Circular on violence against women updated

Oya Armutçu - ANKARA

The Justice Ministry has updated its circular on combating domestic violence and violence against women, as the escape, release or allowed leave of the accused of violence from the prison will be informed to the victim.

In the circular sent to all chief public prosecutors with the signature of Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ, it was requested that public prosecutors working on cases of violence against women should not be assigned to different files “except in mandatory cases.” Thus, specialization will be provided.

The law enforcement officers will inform victims if the people who have been arrested or convicted of deliberate murder, sexual abuse, qualified sexual assault or aggravated torture are released or escape from the penitentiary institutions.

Apart from escape or release, the same notification will be made in case of the culprit being allowed leave from the prison.

According to the circular, the victim’s statement will be taken by the prosecutor in the complaints made directly to the chief prosecutor’s offices.

In cases where the victim’s statement needs to be taken in a private setting or it is inconvenient for the victim to face the suspect, the statement will be taken through an expert in the judicial interview room.

Especially for those involving qualified or repeated cases of violence, the follow-up decision, in which technical methods will apply such as electronic handcuffs, will also be implemented.