Turkey contemplating juvenile trial for alleged 17-year-old murderers as adults
In a move aimed at toughening penalties for grave crimes committed by minors, the Justice Ministry of Turkey is working on a bill that could see 17-year-olds who commit murder tried as adults. This proposal comes in the wake of the fatal stabbing of a Turkish-Italian teenager, Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, by two peers in Istanbul in January.
Currently, under Turkish law, life imprisonment for individuals under 18 is prohibited due to mandatory sentence reductions based on age. The offense of "intentional killing" committed by children aged 16 or older does not have sentence reductions applied at the judge's discretion. However, if a crime requires life imprisonment under the current system, it is reduced to 12 to 15 years. For crimes committed by individuals aged between 15 and 18, the sentence is reduced to 18 to 24 years of imprisonment.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç has stated that the new regulation would be based on the principle of reducing the scope of such reductions as age increases. The bill also suggests disciplinary imprisonment for parents, guardians, or caretakers who disregard protective and supportive court orders concerning children.
Lawmakers are also considering criminal penalties for public officials who neglect or delay the implementation or coordination of protective measures for children. This is part of the broader Child Protection Law, which includes five key measures for children in need of protection: counseling, education, health care, protective oversight, and shelter.
Daily Hürriyet reported on the Justice Ministry's plans and Minister Yılmaz Tunç's comments. However, the political party supporting this legislative proposal in Turkey is not specified in the provided search results.
It's worth noting that international law stipulates that children under the age of 12 cannot be punished. Under the current system in Turkey, there are sentence reductions for crimes committed by those aged 12-15 and 15-18.
The new regulation, if passed, could mark a significant shift in Turkey's approach to juvenile justice. The debate continues, with many calling for minors who commit grave crimes such as murder to be prosecuted as adults. The details of the proposal, including the potential impact on international law stipulations regarding the punishment of children under the age of 12, are yet to be finalised.
