Parliament approves 'child in conflict with the law' amendment: detention threshold for under-18s redefined

The Turkish Parliament approved it: the Child Protection Law bill containing new regulations on children in conflict with the law passed the assembly. According to reports from Diken and Sözcü newspapers, the law redefines the conditions under which individuals under 18 years of age will face imprisonment sentences.

The regulation prioritizes probation, rehabilitation, and protective measures in juvenile justice while expanding the scope of criminal liability in certain serious crime categories. Turkey's legislation on juvenile delinquency had undergone its last major overhaul in 2005 with the enactment of the Child Protection Law No. 5395; that regulation had predominantly adopted a restorative justice model.

The details of implementation and how the penalty threshold will be determined for different crime types will be clarified at the regulatory level. Civil society organizations working in the field of child rights are evaluating the details of the law text.