Research Article


DOI :10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342   IUP :10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342    Full Text (PDF)

The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions

Şölen Çakıroğlu

Child pornography tops the list of child abuse. For this reason, international regulations have been made to prevent child pornography, and states have been requested to regulate acts related to child pornography as crimes within their domestic laws. Accordingly, child pornography has been regulated as a crime in many countries with the aim of protecting children. In this context, although various definitions exist regarding the concept of child pornography in many international and national regulations, problematic issues still exist regarding the contents of the concept. In order to provide a legal remedy, this study will discuss within its scope the definitions provided in international regulations and court decisions, as well as the different dimensions of child pornography these definitions emphasize, especially the problematic points. In this context, the study will attempt to draw a framework for the concept of child pornography. Filling out the content of the concept will also be substantial in terms of determining the scope of the crime.

DOI :10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342   IUP :10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342    Full Text (PDF)

Uluslararası Sözleşmeler Işığında Türk Hukukunda Çocuk Pornografisi Kavramı

Şölen Çakıroğlu

Çocukların istismarının en uç noktasını çocuk pornografisi teşkil etmektedir. Bu nedenle çocuk pornografisinin önlenmesi için uluslararası düzenlemeler yapılmış ve bu düzenlemelerde devletlerin kendi iç hukuklarında çocuk pornografisine ilişkin fiilleri suç olarak düzenlemelerine ilişkin çağrılarda bulunulmuştur. Bu doğrultuda da çocuk pornografisi birçok ülkede suç olarak düzenlenmiş ve çocuklar korunmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu bağlamda her ne kadar birçok uluslararası ve ulusal düzenlemede konuya ilişkin çeşitli tanımlar bulunsa da günümüzde hala kavramın içeriğine ilişkin problemli noktalar bulunmaktadır. Bunların çözümü adına çalışma kapsamında uluslararası mevzuatlarda ve mahkeme kararlarında verilen tanımlara ve bu tanımlarda vurgulanan çocuk pornografisinin değişik boyutlarına ve özellikle problemli noktalara değinilecektir. Bu kapsamda çocuk pornografisi kavramına ilişkin olarak genel bir çerçeve çizilmeye çalışılacaktır. Kavramın içeriğinin doldurulması bu kapsamda kalan suçların kapsamının belirlenmesi açısından oldukça önemlidir.


EXTENDED ABSTRACT


Child pornography has become more widespread with the development of the Internet and virtual platforms and has created one of the biggest dangers on the Internet for children. When considering that child pornography also involves their being sexual abused, the importance of the issue becomes too great to ignore. For this reason, child pornography has been seen as a problem that should be solved not only by legal experts, but also by psychiatrists, sociologists, educators, and parents, with studies also having been carried out in every discipline to prevent the current problem. In line with this purpose, some regulations have been passed to prevent child pornography, with international regulations having called upon states to criminalize acts related to child pornography, as well as allowing children access to pornographic products. Despite states having regulated child pornography as a crime in their domestic laws, uniformity generally does not exist in its definitions. To say that the reason for these inconsistencies is due to how the concept is interpreted differently in terms of social understanding would not be wrong. For instance, even different interpretations within the legal sense of the concept of child exist, despite this concept being considered very basic. As an accordant example, different penalties in German criminal law are given regarding the use of children between 14-18 and those under 14 years of age in pornographic products. Should this type of grouping be made among children in this regard? Various interpretations of even simple-looking concepts, such as children have major practical significance. For this reason, consensus regarding the child pornography concept must first be reached so that standard regulations can be made regarding the prevention of child pornography within the framework of international requirements, as well as to regulate and adapt domestic law in light of international conventions. Although definitions of the subject are found in many international and domestic regulations, the concept still has problematic points.

One of the points that should be mentioned in this regard is the concept of child pornography itself. When considering that a child’s best interests is a value that needs to be protected to a high degree, how accurate would is the use of the concept of pornography? Despite the familiarity of the usage of child pornography, the concept of pornography here is insufficient for protecting children from sexual abuse. As a matter of fact, when looking at general definitions, the concept of pornography is briefly described as materials in which people are made into sexual objects and shown with just aesthetic concern for the purpose of sexual arousal. In this case, if child pornography is interpreted as the use of children in pornographic products within the scope of its literal meaning, only very grave actions on children would be considered within the scope of child pornography. Although child pornography is more commonly used as a general concept, the Turkish Penal Code does not contain the concept of child pornography, with all acts related to child pornography being regulated under the crime of obscenity.

Obscenities are defined as products that carry no artistic, scientific, or literary value; that offend the sense of social Decency; that aim at feelings of lust; and that are produced only to satisfy these feeling. When considering both concepts in the light of the definitions and explanations in the doctrine, the scope of the concept of obscenity can clearly be seen to be more comprehensive than the concept of pornographic products. Therefore, to say that the term “obscenity” as used in the Turkish Criminal Code rather than the term “child pornography” and the search for obscene products in terms of the occurrence of a crime provide more effective protection for children would not be wrong. This study discusses the distinctions between obscenity and pornography and compares them with other concepts in this context. In addition, the study emphasizes what criteria determine the distinction between these concepts.

In conclusion, the study has first compiled within its scope the definitions in international regulations regarding the concept of child pornography. Rather than giving only definitions here, the study also compares the definitions found in these regulations with one another. Afterward, the study evaluates the regulations regarding child pornography in the Turkish Penal Code in light of all these definitions and discusses which of these definitions is able to provide more effective protection for children. When making these determinations, the study also takes into consideration Turkish and foreign judgments, as well as the criteria that have been brought in the context of these decisions. In addition, comparing concepts and criteria developed within the framework of court decisions will in fact be very useful in determining what content the concepts should contain. 


PDF View

References

  • ABD Kongre Araştırma Servisi (Congressional Research Service), ‘Müstehcenlik, Çocuk Pornografisi ve Ahlaka Aykırılık: Kısa Arkaplan ve Mevcut Gelişmeler’ (Türker Ertaş tr) in Yener Ünver (ed), İnternet Hukuku, Karşılaştırmalı Güncel Ceza Hukuku Serisi 13, Jan C. Joerden’a Armağan, (Seçkin Yayıncılık 2013) 360-369. google scholar
  • Anayasa Mahkemesi, İrfan Sancı Başvurusu, Başvuru No: 2018/5652, 30/03/2022, <https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2022/08/20220816-10.pdf> google scholar
  • Baier H, ‘Die Bekampfung der Kinderpornografie auf der Ebene von Europaischer Union und Europarat’ [2004] ZUM 39-52. google scholar
  • Beech A R, Elliott I A, Birgden A ve Findlater D, ‘The Internet and Child Sexual Offending: A Criminological Review’ [2008] (13) Aggression and Violent Behavior 216-228. google scholar
  • Benzer R, ‘Siber Suçlar ve Teorik Yaklaşımlar’ in Hüseyin Çakır, Mehmet Serkan Kılıç (eds), Güncel Tehdit: Siber Suçlar (Seçkin Yayıncılık 2014). google scholar
  • Cambridge Dictionary <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pornography> google scholar
  • Cambridge Dictionary <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pornography> google scholar
  • Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA of 22 December 2003 on Combating The Sexual Exploitation of Children and Child Pornography, <https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/? uri=CELEX:32004F0068&from=en> google scholar
  • Çam Ş, ‘Çocuk Pornografisi Tartışmalarına İlişkin Sorular’ [2003] 1 (2) İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi 55-86. google scholar
  • Çubukçu A, ‘İnternet Düzenlemeleri’ in Hüseyin Çakır, Mehmet Serkan Kılıç (eds), Güncel Tehdit: Siber Suçlar (Seçkin Yayıncılık 2014). google scholar
  • Devellioğlu F, Osmanlıca- Türkçe Ansiklopedik Lügat (1970). google scholar
  • Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA, < https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2011:335:TOC> google scholar
  • Donay S, ‘Ceza Hukukunda Müstehcenlik Kavramı’ [1968] 1 (2) İstanbul Üniversitesi Mukayeseli Hukuk Araştırmaları Dergisi 129-145. google scholar
  • Dönmezer S, Genel Adap ve Aile Düzenine Karşı Cürümler (4. bs., İstanbul Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Yayınları 1975). google scholar
  • Dursun S, ‘İnternetten Kaynaklanan Ceza Sorumluluğundaki Gelişmeler’ [2003] (1- 2) MHB, Prof. Dr. Gülören Tekinalp’e Armağan 251-294. google scholar
  • Dülger M V, ‘Avrupa Konseyi ve Avrupa Birliği Düzenlemelerinde Çocuk Pornografisinin İnternet Aracılığıyla Yayılmasına Karşı Yapılan Düzenlemeler’ [2004] LXXVIII (4) İstanbul Barosu Dergisi 1485-1496. google scholar
  • Erem F, Toroslu N, Türk Ceza Hukuku Özel Hükümler (4. bs., Savaş Yayınları 1983). google scholar
  • European Court of Human Rights, Handyside v The United Kingdom, Başvuru no: 5493/72, 07.12.1976 <file:///C:/Users/USER/Desktop/Downloads/CASE%20OF %20HANDYSIDE%20v.%20THE%20UNITED%20KINGDOM.pdf> google scholar
  • Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime <https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b> google scholar
  • Franke I ve Graf M, ‘Kinderpornografie’ [2016] (10) Forens Psychiatr Psychol Kriminol 87-97. google scholar
  • Gercke M, ‘Die EU Richtlinie zur Bekampfung von Kinderpornographie’ [2012] (8) Computer und Recht 520-525. google scholar
  • Gürelli N, ‘Ceza Hukukunda Müstehcenlik Kavramı’ [1996] XXXII (2-4) İÜHFM 569-587. google scholar
  • Hafızoğulları Z, ‘Beşeri Cinsellik ve Yeni Türk Ceza Kanunu’ [2005] Türk Hukuk Kurumu 71 Kuruluş Yılı Armağanı. google scholar
  • Hakeri H, Ceza Hukuku Genel Hükümler (23. bs., Adalet Yayınevi 2020). google scholar
  • Hein C, Wellbrock W ve Hein C, Rechtliche Herausforderungen von Blockchain Anwendungen (Springer 2019) google scholar
  • International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Online Grooming of Children for Sexual Purposes: Model Legislation & Global Review (1. Edition, 2017)www.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Online-Grooming-of- Children_FINAL_9-18-17.pdf> google scholar
  • Krause B, ‘Kinderpornographie im Internet’ [2016] MMR 665-669. google scholar
  • Lackner K, Kühl K, Heger M, Strafgesetzbuch Kommentar (30. bs., C.H. Beck 2023) [Lackner/Kühl/Heger/Bearbeiter] google scholar
  • Laufhütte W ve Roggenbuck E, ‘§ 184b: Verbreitung, Erwerb und Besitz kinderpornographischer Schriften’ ve ‘§ 184: Verbreitung pornographis-cher Schriften’ in Cirener G, Laufhütte H, Radtke H, Rissing-van Saan R, Rönnau T, Schluckebier W ve Tiedemann K (Ed.), Leipziger Kommentar StGB, (De Gruyter 2014) [Kısaltma: Leipziger Kommentar/Bearbeiter] google scholar
  • Liesching M, ‘Pornografieverbote in Staaten der Europaischen Union’ [2003] MMR 156-163. google scholar
  • Memiş Kartal P, Türk Ceza Hukuku’nda Çocukların Cinsel İstismarı (Der Yayınları 2014). google scholar
  • Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 24-25 <https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/413/15/case.html> google scholar
  • Münchener Kommentar zum StGB (Band 3, 4. bs., C.H. Beck 2021) [Kısaltma: MüKoStGB/Bearbeiter] google scholar
  • Oxford Dictionary <https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/> google scholar
  • Önder A, Türk Ceza Hukuku Özel Hükümler (4. bs., Filiz Kitabevi 1994). google scholar
  • Özbek V Ö, Müstehcenlik Suçu (Seçkin Yayıncılık 2009). google scholar
  • Özbek V Ö, Doğan K ve Bacaksız P, Türk Ceza Hukuku Özel Hükümler, (16. bs., Seçkin Yayıncılık 2021). google scholar
  • Öztürk G A, Türk Ceza Kanunu’nda Müstehcenlik Suçu (1. bs., Seçkin Yayıncılık 2021). google scholar
  • Rollo G ve Neuerbach F, ‘Çocuk Pornografisi ve İnternet- Karşılaştırmalı Hukuk Çerçevesinde Bir Bakış’ (İlker Tepe tr) in Yener Ünver (ed), Karşılaştırmalı Güncel Ceza Hukuku Serisi-4, Çocuklar ve Suç-Ceza (Seçkin Yayıncılık 2005) 651-663. google scholar
  • Sağır M ve Balı Y, ‘Çocuk Pornografisi Suçlarında Bilirkişi İncelemesi ve Dijital Görüntülerdeki Mağdurun Yaş Tespiti’ [2014] 5 (2) Ankara Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 69- 92. google scholar
  • Schönke A, Schroeder H, Strafgesetzbuch Kommentar (10. bs., C.H. Beck 2019) [Kısaltma: Schönke/Schroeder/Bearbeiter] google scholar
  • Sieber U, İnternetteki Suçlar ve Suçun İnternette Takibi (Yener Ünver ed, Yener Ünver, Mustafa Temmuz Oğlakcıoğlu trs, Seçkin Yayıncılık 2014). google scholar
  • Sokullu-Akıncı F, ‘Avrupa Konseyi Siber Suç Sözleşmesi’nde Yer Alan Maddi Ceza Hukukuna İlişkin Düzenlemeler ve Özellikle İnternette Çocuk Pornografisi’ [2001] LIX (1-2) İstanbul Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Mecmuası 11-38. google scholar
  • Soyaslan D, Ceza Hukuku Özel Hükümler, (10. bs., Yetkin Yayıncılık 2014). google scholar
  • Stilo L, ‘Çocuk Pornografisine Karşı Avrupa Birliğinin Müdahalesi: 22 Aralık 2003 Tarihli 2004/68 GAI Konseyin Çerçeve Kararı Hakkında Bir Yorum’ (Vesile Sonay Evik tr) in Yener Ünver (ed), Karşılaştırmalı Güncel Ceza Hukuku Serisi-4, Çocuklar ve Suç- Ceza (Seçkin Yayıncılık, 2005) 469-476. google scholar
  • Taneri G, Cinsel Suçlar (Bilge Yayınevi 2015). google scholar
  • Taneri G, ‘Müstehcenlik Suçu’ [2018] XIII (1) ERÜHFD 561-624. google scholar
  • TBMM, Sanal Ortamda İşlenen Suçlar Sözleşmesinin Onaylanmasının Uygun Bulunduğuna Dair Kanun Tasarısı ve Dışişleri Komisyonu Raporu (1/676), Sıra Sayısı: 380, <https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/sirasayi/donem24/yil01/ss380.pdf> google scholar
  • Weber K, Rechtswörterbuch (24. bs., Verlag C.H. Beck 2022). google scholar
  • Yalkut N, ‘Türk ve İtalyan Ceza Hukukunda Müstehcen’ [1976] VI-VII (3-4) Adalet Dergisi 279-286. google scholar
  • Yarsuvat D, ‘Müstehcenliğin Neresindeyiz’ [9 Eylül 2004] (9) Güncel Hukuk, 49. google scholar
  • Yarsuvat D, ‘Türk Ceza Kanununda Cinsel Özgürlüğe Karşı Suçlar’ in Değişen Toplum ve Ceza Hukuku Karşısında TCK’nın 50 yılı ve Geleceği, (Sermet Matbaası 1977) 645-684. google scholar
  • Yaşar O, Gökcan H T ve Artuç M, Yorumlu- Uygulamalı Türk Ceza Kanunu (2. bs., C.V, Adalet Yayınevi 2014). google scholar

Citations

Copy and paste a formatted citation or use one of the options to export in your chosen format


EXPORT



APA

Çakıroğlu, Ş. (2023). The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions. Journal of Penal Law and Criminology, 11(1), 73-93. https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342


AMA

Çakıroğlu Ş. The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions. Journal of Penal Law and Criminology. 2023;11(1):73-93. https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342


ABNT

Çakıroğlu, Ş. The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions. Journal of Penal Law and Criminology, [Publisher Location], v. 11, n. 1, p. 73-93, 2023.


Chicago: Author-Date Style

Çakıroğlu, Şölen,. 2023. “The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions.” Journal of Penal Law and Criminology 11, no. 1: 73-93. https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342


Chicago: Humanities Style

Çakıroğlu, Şölen,. The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions.” Journal of Penal Law and Criminology 11, no. 1 (Dec. 2024): 73-93. https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342


Harvard: Australian Style

Çakıroğlu, Ş 2023, 'The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions', Journal of Penal Law and Criminology, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 73-93, viewed 6 Dec. 2024, https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342


Harvard: Author-Date Style

Çakıroğlu, Ş. (2023) ‘The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions’, Journal of Penal Law and Criminology, 11(1), pp. 73-93. https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342 (6 Dec. 2024).


MLA

Çakıroğlu, Şölen,. The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions.” Journal of Penal Law and Criminology, vol. 11, no. 1, 2023, pp. 73-93. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342


Vancouver

Çakıroğlu Ş. The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions. Journal of Penal Law and Criminology [Internet]. 6 Dec. 2024 [cited 6 Dec. 2024];11(1):73-93. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342 doi: 10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342


ISNAD

Çakıroğlu, Şölen. The Concept of Child Pornography in Turkish Law in Consideration of International Conventions”. Journal of Penal Law and Criminology 11/1 (Dec. 2024): 73-93. https://doi.org/10.26650/JPLC2022-1168342



TIMELINE


Submitted21.09.2022
Accepted10.04.2023
Published Online17.05.2023

LICENCE


Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.


SHARE




Istanbul University Press aims to contribute to the dissemination of ever growing scientific knowledge through publication of high quality scientific journals and books in accordance with the international publishing standards and ethics. Istanbul University Press follows an open access, non-commercial, scholarly publishing.