UN Rights Chief Warns Türkiye Over Tougher Prison Terms for Children

The High Commissioner argued that holding children accountable for offences does not require abandoning rehabilitation.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has raised serious concerns over recently adopted legal changes in Türkiye that could expose children convicted of crimes to lengthy prison terms, including life imprisonment, while shifting the juvenile justice system further away from rehabilitation and education.

The amendments to Türkiye's Child Protection Law were adopted by Parliament on 8 August. While parts of the legislation seek to improve coordination between child protection and education services and restrict children's access to firearms, Türk warned on Thursday that other provisions could conflict with Türkiye's obligations under international human rights law.

His strongest concern centres on the possibility of life sentences for children, a punishment that the UN rights chief said is inconsistent with the protections children are entitled to receive under international standards.

New Detention Rules Raise Concerns Over Rehabilitation

The legislative changes also alter how children accused or convicted of offences may be detained. Under the amendments, child offenders would be placed in closed juvenile institutions, with a possible later transfer to an education-based institution depending on an assessment.

That approach represents a significant change from the existing practice, under which children are held directly in institutions designed around rehabilitation and education. For rights advocates, the distinction matters because juvenile justice is expected to recognise that children are still developing and have a greater capacity for behavioural change, rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society.

Türk called on the Turkish authorities to amend the legislation so every provision complies with the country's international human rights commitments, particularly its obligations concerning children.

Life Sentences Conflict With International Child Rights Standards

International human rights law places strict limits on the imprisonment of children, requiring detention to be used only as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes protections intended to ensure that justice systems treat children differently from adults and give substantial weight to their age, development and prospects for rehabilitation.

Lengthy detention and life sentences can undermine those principles by keeping children behind bars during crucial years of their development and limiting their opportunities to return to education, family life and the wider community.

Türk said he was particularly alarmed by the prospect of child offenders receiving life imprisonment and stressed that Türkiye's legislation needs to remain fully aligned with its international obligations.

Juvenile Justice Should Go Beyond Punishment

The High Commissioner argued that holding children accountable for offences does not require abandoning rehabilitation. A functioning juvenile justice system can recognise the harm caused to victims while providing individual support, education and structured opportunities for young offenders to change their behaviour.

An excessive focus on punishment and retribution can weaken that balance, especially when children are placed in restrictive environments without sufficient emphasis on their eventual return to society. Türk said rehabilitation and reintegration are also important for victims and wider communities because reducing the likelihood of repeat offending contributes to public safety.

UN Calls for Türkiye to Bring Law Into Line With Its Obligations

The UN rights chief's intervention puts the focus on how Türkiye will implement the newly adopted measures and whether lawmakers will revise provisions that raise concerns under international law.

Türk acknowledged that some elements of the changes could strengthen child protection, particularly efforts to improve cooperation between education and protection services and prevent children from obtaining firearms. He maintained that such measures should not come alongside punishments that disregard the special legal protections afforded to minors.

The central principle, according to the UN human rights framework, is that imprisonment of a child should remain exceptional rather than routine. Life sentences and prolonged detention run against that approach, making rehabilitation, education and reintegration critical considerations when Türkiye determines how children who come into conflict with the law should be treated.