27 people detained over social media posts about child abuse in Batman

"State, don't protect the rapist!" / News: AA

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In a statement released by the Directorate General of Security today (December 7), it has been announced that a legal action has been taken against 27 people on the grounds that they shared social media messages regarding the incident where a 15-year-old girl was sexually abused in Turkey's Kurdish-majority Batman province, allegedly by men including police officers, specialist sergeants and village guards.

CLICK - 15-year-old child sexually abused in Batman

The statement of the Directorate General of Security has briefly read, "As part of the ongoing virtual patrol activities, 27 people who spread disinformation about an incident of sexual harassment ... on social media in an utter perception operation backed by the separatist organization have been identified and a legal procedure has been launched against them."

Ministry involved in the judicial process

While there is still a confidentiality order on the investigation file, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services has got involved in the judicial process. It has also been announced that the child has been placed in a Child Protection First Response Center in another province.

The Ministry has made the following statement about the issue:

"Following the judicial proceedings undertaken by our Batman Provincial Directorate of Family, Labor and Social Services at the date of the incident, our child has been placed in our Child Protection First Response Center in a different province. Concerning the child who is still staying in the institution, the related order for care and health measures has been requested and the necessary professional works have been started.

"The Law Department of the Provincial Directorate has got involved in the judicial process which is being conducted with a confidentiality order."

What happened?

A man named M.A. has been arrested as part of the investigation launched into the incident where a 15-year-old child was sexually abused and two women were forced to do sex work in a village in Gercüş district in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Batman.

Having reported on the issue, Jinnews indicated that 27 people including police officers, specialist sergeants and village guards were involved in the incident. However, in a written statement released by the Batman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it has been stated that "no public official has been identified as a suspect in the investigation."

While a confidentiality order has been imposed on the file, a broadcast and publication ban has been imposed on the news about the issue. (AÖ/SD)