In Response to Protests, Turkey Withdraws Bill Related to Sexual Assault on Children

Binali Yildirim, the Prime Minister of Turkey, announced on Tuesday that the government has withdrawn a controversial bill related to sexual assault on children. According to this bill, those imprisoned for sexual assaults would have the opportunity to be released from prison if they marry their victims; this led to widespread protests in Turkey. If the bill were to be approved, men imprisoned for sexual assault against children could marry their victims and be released from prison, provided that their actions did not involve 'force or threats.' On the same day, Binali Yildirim stated in a press conference that at the request of the President of Turkey, the bill would be referred from Parliament to the relevant commission to reach a consensus and allow opposition parties to present their suggestions. The Prime Minister emphasized that the relevant commission would evaluate all viewpoints and would 'certainly' reach a solution. Critics argue that this bill legitimizes sexual assault and rape. According to AFP, the bill had initially passed in Parliament on Thursday and was expected to go through further stages in Parliament today (Tuesday), but since last week, thousands of people in Turkey have protested against the bill, demanding its withdrawal. Ultimately, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also called for a compromise on the bill and for consensus to be reached on it on Monday night. The Turkish government claims that this bill aims to assist families whose men are not sexual offenders and were unaware of the law. The legal age in Turkey is 18, but child marriage is quite common in the country, especially in its southern regions.