The Erdogan party's bill: pardon Lancei minors to marry victim
The ruling party's bill was passed on first reading, saying that men convicted of underage sex offenses - if they marry the victim - will be released. Women’s rights groups, which have succeeded in rejecting such a proposal in the past, have protested across Turkey, claiming: giving legitimacy to minors and rape
The Erdogan party's bill: pardon Lancei minors to marry victim
Reuters(Video: Women Protest Against Rape Culture in Chile, December 2019)
About four years after submitting a similar proposal and provoking outrage in the world, the Turkish ruling party is trying to pass the law that would grant pardons to men convicted of underage rape - if they marry the victim. The opposition party and women's rights groups have protested against state-wide legislation, claiming it would legitimize underage marriage and statutory rape.
The law was first read in Parliament about a week ago, but a deadline for a second reading has yet to be set. The Conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the proposal was intended to address the problem of underage marriage in the country. Under the bill, pardons will only be given to the rapists in the event of a wedding if the age difference between them and the victim is less than ten years.
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Women protest against marriage against minors in Turkey, November 22, 2016 (Photo: AP)
Secretary-General of Turkish group "Stop women's murder," Fiden Athaslim, said the new bill is an attempt by the government to erase the growing evidence of violence against girls and women in the country. " The law was abolished after our protests, "Athaslim said." If they dare try it again - we will fight it again. "
Since the Turkish authorities stopped doing this in 2009, the group has been monitoring cases of violence against women and estimates that more than 2,600 have been murdered in the past decade, with the number steadily rising every year. According to UN statistics, 38% of women in Turkey have suffered physical or sexual violence from their partner.
Istanbul's head of criminal law at the University of Istanbul, Dr. Adam Souzer, said the new bill could increase the rate of violence against women and girls.
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To the full article"If they dare try again - we will fight again." Women protest against bill in 2016 (Photo: AP)
Women protest against marriage against minors in Turkey, November 22, 2016 (Photo: AP)
Marriage-related clauses exist in existing sexual consent legislation in many Middle Eastern and Latin American countries. In recent years, such clauses in the law have been deleted in Lebanon, Jordan and Tunisia following protests. However, in Turkey the trend seems to be reversed. After the law was abolished in 2005, according to which prisoners will be released from prison if they marry the victim - such a proposal again comes to the fore.
Who was the Turkish prime minister when the bill was tabled in 2016, Binali Yildirim, said the legislative intent was distorted by the opponents. "Some people get married before they reach legal age. They just don't know the law," he said. "The law is designed to get rid of this injustice."
