Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has completed work on a draft bill known as the 11th Judicial Package, proposing tougher penalties for a range of offenses, including crimes committed under organized criminal activity and the misuse of firearms in public areas.
According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA), the bill was prepared under the coordination of AK Party Parliamentary Group Chair Abdullah Güler and is expected to be submitted to Parliament next week.
Under the proposal, sentences for leaders of criminal organizations would be increased by up to one-fold if children are used as instruments in crimes committed within the scope of organizational activity.
The package also introduces new measures to combat cybercrime, expanding legal tools to address offenses carried out through digital platforms.
Penalties for firing weapons in residential areas would rise significantly. The current prison term of six months to three years would be raised to a range of one to five years. Individuals who fire blank guns — commonly known as “kurusıkı” — would face six months to three years in prison.
Sentences would also be increased by half for firing weapons during weddings, engagement ceremonies or military send-off celebrations, where celebratory gunfire remains a persistent safety concern.
The bill further classifies blocking traffic as a separate offense. Those who unlawfully stop a vehicle could face one to three years in prison, while forcibly redirecting a vehicle could result in sentences of two to five years.
Over the past months, the fatal shooting of two police officers in the western city of Izmir by a 16-year-old assailant has reignited Türkiye’s national debate over juvenile crime and pushed the government toward drafting tougher penalties for child offenders. The attack, following other violent crimes committed by minors in Istanbul and Ankara, has prompted officials to accelerate new legislation.
Under the existing statute, children under 12 cannot be held criminally responsible. Those between 15 and 18 who commit crimes that normally carry aggravated life sentences instead face terms ranging from 18 to 24 years in prison, with reductions applied to other offenses as well.
Güler previously underlined that they aim to develop effective and deterrent measures to solve the problem at the highest level, expressing that legal experts, ministry specialists and lawmakers are collaborating on the matter, and he pledged that they will implement necessary changes if the need arises.
“When we look at the limits of our existing laws, we see that the penalties are quite severe. Perhaps it is necessary to also consider public expectations. However, there is a particular focus on increasing deterrence and raising penalties for organized crime members who exploit these provisions,” Güler also noted.
The number of incidents involving children reported to or brought before security units in Türkiye rose significantly in 2024, reaching 612,651, an increase of 9.8% compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) in August.
