Turkey reforms juvenile justice law as authorities pursue child abuse cases

The Turkish Parliament has enacted legislative reforms updating its juvenile justice framework while authorities confront high-profile child abuse cases. Under the newly ratified law, statutory references across several codes replace the phrase "child dragged into crime" with "child in the judicial process." The measure also introduces prison terms of one to three years for individuals whose negligence allows minors to access firearms, alongside revised penal guidelines for offenders aged 12 to 15.

Alongside the statutory updates, the Ministry of Family and Social Services announced it will formally intervene in a child abuse prosecution in Kocaeli, pledging psychosocial support for the victim and seeking the maximum legal penalty for the perpetrator. Meanwhile, legal proceedings continue in Balıkesir regarding allegations that a 15-year-old vocational training apprentice suffered months of abuse by an employer who subsequently fled abroad.

Sources: Anadolu Ajansı (Anadolu Agency), Bianet, Cumhuriyet, TRT Haber (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation)