Court hands maximum prison terms to minors over Minguzzi murder
ISTANBUL
An Istanbul court has handed down 24-year prison sentences — the maximum possible under Turkish law for minors — to teenagers convicted of fatally stabbing 15-year-old Ahmet Matia Minguzzi.
The attack occurred in January in Kadıköy, where the Turkish-Italian boy had gone to a local market to buy skateboarding equipment and was assaulted by peers.
The Minguzzi case, which has sparked a nationwide debate on the prosecution of minors, reached its verdict on Oct. 21. The case saw two primary murder defendants and two others accused of aiding and abetting the crime.
The presiding judge sentenced the two primary defendants to 24 years each for murder. No mitigation for provocation was applied.
Under current Turkish legislation, life imprisonment cannot be imposed on individuals under 18 due to mandatory sentence reductions based on age, making 24 years the maximum term for minors.
Before the verdict, the two main defendants expressed deep remorse in their final statements, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, the two co-defendants accused of aiding in the murder were acquitted and released, a decision that Minguzzi’s lawyer announced they would appeal. The prosecutors lodged a formal appeal against the release decision, right after the decision.
The court proceedings took an emotional toll on the victim’s family after the release decision for the two co-defendants. Minguzzi’s mother, Yasemin Minguzzi, reportedly fainted in the courtroom after breaking down in tears and had to be supported by relatives as she left the premises.
Outside the courthouse, protesters gathered before the hearing, chanting slogans such as “We don’t want killers on the streets.”
For nearly ten months, the Minguzzi family has been advocating for minors who commit serious crimes to be tried similarly to adults.
The murder of their 15-year-old son by peers has reignited discussions in Türkiye over whether those under 18 should face life sentences for violent crimes.
Amid the case, the Justice Ministry announced plans to review and strengthen sentencing for minors who commit serious, unprovoked offenses.
