Families hold vigil in Istanbul for child victims

ISTANBUL

More than 20 families gathered in Istanbul on Aug. 23 to demand stronger legal protections for children after several high-profile deaths, holding a "justice vigil" in Istanbul's Bakırköy district.

Among the attendees were relatives of 15-year-old Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, who was killed in a seemingly random knife attack in Kadıköy, and 19-year-old Muhammed Mutluay, who died last November after being caught in the middle of an armed clash in Küçükçekmece.

Relatives of 22-year-old Hakan Çakır, stabbed to death in a fight over a verbal dispute in Ankara’s Keçiören district, also attended the event.

Families from other cities joined the vigil, protesting what they described as "inadequate laws" and holding banners showing photos of the victims.

"In a week, it will be 10 months… What saddens us is that the laws are not harsh enough," said Tanju Mutluay, father of Muhammed Mutluay.

Hakan Çakır’s father, Şahin Çakır, said the family came to Istanbul to prevent similar tragedies. "Everyone here is in pain... We came here so that other families wouldn’t have to suffer the same pain," he said.

Çakır was killed after an argument with two teenagers escalated into a stabbing. His older brother and father were also injured in the incident.

The death of Minguzzi, who was attacked by strangers with no apparent motive, has sparked national outrage and renewed debate over sentencing limits for juvenile offenders in Türkiye.