Grim toll for the crime of 'insulting the President': 44 children convicted!

Striking data regarding child prisoners has emerged. According to the data brought to the agenda with "Children Dragged into Crime," exactly 44 children are being held in prison for the crime of 'insulting the President'. 

According to the report by Mustafa Bildircin from BirGün, the number of files in criminal courts concerning children dragged into crime reached 254 thousand 617 by the end of 2024. The total number of children in these files was recorded as 258 thousand 212.

In 2024 alone, files were prepared in criminal courts regarding 126 thousand 47 children dragged into crime. While the highest number of files opened regarding children dragged into crime were under the scope of "crimes against property," "crimes against physical integrity" were reflected in the data as the type of crime for which children were most frequently dragged into crime. It was stated that the number of children against whom files were opened in 2024 under articles 299 and 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which include the crime of insulting the President and are considered the "greatest obstacle to freedom of expression," was 353.

It was reported that the number of children brought before a judge in criminal courts in 2024 for being dragged into crime was 134 thousand 383. Following the trials, conviction decisions were made regarding 41 thousand 488 children. The cases of 25 thousand 662 of the children tried on the grounds of being dragged into crime resulted in acquittal. The number of "deferment of the announcement of the verdict" decisions taken regarding children was recorded as 41 thousand 289.

The number of children convicted under Article 299 of the TCK, which regulates the "crime of insulting the President," and Article 301, which regulates the crimes of "publicly degrading the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the judicial organs of the State," was also shared. Accordingly, in 2024, 44 children were tried in criminal courts and sentenced under TCK 299 and 301.

News Source: 12punto