Turkey to seek 'concrete evidence' for arrest in child abuse cases

"No to harassment, violence and child abuse" (Photo: Gülnaz Bingöl/csgorselarsiv.org)

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The first part of the Proposal of the Law on the Amendment of the Criminal Procedure Code and Some Laws, which is publicly known as the "4th Judicial Package," by the parliament on July 8.

According to one of the 14 articles passed by the parliament, "concrete evidence" will be required for the arrest of suspects in "catalog crimes," which also include child abuse.

"In judge or court verdicts regarding an arrest, the continuation of an arrest or the rejection of the request of a release, the evidence that shows the judicial control application will be insufficient will be shown and included in the ruling," says the article in question.

Some lawyers and women's and children's rights groups criticize the law, saying that it will pave the way for child abuse and impunity while some others said the new law does not change the current practice.

The Women's Assembly said on Twitter that "While perpetrators are not arrested despite evidence and laws protecting women and children are not implemented, the approved article protects perpetrators."

Eğitim-Sen teachers' union said the new legislation would lead to spoliation of evidence and make it more difficult to carry out an effective investigation.

Lawyer Özge Üstün previously told bianet that pictures drawn by a child, medical examination reports and forensic medicine findings are also concrete evidence.

Lawyer Seda Akço also said, "In actions that require intervention in a person's freedom, the reason for suspicion should be put forward with concrete evidence. In this sense, the 4th Judicial Package does not do anything different than the current application. Also, concrete evidence is not only physical findings or witnesses."

Ministry of Justice Spokesperson Ertuğrul Çetin confirmed that the statements of women and children are concrete evidence.

"Statements taken from women, who are victims of a crime, in judicial meeting rooms are concrete evidence. Statements of children who are victims of a crime are also concrete evidence," he said. (AÖ/VK)