Türkiye's interior minister has said the government will consider changes to how minors are prosecuted as public debate intensifies over juvenile sentencing following a high-profile murder case in Istanbul.
"It is time for us to review the penalties for children forced into crime, that is, to put deterrence back on the table," Ali Yerlikaya told lawmakers on Nov. 18 in parliament.
Minors accounted for 12.6 percent of intentional homicide cases in 2020, a rate that climbed to 15.6 percent this year, he noted.
"No punishment is given to those aged 12 and under. But if a 15-year-old, 16-year-old, 17-year-old or 18-year-old child commits intentional murder or intentional injury, how will we view this? The parliament would definitely evaluate this," he said.
The remarks come amid nationwide debate after an Istanbul court on Oct. 21 sentenced several teenagers to 24 years in prison — the maximum penalty allowed for minors — for the fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Ahmet Matia Minguzzi.
The Turkish-Italian boy was attacked in January in Kadıköy after going to a market to buy skateboarding equipment. Two teens were convicted of murder, while two others were found guilty of aiding and abetting.
Under Turkish law, individuals under 18 cannot receive life sentences due to age-based reductions, making 24 years the harshest possible punishment. The Minguzzi family has spent nearly a year lobbying for minors who commit severe crimes to be tried as adults, arguing the current framework fails to deliver justice.
His mother, Yasemin Minguzzi, staged a sit-in protest in Istanbul’s Bakırköy district, joined by other mothers who lost children in similar attacks.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç has also signaled support for tightening juvenile sentencing. He said in July officials were reviewing “deterrence and the procedural handling of child victims of crime during prosecution and enforcement stages.”
Under the Turkish Penal Code, children under 12 cannot be held criminally responsible. Those aged 12 to 15 can be prosecuted only if forensic experts determine they have criminal capacity, and they receive reduced sentences. Youths aged 15 to 18 are subject to similar evaluations, with further sentence reductions applied.
“All of these matters are being reconsidered,” Tunç added.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), incidents involving children brought to security units rose 9.8 percent in 2024 to surpass 612,000, while the number of children involved in crime increased 13.3 percent from the previous year.
