Women Call on MPs to Oppose Draft Bill Reducing Prison Terms for Sexual Offenses

"Abuse is a crime, it cannot be justified" (Photo: Evrensel)

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Nearly two hundred women's organizations have released a statement, calling on MPs not to pass a bill reducing prison terms for sexual abuse and assault convicts as part of efforts to reduce prison population due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The draft bill prepared by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) within the scope of the third judicial reform package has drawn criticism for not including political prisoners.

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The statement has been announced by the Right to Alimony Women's Platform and the TCK 103 Women's platform.

"When the draft text reported in the press is examined, it is seen that the planned amendments cannot be considered as changes that should be taken within the scope of the coronavirus in order to protect public health," the statement said.

"So much so that the changes that are tried to be made are not a direct pardon or release, but merely the release of a number of prisoners under probation and conditional release.

"It should be clearly seen that a regulation that will result in the release of some prisoners while tens of thousands of prisoners will continue to remain in prison does not aim to protect public health but to reduce the capacities of prisons, which has been on the agenda for years."

"Lives of women and children will be endangered"

"Including the offenses of child abuse and violence against women in the amendment on the [law of criminal] execution means many men who are perpetrators of child abuse and rape, who systematically inflict violence on women will go out and lives of women and children will be endangered."

The women's organizations noted that prison terms are already being shortened because courts are reducing sentences due to "good behavior" and "provocation," and that the new regulation will further reduce prison terms. "Women and children will pay the price for it," they stated.

"We know that these reductions envisaged in the execution periods will embolden the perpetrators of violence on women and child abuse and encourage this crime," the statement said, adding that the release of perpetrators of such offenses will pose a risk to lives of women, especially those who suffered from those offenses.

The women's organizations called on MPs to oppose the third judicial reform package and any regulation that paves the way for violence on women.

"We, the women, won't give up on our fight to protect our acquired rights," they said. (EMK/VK)