Turhan Çömez demands answers from Minister Göktaş: Are the allegations that children entrusted to the state have fallen into the clutches of a terrorist organization true?

İYİ Party Balıkesir Deputy Turhan Çömez has raised the allegation that children entrusted to the state are running away from dormitories and falling into the clutches of a terrorist organization.

Submitting a parliamentary question to the Speaker of the TBMM for Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş to answer, Çömez alleged that the safety of children entrusted to the care of homes affiliated with the Ministry of Family and Social Services in Mersin is not sufficiently ensured and that supervision is inadequate.

He asked Minister Göktaş: "When did 16-year-old S.Y.K., who was staying at the Mersin Child Support Center, leave this center and never return? Is the information that S.Y.K. was arrested immediately after leaving the child support center and sent to the Tarsus Closed Penal Execution Institution for Children and Youth on the grounds of being a member of an armed terrorist organization (PKK) correct? If the allegations that children entrusted to the state are running away from dormitories and falling into the clutches of a terrorist organization are true, how could this not have been foreseen?"

Çömez made the following statement regarding the issue:

"Children's homes, orphanages, and child support centers are service institutions aimed at meeting the basic needs, care, and education of children who cannot stay with their families for various reasons or who need special support, provided by the state.

The state has responsibilities toward children in children's homes, orphanages, and child support centers. These responsibilities include basic services such as ensuring physical and psychological safety, providing health services, creating educational opportunities, providing social support services, ensuring legal protection, and offering rehabilitation services. Furthermore, the regular inspection of these institutions and the training of personnel are also among the state's responsibilities.

Situations where children under the care and supervision of the state are subjected to physical and psychological abuse and mistreatment, go missing, or become substance addicts deeply wound the public conscience. According to information that has recently come to the public's attention, it is understood that protective and preventive measures for children under protection in Turkey are not being sufficiently implemented."

"If the allegations that children have fallen into the clutches of a terrorist organization are true, how could this not have been foreseen?"

Çömez directed the following questions to Minister Özdemir Göktaş:

"In light of this information, how many children are currently in the children's homes, orphanages, and child support centers in Mersin affiliated with your Ministry?

How many of these children have gone missing or left these centers and not returned within the last year?

Among these children, what is the number of those who have been taken into rehabilitation due to substance addiction or a tendency toward crime?

When did 16-year-old S.Y.K., who was staying at the Mersin Child Support Center, leave this center and never return?

Is the information that S.Y.K. was arrested immediately after leaving the child support center and sent to the Tarsus Closed Penal Execution Institution for Children and Youth on the grounds of being a member of an armed terrorist organization (PKK) correct?

Is the information that 14-year-old M.T., who was staying at the Mersin Child Center, was arrested for being a member of the PKK and sent to the Tarsus Closed Penal Execution Institution for Children and Youth correct?

If the allegations that children entrusted to the state are running away from dormitories and falling into the clutches of a terrorist organization are true, how could this not have been foreseen, and why were the necessary measures not taken in time?

Is the information that around 15 children have gone missing from the Mersin Child Support Center in the last 6 months correct? How many personnel have been assigned to the center in question during this period?

What are your efforts to ensure that children entrusted to the state can be prepared for life in an educated, well-equipped, and self-confident manner, and how successful has your ministry been in these? What measures are you taking to protect these children from harmful habits and movements, and again, to protect them from the activities of certain gangs and terrorist organizations?

I know the answers, but I am waiting for an official response so that all of Turkey can hear it from your own mouth."

News Source: 12punto