Erdoğan unveils new ‘reforms’ in Turkey's struggle against male violence

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish

President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech at the 4th Ordinary Congress of the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM) today (March 4).

Speaking ahead of March 8 International Women's Day, Erdoğan also shared some details about the government's "reform package".

Erdoğan said, "The violence inflicted on the woman on the sole basis of her gender, especially the act of killing, is not and cannot be accepted by anyone who is a human. The rate of femicides in our country is much lower than most European countries. However, we cannot say that we have fulfilled our duty until we reduce the number of such incidents to zero."

CLICK - bianet male violence monitoring reports

'Arrests will be easier'

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), Erdoğan also shared some details about the "reform package": 

"With the new legal amendment, none of the actions of the perpetrators that do not have indications of remorse will be accepted as reasons for reducing sentences in cases regarding attacks on women."

President Erdoğan said that "theater-like scenes where men only wear a suit and tie and clasp their hands with the head bent will not be a reason for discretionary mitigation." He announced that if the crimes of killing, injury, torture and torment are committed against women, the penalties will be higher. "The lower limit of the penalties to be given for crimes of threat committed against married and divorces spouses will also be increased from six to nine months," announced the President.

According to Erdoğan, when the new reform package is enacted as a law, physical stalking or stalking via means of communication will be treated as a criminal action and the perpetrators may face 6 months to 2 years in prison.

The President also noted that the crimes of wilful injury committed against current or ex-spouses will be included in the catalog crimes, thereby making it easier to issue arrest warrants over such crimes. Erdoğan added, "If women who are victims of violence make such a request, lawyers will be assigned by bar associations without any fees." (EMK/SD)