Minister calls for additional measures to prevent child sexual abuse

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozda? has called on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to take additional measures against child sexual abuse, after a court in the Central Anatolian province of Karaman sentenced a teacher to 508 years in prison. The decision was challenged by the opposition for failing to recognize the responsibility of the foundations where the abuses took place.
"We must return to justice whoever did wrong, committed a crime or committed such an ugly act [as child sexual abuse]. We need to take them to court [and] make them accountable so that such immoral people aren't encouraged by this secrecy and commit new crimes," Bozda? said while answering reporters' questions during a visit to the Black Sea province of Trabzon late on April 20. 

Bozda? stressed that criminal charges alone were not sufficient to prevent new cases of child abuse and argued that social awareness must be increased. "We must not remain silent in the face of heinous, immoral actions [and] crimes," he said, calling on the AKP government and families to cooperate and take additional measures. 

A 54-year-old teacher, Muharrem Büyüktürk, was found guilty of abusing 10 male children to whom he had been giving private courses in apartments rented by the Karaman branch of the Ensar Foundation and the Karaman Religious Vocational High School (?mam Hatip) Alumni Association (KA?MDER). He was charged with "sexually abusing a child," "deprivation of freedom," "deliberately causing injury" and "encouraging a child to read and view obscene publications."

While reports of the abuse sent shockwaves across the country, the incident also led to a political row between Family and Social Policies Minister Sema Ramazano?lu and main opposition...