GENEVA (13 August 2026) – UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights Volker Türk on Thursday deplored legislative
changes recently adopted by Parliament in Türkiye that
could see child offenders sentenced to lengthy jail terms,
including life imprisonment. He urged the authorities to
ensure full respect for Türkiye’s international
obligations on children’s rights.
The amendments to
the Child Protection Law, adopted on 8 August, also mandate
detention of child offenders in closed juvenile
institutions, with any subsequent transfer to an
education-based institution subject to assessment. This
breaks with the current practice of holding them directly in
rehabilitative, education-based institutions.
“While
some of the proposals may be positive – such as those that
aim to ensure better coordination between child protection
and education services and to prevent children from
accessing firearms – others raise serious human rights
concerns. I am particularly alarmed by the possibility that
child offenders could be sentenced to life
imprisonment,” said Türk.
“It is essential
that the law is amended to ensure that all of its provisions
are fully aligned with Türkiye’s international human
rights law obligations, including on children’s
rights.”
Justice systems, including juvenile
justice, should combine accountability with rehabilitation,
individualized support and opportunities for reintegration,
he added.
“A focus on rehabilitation and
reintegration is essential to protect victims and to reduce
re-offending. It contributes to safer communities for
everyone,” said Türk, warning against overfocussing on
punishment and retribution.
Under international human
rights law, children can only be imprisoned as a measure of
last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of
time.
Imposition of life sentences and lengthy
detention measures on children clearly runs counter to the
protections enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of
the
Child.
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