Prosecutor defends indicting 13-year-old Gezi protester

ÇANAKKALE – Doğan News Agency

A public prosecutor in the western province of Çanakkale has said an indictment “had to be prepared” against a 13-year-old child, who faces six years in prison for writing slogans on roads during the summer’s Gezi protests.

Çanakkale Public Prosecutor Salih Çokal issued a written statement saying it was compulsory in the Turkish Criminal Code to file a criminal case against children between the ages of 12 and 15 who are pulled into criminal activity, even though they are not aware of the meaning and results of the crimes committed. that started in May and subsequently spread across Turkey.

In this particular case, it was a technical and legal necessity to prosecute the minor in a crimnal case, he added.

Çokal said the public prosecutor’s office may decide to penalize the child if the juvenile court concluded that he had committed criminal actions and was able to understand the results and meaning of these actions.

Çokal requested the punishment for the elementary school student, identified only as B.T.İ., accusing him of writing the slogans “resign, government,” “death to fascism” and “f**k the police” with spray paint on a road in his home town.

He demands that B.T.İ be taken from his family and handed over to state protection if no prison term is imposed.