CONTROVERSY AS TURKEY JAILS CHILDREN
Sofia Echo
May 19 2010
Bulgaria
The plight of hundreds of children currently languishing in adult
jails in Turkey has become the center of a major political debate.
The children, most of whom are Kurds convicted of taking part in
illegal demonstrations, has also raised concerns by the European Union.
According to local human rights groups there are more than 300
children in adult jails in Turkey, many of whom are serving decade-long
sentences.
Most are Kurdish children convicted under Turkey’s anti-terror laws
for throwing stones at Turkish security forces or participating in
demonstrations in support of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party ,
or PKK, which is fighting the state for greater Kurdish rights.
Sixteen-year-old Hasan Dundar is currently out on bail but is facing
10 years in jail for taking part in such a protest. He explained what
happened to him after he was detained.
"First we were taken to prison, and immediately paramilitary officers
came and beat us for two to three hours," said Hasan Dundar. "Then
the guards took us inside and they started beating us. We were there
for four days and during all that time we were beaten. Every morning,
they came and beat us."
Human rights groups say what happened to Dundar is all too common.
They say more than 1,000 Kurdish children are facing time in jail.
Last month, 15 minors were sentenced to three to five years in prison
for participating in illegal pro-PKK protests. Last March, a group
of child inmates went on a hunger strike over their conditions and
sentences. Their lawyers claim that some have been beaten by the
guards, a charge denied by the authorities.
The plight of the children has led the leader of the opposition
National Action Party to propose an amnesty for all children in jail.
It was a surprise move, as the party has been one of the harshest
critics of what it describes as Kurdish terrorists. The proposal
has been met with a cautious response, even from the country’s main
pro-Kurdish party the BDP. Hasip Kaplan is a BDP member of parliament.
"An idea that is abruptly put forward without any preparatory work,
without involving the other party groups, may bring disadvantages as
well as the proposed advantages," said Hasip Kaplan.
That is because there are fears the amnesty call is an attempt to
release juveniles convicted of murdering a Turkish-Armenian journalist
and an Italian priest. Both juveniles have links to extreme nationalist
groups.
But resolving the issue of jailed children remains a pressing issue
for the ruling AK party. It is pushing for contentious reforms to
the constitution, which are opposed by all the main opposition parties.
Observers say any hope of passing the reforms depends on the backing of
the pro-Kurdish BDP, which has not ruled out supporting the government
– for a price.
In a bid to secure the pro-Kurdish party’s support, Minister of
Justice Sadullah Ergin is offering reform.
"We have important work to do when it comes to the justice system
for children," said Sadullah Ergin. "We are working both in terms of
bringing children’s prisons up to modern standards and introducing
legal reforms. We will soon make our plans public, as soon as we have
finished our constitutional reforms".
According to Ergin, the reforms being considered include the building
of new premises solely for juvenile inmates, the employing of child
psychiatrists, and making courts more informal. But there are no
specific details about reforming the anti-terror law, which is
responsible for sending children to jail for long periods.
The European Union is also putting pressure on Ankara to end the
practice of putting children in adult jails.
Richard Howitt is the spokesman for the European Parliament’s committee
on Turkey:
"There is no doubt we oppose such moves, that we make clear to our
Turkish friends and colleagues that as part of the continuing reforms
in the country it has to stop happening," said Richard Howitt.
Such mounting pressure from all sides is now giving to hundreds of
children languishing in adult jails and many more facing a similar
prospect. But observers point out that despite such consensus, the
wheels of reform in Turkey can move painfully slowly.