A court in Turkey has imposed an unprecedented measure on a 15-year-old from the Istanbul district of Ümraniye, accused of stalking and threatening his classmates with a knife, ruling that the boy must wear an ankle bracelet to track him outside of school, the website “Türkiye Today“ reports, BTA reported.
The court's decision is a rare measure in a case of bullying between peers and could set a precedent for similar incidents in Turkey, the media outlet noted, pointing out that the case stems from an incident late last month in which the suspect allegedly attacked a classmate on the street, chasing him with a knife. According to the information provided, the chased boy managed to hide from the attacker in a shopping mall, and then his father filed a criminal complaint in court and requested the imposition of additional measures. In his testimony to the police, the chased boy also stated that he had been the subject of threats and harassment by his classmate for more than a year, notes “Türkiye Today“.
In its written decision, the court justified the measure with “the recent increase in such incidents that have shaken Turkish society“, and noted “the visible increase in the number of minors in the country who are involved in crimes“. The judges also indicated that efforts are being made to draft new legislation in Turkey aimed at preventing juvenile delinquency. “These efforts are the shared hope of society for long-term social peace“, the court's written decision also states, emphasizing that “preventing the involvement of children in committing crimes is the responsibility of all state institutions“.
According to the revelations made about the incident, the court also determined the level of risk of violence as “intense and disturbing“, which is also cited as an argument for imposing the unusual measure.
The news comes against the backdrop of the debate in Turkish society about seeking criminal responsibility for minors. Discussions on the topic in Turkey have flared up mostly around the infamous “Mingutsi“ case, in which an argument between youths in the middle of a busy market in Istanbul early last year led to the death of a 15-year-old boy of Turkish-Italian origin. In October last year, a court in Turkey sentenced two young men, aged 15 and 16, to 24 years for causing the death of 15-year-old Matiya Ahmet Mingutci - a decision that provoked mixed reactions in society, as Mingutci's family and part of society consider the sentences insufficient, while human rights organizations and another part of society - define them as too harsh.
Against the backdrop of the debate in Turkish society in November last year Turkish lawmakers formed a special parliamentary committee to investigate the factors that push the country's youth into criminal activity, and then-Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the government was considering changes to the way juveniles are prosecuted.
The debate heated up even more in mid-January when a fight between youths in an Istanbul cafe led to the death of a 16-year-old boy.