Children who are accused of having supposedly attended demonstrations are tried under the same conditions as adults according the Anti-Terror Law (TMK). The same children are exposed to maltreatment in prison.

The latest alleged violation of rights came from within the Maltepe Children and Juvenile Prison in Istanbul. Prison guards raided cells no. C-11 and B-6 with 18 children who are detained under allegations of attending a demonstration on 19 December 2009. The children were beaten during the raid.

Hunger strike as last resort

The 14 children kept in cell no. C-11of the Maltepe Children Prison initiated a hunger strike on 29 March.

Lawyer Sezin Uçar told bianet that the children started the hunger strike because two of their young fellow inmates got seriously ill and were not taken to hospital for medical treatment. Moreover, they wanted to force the transfer of four children who are kept in cell B-6 with other detainees to their own cell.

"According to the statement of our client, one of the children was in a critical condition, the child spit out blood", Uçar explained.

"Physical and psychological violence applied"

Uçar described the raid of the prison wards on the first day of the hunger strike as follows:

"The prison guards carried out the raid under the excuse that the children did not take part in the counting. The children were beaten. The guards applied psychological pressure on the children by shouting at them that they were 'terrorists'. The children were beaten in the blind spots of the security cameras in particular".

Uçar indicated that the indictment regarding the trial of his client has been finished recently. The first hearing is scheduled for 30 April 2010.

Draft law pending in parliament

According to amendments made on the Criminal Procedural Code (CMK) in 2004 and on the TMK in June 2006, children aged 15-18 years old standing trial for "terror crimes" are to be tried under the same conditions as adults.  After criticism voiced by rights defenders, the government prepared further legal amendments to change the regulation which is considered to oppose national and international provisions on children's rights.

The according draft law has not been passed through parliament yet. (SP/VK)