The United Nations has expressed strong disapproval of recent amendments to Turkey's Child Protection Law that impose more severe sentences on juvenile offenders.
Turkey's parliament recently passed changes requiring child offenders to be detained initially in closed juvenile facilities, with transfer to educational institutions only after assessment. This contrasts with previous practices where children were placed directly in rehabilitative education-based settings.
Volker Turk, the UN rights chief, described the amendments as alarming. While acknowledging some positive elements—such as improved coordination between child protection and education services and measures to restrict children's access to firearms—he emphasized serious human rights concerns.
The new law increases prison terms for offenders aged 12 to 18. Notably, those aged 15 to 18 convicted of crimes warranting aggravated life imprisonment, including intentional killing, may face 19 to 27 years behind bars. Other life imprisonment crimes carry sentences of 15 to 18 years.
The UN stresses that juvenile justice should balance accountability with rehabilitation and social reintegration. International human rights law mandates that imprisonment for children be a last resort and as brief as possible. The imposition of life sentences and extended detention on minors contradicts protections under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
