregnant because of rape. Yet, a judge dismissed the request for abortion, saying that he would not be exploited for murder. Rights defenders criticized the decision.

This year's national Children's Day celebrated in Turkey on 23 April was shadowed by recent incidents of violence against children, abuse, rape and death besides punishments against children decreed by courts.

The Constitutional Reform Package passed through the Constitutional Commission in Parliament. Read here a summary of the second part of the amendments.

The Constitutional Reform Package passed through the Constitutional Commission in Parliament. The amendments will not be subject to a public referendum.

While the according draft law prepared in the scope of the government's democratic initiative is still pending in parliament, children accused of terror crimes are exposed to maltreatment in prison. 18 children in the Maltepe Children Prison started a hunger strike. Apparently, they were beaten and threatened by prison guards.

In a single hearing, a 15-year-old child was sentenced to imprionment of more than six years. The conviction was based on police statements and a photo showing a child from behind. Lawyer Turgay Berk appealed to the decision.

Six children received a 7.5-year prison sentence each under charges of "membership of an illegal organization and spreading its propaganda". The decision was based on police statements only. Lawyer Güngör criticized the conviction.