Turkish gov’t submits draft law to increase jail terms for child sexual abusers to 40 years

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The Turkish government submitted a new draft law to parliament on April 9 to hand down harsher sentences to those convicted of sex offences against children, proposing to increase jail terms to 40 years and introduce chemical castration for such offenses.

According to the draft law, the upper limit of all sexual abuse crimes against children will be from 20 years to 40 years. Punishment for sexual crime will be increased from 30 years to 40 years if the child is under the age of 12.

It also proposed that courts should give life sentences to those who committed sexual abuse against children under 12 through the use of force or weapons.

The draft law, which will be debated in the parliament’s justice committee this week, would also enable courts to order the chemical castration of such convicts.

Those who commit such crimes and get sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment would be able to obtain probation only after 50 years. Similarly, those who commit such crimes and get life imprisonment would be able to obtain probation after 40 years. In both cases, the convicts would need to demonstrate good behavior during their time in prison.

In any case, convicts will never be allowed to work near children.

The Health Ministry will also establish special centers for abused children, the draft law added.

The move comes in the wake of public anger after a string of sexual abuse cases against children.