A parliamentary commission established after deadly school attacks in southeastern Türkiye has intensified its work, examining the role of family neglect, peer bullying and digital platforms in violent incidents involving children.
Yusuf Beyazıt, chair of the Turkish Parliament’s Commission on Investigating Violence and Peer Bullying in Schools, said the panel is pursuing a broad inquiry aimed at identifying the causes of school attacks and preventing similar tragedies.
The 22-member commission, established in April with support from all political parties represented in Parliament, began formal work in May following attacks in Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş that shocked the country and renewed debate over school safety and youth violence.
“These incidents have a school dimension, a family dimension, an environmental dimension, and a social media and digital platform dimension,” Beyazıt, a Justice and Development Party (AK Party) lawmaker from Tokat, told Ihlas News Agency.
“It is not possible to solve these events by looking at only one point. A holistic approach is necessary.”
The commission includes lawmakers with backgrounds in medicine, psychiatry, education and labor organizations and is expected to produce recommendations for Parliament after a three-month investigation. Its mandate includes examining school violence, peer bullying and the risks children face in digital environments.
Beyazıt said lawmakers have already visited Kahramanmaraş, where they met grieving families and school officials.
“One family told us, ‘You cannot bear the pain we are experiencing,’” he said, describing the emotional impact of the visit.
The commission plans further field visits to Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş between June 12 and June 15 while continuing consultations with academics, psychologists, ministries and public institutions.
Parliamentary meetings are expected to be held twice weekly, with one session devoted to expert testimony and another focused on coordination with ministries including education, justice and family services.
The investigation comes as policymakers and educators increasingly examine the influence of online content on youth behavior.
Beyazıt warned that children’s digital activity requires closer supervision by families.
“Don’t give your children phones and then leave them on their own,” he said. “You must monitor where they go and who they communicate with. These digital platforms have become a very dark abyss.”
His remarks reflect concerns raised during recent parliamentary hearings, where experts pointed to online radicalization and violent digital subcultures as emerging risks. Academics appearing before the commission argued that some perpetrators may imitate attackers abroad or seek validation through violent online communities that normalize aggression and notoriety.
According to Beyazıt, investigators are reviewing digital traces linked to the recent attacks, including indications that suspects may have viewed or modeled themselves after violent actors overseas. He cautioned, however, that the commission’s findings remain preliminary.
The panel is also examining broader social and psychological factors, including family relations, emotional neglect and access to counseling services.
“The judicial process is continuing, but we must also understand the social causes behind these tragedies,” Beyazıt said.
Parliament moved quickly to establish the commission following the incidents, with lawmakers across party lines describing school violence as a national concern that transcends politics. During the commission’s first meeting, Beyazıt stressed that protecting children should remain the central focus of the inquiry.
“This issue has no ruling party or opposition,” he said at the time. “What is at stake is our children and our future.”
Beyazıt said the commission’s work would focus not only on mourning those lost but also on preventing future attacks.
“We will not only pray,” he said. “It is our duty to do the necessary work so these tragedies do not happen again.”
