News / Turkey

Turkey summons Austria envoy over critical newspaper report

Monday, 15 August 2016 7:44 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 15 August 2016 7:49 AM ]

A file photo of the Turkish Foreign Ministry building in the capital, Ankara

Turkey has summoned Austria’s charge d’affaires in Ankara over an Austrian newspaper’s criticism of a move by Turkey to lower the age at which sexual activity with minors is considered “abuse.”

Ankara summoned the Austrian charge d’affaires on Saturday over an “indecent report” about Turkey that appeared on a news ticker operated by an Austrian newspaper at Vienna’s international airport, an official from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

“Turkey allows sex with children under the age of 15,” read the headline on the electronic news ticker.

The Turkish ministry official, whose name was not mentioned in reports, said, “Our disturbance and reaction over this display, which tarnishes Turkey’s image and deliberately misinforms the public have been strongly conveyed to the charge d’affaires.”

The headline was removed from the news ticker following the Turkish objection, the official added.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that its charge d’affaires in Ankara had been summoned.

Last month, Turkey’s constitutional court annulled a provision in the penal code that bans all sexual acts against children under the age of 15 as “sexual abuse” following an application made by a local court.

The ruling, set to take effect in January 2017, was criticized by activists and caused outrage on social media.

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said in a tweet on Sunday, “Turkish decision to allow sex with children under 15 must be reversed. Children need more protection, not less, against violence, sex abuse.”

A policeman checks a soldier beaten by people after troops involved in a coup attempt surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, July 16, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

The relations between Turkey and the European Union (EU) countries have gone into a tailspin over a host of issues, including the failed coup attempt against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

The EU has been critical of Turkey’s severe crackdown on those alleged to be coup plotters or sympathizers, urging Ankara to act within the rule of law.

Austria has been particularly outspoken against Turkey in the wake of the coup.

On August 5, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu condemned Austria as the “capital of radical racism” after Chancellor Christian Kern urged the EU to halt membership talks with Turkey over Ankara’s crackdown on putschists.

One area of EU concern is Turkish attempts to reintroduce the death penalty to allow the execution of those believed to have been involved in the coup.

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