Turkish 'legal reform' will require 'concrete proof' for child abuse

Duvar English

Turkish parliament passed the first part of a legal reform package on July 8 that will require "concrete proof" of child abuse and child sexual assault.

The article in question will require concrete proof for crimes that can lead to protective measures such as arrests and restraining orders, as well as for the reversal of detentions. 

The petitioners will need to prove that probation will not be a strict enough measure to ensure their safety in cases where courts rule to let go of the perpetrators. 

Journalist Melis Alphan noted that the recent legislation was an extension of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's withdrawal of Turkey from the Istanbul Convention, an international document protecting women and children from domestic violence. 

"Concrete proof will now be required to arrest suspects of child sexual abuse. The withdrawal from Istanbul Convention was the first step against women and children," Alphan said. "This will reach as far as the civil code."

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