Turkey: Thousands protest in Istanbul over controversial child sex-assault bill
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 19 November 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Turkey: Thousands protest in Istanbul over controversial child sex-assault bill, 19 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a2689.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 19, 2016
Thousands of people have protested in Istanbul against a controversial bill that would overturn men's convictions for child sex assault if they marry their victims.
AFP reports that at least 3,000 people took part in the demonstration on the city's Asian side on November 19.
The protesters held banners such as "AKP Take Your Hands Off My Body," a reference to the ruling party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which introduced the bill.
The measures, which were approved in an initial parliamentary reading on December 17, will be voted on again in a second debate in the coming days.
If passed, the law would allow the release from prison of men guilty of assaulting a minor if the act was committed without "force, threat, or any other restriction on consent" and if the aggressor "marries the victim."
The legal age of consent in Turkey is 18.
Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
