The Heavy Penal Courts of Adana imprisoned two children for 8 years and 2 months (each of them is imprisoned for this period) under the accusation of making propaganda of an illegal organization and being member of an illegal organization (committing crime on behalf of an organization).
M.Ö (15) and I.S (16) children were arrested and put into prison by the court of inquiry on 09.03.2009 under the accusation of joining demonstration, which was organized in Emin Aga Avenue of Barbaros District on on 08.03.2009, shouting slogans in favour of Abdullah Öcalan and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and throwing stone to police forces.
The first trial was held before the 6th Heavy Penal Court of Adana on 02.06.2009. The court sentenced M.Ö (15) and I.S (16) sentenced in charge of committing crime on behalf of an organization and making propaganda of an organization. In addition to that the court decided that these children would not be released but stay in prison, who have been in prison for three months, on the basis of the period of the imprisonment.
M.Ö (15) and I.S (16), who were accused of shouting slogans in favour of Öcalan and the PKK, will stay in prison for four years. Imprisonment of M.Ö (15) and I.S (16) shows clearly that justice is not measured on the basis of truths in the Heavy Penal Courts of Adana.
5 years imprisonment when a children is accused of throwing a stone or shouting three slogans. In fact the only evidence that these children threw stones is police reports. There is nothing else as an evidence. Moreover all these trials are being held in a manner that is contrary to international conventions namely the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international instruments state that arrest of children and putting them into prison must be the last method to apply. However arrest is the first action that is taken in Adana. Although international instruments state that arrested children must be released in as soon as possible children are kept in prisons for months and years in Turkey. Similarly the international instruments state that imprisonment of children must be the last method, however; imprisonment of children has become almost a common method in Adana. Another unlawful aspect of children trial is that these children are being tried before the heavy penal courts which have special authorities.
There are 69 imprisoned children, including M.Ö (15) and İ.S (16), in Adana during the last 11 months. These 69 children were imprisoned for 300 years in total after some reduction. The abovementioned facts and statistics indicate clearly that Adana has become like a hell for Kurdish children.
We call for sensible public opinion and intellectuals once again that we should do something and show reaction about these practises which makes children’s life a hell.
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION ADANA BRANCH
Ethem Açıkalın
President