Erdogan government withdraws child abuse bill which aims to free inhuman child rapers due to unrest in Turkish society

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday the government was withdrawing a controversial bill that could overturn men’s convictions for child-sex assault, after an angry public backlash.

Critics had said the bill — which would allow the release from jail of sex assault convicts if they marry their victims — would legitimise rape. Thousands took to the streets in protest at the weekend.

“We are taking this bill in the parliament back to the commission in order to allow for the broad consensus the president requested, and to give time for the opposition parties to develop their proposals,” Yildirim said at a news conference in Istanbul.

If the bill had passed, it would have permitted the release from prison of men guilty of assaulting a minor if the act was committed without “force, threat, or any other restriction on consent” and if the aggressor “marries the victim”.

Opposition parties from across the political spectrum had heavily criticised the bill, which was approved in an initial parliamentary reading on Thursday.

It was expected to be put forward again in parliament on Tuesday but since last week, there have been protests in country in which thousands of people urged the government to withdraw the bill as well.