Özgecan Aslan, nearly a child, was brutally raped and murdered. Every member of our society must feel responsible for the increasing violence faced by our children, young girls and women in this country in recent years.

Our daughters have been the victims of sexual abuse, violence, child marriage, rape and murder. We are all supposed to protect them and improve and apply the legal regulations intended to protect them.

Being members of the Platform for Protecting Children and Their Rights, we call upon the government and all the political parties to reconsider the rule of mitigation of punishment for crimes against children and women and also invite the Turkish courts of laws to order the harshest possible sentences for such crimes without applying rule of mitigation of punishment.

We feel obliged to remind the public of the fact that any approach or behavior disrespectful of human rights will increase the volume of crimes and violence against children and women.

At the Platform for Protecting Children and Their Rights, we will insist that the government and all the political parties take action to prevent those crimes and violence. We wish Özgecan Aslan to rest in peace and we extend our sincere condolences to her family members who are in mourn.

Platform for Protecting Children and Their Rights