Turkey withdraws bill that saved child sex offenders marrying the victim

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday a controversial bill which could overturn men’s convictions for child-sex assault if they married their victim would be withdrawn after a public backlash.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday a controversial bill which could overturn men’s convictions for child-sex assault if they married their victim would be withdrawn after a public backlash.

Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara. (Reuters file photo)

“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. Opposition parties from across the political spectrum had heavily criticised the bill.