AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Leyla Şahin Usta visited the CHP Grand National Assembly of Turkey Group regarding the Child Protection Law, which includes regulations regarding children dragged into crime, and the Bill on Amendments to Some Laws.
Usta gave information about the bill proposal to the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Investigation Commission on Children Driven to Crime, AK Party Istanbul Deputy Müşerref Pervin Tuba Durgut, Commission Member AK Party Kastamonu Deputy Fatma Serap Ekmekci and CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir.
Making a statement to the press after the visit, Usta said that they visited the New Path Party and CHP and expected support in the discussions of the bill in the commission.
"Will there be another visit?" Upon the question, Usta said that they wanted to visit İYİ Party and that they had discussed this issue with them.
Stating that they also visited the DEM Party, Usta said that during the meeting, the DEM Party also expressed that steps should be taken on this issue.
Stating that the DEM Party will give its opinion after examining the bill, Usta said:
"Everyone has an opinion that a step should be taken on this issue, especially that protective and preventive measures should be prioritized and that the best interests of children should be protected. Frankly, they did not make a general comment about the bill because they said 'we will examine it yet'. I think they will probably express their opinions in the commission."
Master: "Will the Parliament's activity calendar be affected?" "The Parliament's activity calendar is not fully clear at the moment. We have a long package ahead of us, but we would like this 18-article bill to be completed." he replied.
"We will continue to make our constructive contributions and criticisms"
CHP Group Deputy Chairman Emir thanked Usta for the visit.
Pointing out that the Master and the Commission visited them after presenting the bill to the Parliament, Emir said, "We thank them, but there is currently a Commission report on children dragged into crime. That commission report has not yet been discussed in the General Assembly and has not been evaluated and voted on in the General Assembly. Therefore, the fact that they have prepared such a proposal on their own, with their own activities, before that report is finalized and the discussions are finished, is a great deficiency from the beginning." he said.
"We are faced with a proposal that focuses on execution, increases penalties, gives judges wide discretion, especially in certain types of crimes, does not clearly indicate the criteria by which this wide discretion is tied, and falls into the shallowness of 'if we increase penalties, we will reduce crime'," said Emir, adding that a proposal that will protect children from crime and violence and be deterrent and preventive is needed.
Emir stated that they expressed their criticism about the proposal during the meeting and said, "We will continue to make our constructive contributions and criticisms about this law both in the Commission and the General Assembly." he said.