Gagrule.net

Gagrule.net News, Views, Interviews worldwide

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • GagruleLive
  • Armenia profile
  • ar Arabichy Armenianzh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchen Englishfr Frenchde Germanel Greekit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanishtr Turkish
    en en

Where was the outrage when 543 babies less than 3 years old jailed in Turkey this year?

November 25, 2018 By administrator

With the crackdown on the innocent in Turkey showing no signs of letting up, the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has continued to imprison babies and their mothers, the tally of which was confirmed by the country’s top prison official as standing at 743 as of November 2018.

Perhaps Erdoğan, already singled out as the world’s worst press freedom predator, putting more journalists behind bars than the leader of any other country, is also competing for the title of the leading baby jailer when it comes to dragging mothers, including some who have just given birth, to notorious Turkish prisons and detention centres. Babies in overcrowded cells face malnutrition and problems of hygiene, are denied urgent medical care when needed, lack open spaces and may be traumatized to the extent that the baby’s future emotional wellbeing may be put at risk.

According to Şaban Yılmaz, the director general of Prisons and Correctional Facilities, who testified at the parliamentary Commission on Human Rights on Nov. 11, 2018, Turkish prisons host 743 children under 6 years of age. Of these, 543 are less than 3 years old.

This amounts to a huge spike of 25.1 per cent in the number of jailed babies in Turkey since last year. This is simply not acceptable, and we all need to speak out on behalf of these babies who are being unfairly punished in Turkish prisons and deprived of their most basic human rights at an early age. We need to reach out to their mothers and give them hope and strength in order to shore up their resiliency and stamina against the difficult challenges of living in confined spaces.

In total, some 10,000 inmates are women in Turkey’s overcrowded prisons, which house 260,000 people as of today. One-third of all jailed women are in pre-trial detention, meaning that they have not been indicted or convicted and that the proceedings against them are still on-going.

The latest official data on jailed babies were provided by the government on September 19, 2017, when Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül responded to a written question from an opposition lawmaker. According to the government response, there were 594 jailed babies under 6 years of age as of April 7, 2017.

It was also stated that 547 women were in jail accompanied by their babies, indicating that some of the mothers had been imprisoned with more than one child.

The problem with the figures is that the Turkish government in March 2017 stopped publishing prison bureau statistics, which used to be updated on a daily basis on the website of the Justice Ministry, which oversees prisons and correctional facilities. In order to suppress knowledge of overcrowded prisons and to cover up cases of systematic torture and abuse in detention centres and jails, the government has proved itself to be reluctant to share the official figures. More often than not, researchers are forced to glean and collect information belatedly and only after some pressure from opposition lawmakers. In some cases the government inadvertently reveals prison data when it publishes new releases.

Another setback to transparency was found when the prison bureau stopped publishing annual performance reports, which was in fact required by the Court of Account, an independent auditing agency that monitors government expenditures, in order to enhance the performance of government entities. The last report that was made public by the Directorate General of Prisons and Correctional Facilities is from two years ago. The 2016 Performance Report showed the number of jailed babies in the same age category as 529 and estimated that one-fifth of them were still breastfeeding.

It was also estimated by prison authorities in the report that 1,663 jailed women, both convicted and in pre-trial detention, were either pregnant or breastfeeding. These may be the crucial data that often get overlooked. Although the government did not share the figures from 2017, or 2018, for that matter, we can estimate that 2,000 women fall into this category today by using the same methodology the Justice Ministry utilized for the 2016 data. In other words, we have a worse outlook on jailed babies in Turkey than what officials are telling us publicly.

The number of 743 jailed babies given by Yılmaz, the director general of Prisons and Correctional Facilities, on Nov. 11, 2018 did not include the number for pregnant women, most in pre-trial detention, meaning that more babies will be born in prison cells.

Compounding the matter further are serious allegations of rape by police in detention centres and guards in prisons. Since prison authorities and police were given blanket immunity by an executive decree issued by Erdoğan during a now-ended state of emergency, allegations of rape as well as torture and ill treatment are rarely investigated by prosecutors. Doctors and hospitals have been under immense pressure not to record any allegations made by victims, and they are afraid of writing up reports that are not to the liking of the authorities. I guess the campaign of intimidation really works, and understandably, doctors in Turkey do not want to join a growing army of more that 21,000 health care professionals including doctors, nurses, professors of medicine, technicians and hospital staff whose lives have been destroyed by a massive purge over the last two years.

The figures surely tell one terrible story in Turkey, especially for babies and mothers, and highlight the fact that the Turkish government continues to violate not only its own laws but also international commitments and obligations made under treaties and conventions to which it is a party. For example, according to Article 16 of Turkish Law No. 5275 on the Execution of Penalties and Security Measures, people who have serious health problems, have recently given birth or are pregnant can be released pending trial and/or their prison time can be postponed. This provision is valid for both suspects in pre-trial detention and those who have been convicted. This law was effectively shelved in practice in Turkey, and many pregnant women were dragged to detention centres and prisons, and in some cases police unashamedly waited outside the maternity ward to detain new mothers immediately after delivery. Numerous such cases have been recorded in Turkey since 2016 despite a public outcry.

As a result, Turkey is also violating the 2006 Council of Europe (CoE) European Prison Rules and the 1957 UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. In June 2008 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) urged all member states including Turkey to consider suspending the imprisonment of pregnant women and said,

“When imprisoning a woman, particularly if she is the sole or main carer of children, the judicial authorities of member states should be convinced that this decision is more justifiable than a non-custodial sentence, given the disruption and emotional costs which may ensue to both the mother and children.”

Although a woman can choose to entrust her baby to the care of family members when she is jailed, many women have found it difficult to find a caregiver. Considering that the Erdoğan government has in recent years started jailing most family members by employing the Nazi practice of “guilt by association” or as part of the “collective punishment” of critics, especially members of the Gülen movement, many women simply cannot find anybody to take care of their babies. They are forced to raise these children in prison, where there are inadequate facilities and resources to meet the needs of infants.

The measures the government announced as having been taken to alleviate concerns about the well being of jailed babies sound ridiculous. For example, Justice Minister Gül said in September 2017 that the government provides a food allowance for babies in the amount of TL 10 ($1.85), which is an unbelievably small amount that is insufficient to even meet the nutritional needs of infants. There is no government support for clothing, diapers or other necessities, although the government claims it works with NGOs to address these issues.

The verdict is clear: The Erdoğan government has not only been jailing tens of thousands of innocent people ranging from journalists, academics, human rights defenders, teachers, doctors and lawyers to members of the judiciary but is also locking up the most innocent of all: babies. It shows the government in Turkey recognizes no boundaries in its relentless persecution of critics, opponents and dissidents. It certainly appears that there is no red line left that the government will not hesitate to cross merely to sustain the regime of fear in Turkey. It is incumbent upon us in the free world to continue speaking up against this massive tragedy, which is taking place before our very eyes in the 21st century, and exert more pressure on the Erdoğan government to cease and desist from such abhorrent practices as jailing babies and their mothers on dubious charges.

Source: https://observatoryihr.org/priority_posts/where-was-the-outrage-when-more-babies-were-jailed-in-turkey-this-year/

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 543 babies less than 3 years, Turkey

U.S. Judge Dismisses $500 Million Lawsuit By Azeri Lawyer Against ANCA & 29 Others

By Harut Sassounian, The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) announced last week that on April 14, 2025, a U.S. District Court dismissed a $500 million lawsuit filed by Aynur Baghirzade, an Azeri lawyer based in Laguna Beach, CA, against the ANCA and 29 others. Baghirzade’s 198-page lawsuit “leveled unfounded accusations,” the ANCA stated. “The […]

These Are the Social Security Offices Expected to Close This Year, Musk call SS Ponzi Scheme

by MEG KINNARD / AP WASHINGTON — Dozens of Social Security Administration offices across the country are slated to close this year due to actions taken by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as part of the Trump administration’s unprecedented effort to shrink the size of government. DOGE has published a list of nearly 800 […]

Breaking News, Pashinyan regime has filed charges against public figure Edgar Ghazaryan,

By Wally Sarkeesian Pashinyan regime has filed charges against public figure Edgar Ghazaryan, former governor of Vayots Dzor and Armenia’s ambassador to Poland. He faces an offense punishable by up to five years in prison. According to his lawyer, Ruben Melikyan, the prosecution launched a public criminal case against Ghazaryan following a decision by the […]

ANCA’s Controversial Endorsement: Implications for Armenian Voters

Garen Yegparian: In California’s 30th congressional district, an Armenian is running as a Republican against the Democratic party’s candidate. In this district, voter registration is more than 3-to-1 Democratic-to-Republican, and it’s about the same if the minor parties are factored in based on their ideological proximity to the two major parties. Plus, over 23% of […]

Opinion: Why Trump Might Be More Beneficial for the Armenian Cause than Kamala Harris

By Wally Sarkeesian Why Trump Might Be More Beneficial for the Armenian Cause than Kamala Harris There are several reasons why a Trump administration could be more advantageous for the Armenian cause. If re-elected, Trump is expected to include three prominent pro-Armenian figures in his circle: Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. […]

“Let him try.” Bagrat Srbazan, what will they do if Nikol Pashinyan enters the Sardarapat memorial?

“I don’t even know if he will come or not. We are going to Sardarapat to traditionally celebrate May 28, like September 21, like the day of Mount Musa,” Bagrat Srbazan, leader of the “Tavush for the Motherland” movement, told reporters, answering the question if RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan would celebrate May 28. When […]

May 26 Thousands rally in Armenia against Turkish ally Nikol Pashinyan for land transfer 

Yerevan: On Sunday, thousands of Armenians gathered to protest against the government, calling for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation due to territorial concessions made to neighboring Azerbaijan. The protests began last month after the Armenian government agreed to cede territory to Azerbaijan, land it had controlled since the 1990s. This area is strategically significant for […]

Նաիրի Հոխիկյան, Capture spring of 1992, Azerbaijan was in chaos, & Armenians of Artsakh were liberating new settlements one after another

By Նաիրի Հոխիկյան In the spring of 1992, Azerbaijan was a chaos of power struggle, and Armenians of Artsakh were liberating new settlements one after another. On May 8, 1992, Shushi was liberated, and 10 days later, on May 18, Lachin. Armenians opened the way for Karabakh to have a land connection with Armenia. On […]

Armenian Dictatorship: Handing Territory to the Enemy with No Election No Debate & No Referendum with the rule of one man and corrupt police

By Wally Sarkeesian, Never before in the history of mankind have Street thugs taken power in the streets by deceiving citizens with claims of corruption. This individual seizes control, forms his own police force akin to a personal army, and corrupts them. He then partitions the country, making decisions without debate, referendum, or election, ruling […]

The “Three Yellow Journalists” Destroying Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, Tatul Hakobyan, Eric Hacopian

These three yellow journalists will distort history, much like Tatul Hakobyan, to align with the narrative of Nikol Pashinyan, the current Prime Minister of Armenia, and Eric Hacopian, a front-line deceptive liar. Among others, they helped bring Turkish Agent Pashinyan to power. Now, they are desperately trying to link Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan to Iran’s Ayatollah […]

Massive Arrests In Yerevan As Police break legs and arms of the protestors Armenian Dictator Praises Border Deal With Azerbaijan

Armenian Dictator Nikol Pashinian praised a controversial border-demarcation deal with Azerbaijan, calling it a great success, in opening remarks to a cabinet meeting on May 16. Thousands of protesters opposing the agreement gathered again outside the government building, which was cordoned off by police in riot gear. Protesters led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanian have opposed […]

CSI Christian Solidarity International writes a solidarity letter to Armenian protest leader Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan,

On Friday, as tens of thousands of Armenians gathered in the capital of Yerevan to demonstrate against the Armenian government’s plans to cede more land to Azerbaijan, CSI’s international president, Dr. John Eibner, wrote a letter of solidarity to Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the informal leader of the protest movement. Tens of thousands of Armenians have […]

Archbishop Bagrat is Leading the Effort To Oust Pashinyan and Save Armenia

By Harut Sassounian, A lot has happened in Armenia this past week that has shaken to the core the incompetent, inexperienced, defeatist and deceptive Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan who should have resigned on Nov. 10, 2020, the day he signed the capitulation agreement with Azerbaijan. Pashinyan came to power by exploiting the people’s gullibility and […]

The despotic Pashinyan regime and their cronies, fueled by hatred and coercion, have embarked on a campaign of vilification.

The despotic Pashinyan regime and their cronies, fueled by hatred and coercion, have embarked on a campaign of vilification targeting not only former government officials but also various Armenian factions such as ARF and Artsakh, as well as aligning themselves with Turkish and Azerbaijani interests, painting anyone who doesn’t fall in line as adversaries, even […]

One Hundred Thousand Rally In Yerevan, Demanding Pashinian Surrender, he barricades himself with massive police protection

Tens of thousands of Armenians congregated in the heart of Yerevan following Archbishop Bagrat Galstanian’s passionate call for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his administration to step down due to a contentious land agreement with Azerbaijan. Leading the rally in Yerevan’s central square, Archbishop Galstanian, head of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, […]

Azerbaijani MPs suggested their agent Pashinian pay an official visit to Baku

Pro-government members of Azerbaijan’s Parliament proposed on Tuesday (May 7) that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian be officially invited to visit Baku and criticized the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is increasingly at odds with him. “We could invite Pashinian to Baku,” said one of them, Zahid Oruj, during a parliamentary session. “At the same time, the […]

Armenia: Compare Bagrat Srbazan Credentials with Nikol Pashinyan

Gayane Aslamazyan write on Her Facebook Presenting Bagrat Srbazan’s Credentials: In 2013, England’s Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal was awarded. In 2012, I successfully defended my doctoral thesis in Theology and Biological Ethics at Concordia University of Montreal (M.A), titled “The Healthcare System of Armenia: A Historical, Social, and Theological Analysis with Perspectives on Past, […]

Armenia: Ishkhan Gevorgyan: The march from Tavush will be welcomed with a round-the-clock sit-in in Yerevan

On May 4, at 18:00, the 72-hour sit-in announced by Ishkhan Gevorgyan ended in front of the Government building. It was, in his words, a step to express impatience with the “one-sided process of handing over the homeland” to what is happening in Tavush. According to him, the conditional duration of the action was related […]

Pashinyan demilitarizes the Armenian military, militarizing the police, with The Help of the USA

Ռ. Հեքիմյան Write on Twitter X While Pashinyan demilitarizes the Armenian military, he is further militarizing the police, those most loyal to the regime will find their way into a new ‘police guard’ “If the draft passes the National Assembly, a purely police service will be created with new weapons and trained personnel in accordance […]

Opinion | Haaretz Editorial Israel’s Fingerprints Are All Over the Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Armenians fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh en masse still remember the first years after the Soviet Union fell apart, when their community suffered war and mass slaughter.  But they also remember the more distant history of the genocide perpetrated against their countrymen by the Ottoman Empire. Consequently, they are rightly unwilling to rely on the mercy of […]

Armenian Apostolic holy church the mother see of holy Etchmiadzin, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan Primate of the Diocese of Tavoush

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan (baptismal name Vazgen) was born in 1971, in Gyumri, Armenia, where he received his primary education. From 1988 to 1994, he studied at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. In 1994, he was ordained to the diaconate that same year by Bishop Anania Arabajyan.  In 1995, he successfully defended his graduate thesis entitled “The Commendatory and Theology […]

Pashinyan Falsely Blames Armenia’s Problems On the Trauma from the Genocide of 1915

By Harut Sassounian, With each passing day, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statements contradicting Armenia’s national interests are getting increasingly alarming Pashinyan started by denigrating Mt. Ararat, the preeminent Armenian symbol. He then mocked Armenia’s coat of arms, questioning why there is a lion on it, claiming that there are no lions in Armenia. With this […]

“SQUARE”. WE FELL INTO THE HANDS OF TRAITORS AND REALIZED THAT WE HAVE ONE MOTHER – THE CHURCH

The interlocutor of “Hraparak” is Tovmas Arakelyan, youth bearer of Tavush Diocese, blogger. You can read the full article here: https://hraparak.am/post/b76e34195b058e631ac4581ad7cd70ba

Under Turkish Agents, Pashinyan police abuse & brutality in Armenia are one of the worst in the World

US State Department report: Human rights organizations report an increase in police abuse in Armenia In 2023, the local NGO community noted an increased number of reports of police abuse, including in police stations, which, unlike prisons and police detention facilities, were not subject to public monitoring. This is stated in the 2023 Country Reports on […]

AZERBAIJAN PRESS QUOTES NIKOL PASHINIAN VERBALLY

Nikol Pashinyan and members of the ruling “Civil Contract” party in general often become the heroes of the Azerbaijani media thanks to the “jewels” of their thoughts. Before 2018, the Armenian people often compared Baku’s dictator Ilham with a sheep, a gorilla that escaped from the forest, ridiculed and made jokes. Now the situation has […]

Armenian Church Leader Condemn Pashinyan’s “Defeatist” Policy Towards Azerbaijan

Bishops and diocesan primates of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Armenia have accused the Pashinyan government of pursuing a “defeatist” foreign policy vis-à-vis Azerbaijan. The church leaders, in a statement today, point to the Armenian government’s readiness to return several villages in the country’s Tavush Province to Azerbaijan. They say Pashinyan’s government is giving in […]

How Joe Biden Lost the Armenian American Vote

By Stephan Pechdimaldji, The 2024 presidential race is shaping up to be one of our country’s most hotly contested elections. With an electorate that has become more polarized than ever, independents and select demographic groups promise to play a more pivotal role in this year’s election. It is why Arab Americans in Michigan raised a lot […]

Russia MFA: Pashinyan & NATO sold Karabakh to Azerbaijan, not Russia

Armenia made decisions regarding Nagorno-Karabakh under the influence of NATO, and the statements that Russia and the CSTO did not help Armenia during the escalation of the situation in the region are lies. The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Maria Zakharova, stated this on the air of Zvezda television. “I […]

Breaking News: Aram Gabrelyanov exposed Nikol Pashinyan, & Anna Hakobyan’s sexual adventures

The famous Russian-based media manager Aram Gabrelyanov has published a sensational post on his social media channel, where he talks about the “interview” given by Araik Harutyunyan, the fourth president of Artsakh, who was taken hostage in Baku. Gabrelyanov, in particular, referring to the Russian special services, says that Nikol Pashinyan is in the hands […]

Turkish Agent Pashinyan: deemed the formation of Artsakh’s government-in-exile a threat to Armenia’s national security.

Six months after the formation of Artsakh’s government-in-exile, Pashinyan deemed the move a threat to Armenia’s national security and urged Armenia’s National Security Service to take action. Following the forced displacement of the Artsakh people in 2023, the Artsakh government reorganized itself in Armenia as a government-in-exile due to persecution and ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan. […]

#Democrats are terrified of #NicoleShanahan. RFKJr’s VP.

She’s not just an immensely successful daughter of a Chinese immigrant (her mother worked as a maid), but also an active figure within the Democratic Party and a significant contributor. With powerful political ties that could greatly benefit RFK Jr., she’s poised to resonate strongly with young voters, and crucially, she possesses a deep understanding […]

Corruption: Alen Simonyan hired his millionaire father-in-law to take him to Paris. “Zhoghovurd”

“Zhoghovurd” daily writes: “National Assembly President Alen Simonyan arranged for his son’s godfather, who is a big businessman, to take him to Paris for a job in the lowest echelon of the National Assembly. “Zhoghovurd” daily made another sensational revelation. Before going into the details, let’s note that corruption haunts Alen Simonyan. In many episodes […]

The West is pushing Armenia to commit economic “suicide”

From March 30, cards of the Russian payment system “Mir” will stop working in ATMs of most Armenian banks. `This was reported by RBC, referring to the representative of “VTB Armenia” and its source in the Russian payments market. It should be noted that “Mir” cards now work in Armenia and are accepted by local […]

Pashinyan Public Television, commonly known as H1 pushing into the Los Angeles Market

Armenian Public Television, commonly known as H1, has taken a noteworthy step this week by inaugurating an office in Los Angeles, marking its expansion into one of the largest Armenian communities beyond the country’s borders. Its Los Angeles operation will be called First Channel America. Operated and financially supported by the present Armenian government, Armenian […]

Hollywood Proposed to Make Propaganda Films on Aliyev and Erdogan for a Price.

By Harut Sassounian A team of investigative journalists from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed that a Hollywood producer planned to make propaganda films that would glorify several authoritarian leaders for a payment of millions of dollars. Igor Lopatonok, a native of Ukraine who is now a US citizen, in collaboration with […]

Will the American populace elect a president who speaks truthfully? Video

RFK Jr: The CIA is a sock puppet for the military-industrial complex, the Fed is a sock puppet for Wall Street, and the health agencies keep us sick to profit Big Pharma “The CIA’s function is to provide a steady pipeline of forever wars for Raytheon, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and Lockheed. My uncle […]

Edmond Maroukyan Finally resigned, as working with the Turkish Agent was impossible.

Edmond Marukyan has appealed to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to be dismissed from the post of Armenia’s Ambassador-at-Large. He announced this on his Facebook page. “I would like to inform you that I have applied to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to be dismissed from the post of Ambassador-at-Large of the Republic of Armenia. In […]

Confronting A Ruthless Dictator,

A heated conversation between Pashinyan and Papazyan On Wednesday, February 21, on the occasion of the reburial of Misak Manushyan and his wife in the French pantheon, taking advantage of the fact that Nikol Pashinyan was in France, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron initiated the contact between Nikol Pashinyan and the co-chairs of […]

Crescenta Valley Youth Center Presents “From Artsakh to Amenia and the Current Situation” by Gev Iskajyan, Dickran Khodanian & William Bairamian

On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the Educational Committee of the Crescenta Valley Meher & Satig Der Ohanessian Youth Center will host a lecture on “From Artsakh to Armenia and the Current Situation” presented by Gev Iskajyan, Dickran Khodanian and William Bairamian. The presentation will begin at 7:30 pm Pacific Time at Crescenta Valley Youth Center located at 2633 Honolulu Ave., […]

BREAKING: Robert Kennedy Jr. has been granted a massive victory in his lawsuit against the Biden administration

BREAKING: Robert Kennedy Jr. has been granted a massive victory in his lawsuit against the Biden administration for colluding with social media companies to censor him and others. RFK Jr. was able to win a preliminary injunction against the White House and several federal agencies as a federal judge ruled that the government was “insinuating […]

More Posts from this Category

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

ar Arabichy Armenianzh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchen Englishfr Frenchde Germanel Greekit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanishtr Turkish
en en
%d