Turkey: Attorney for Turkish Sexual Abuse Victims of Former Dutch Justice Ministry Secretary-General Joris Demmink Cautiously Optimistic

SOURCE Bakker Schut Foundation

Following the announcement of a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of sexual abuse in Turkey by former Dutch Justice Ministry Secretary-General Joris Demmink , Adele van der Plas , Managing Director of the Bakker Schut Foundation and attorney for Turkish victims of Demmink's alleged pedophilia crimes, issued the following statement:

"Thanks to a recent U.S. Congressional delegation to Turkey led by the Honorable Robert Aderholt (R-AL), who discussed numerous instances of witness intimidation in the ongoing pedophilia investigation of former Dutch Justice Minister Secretary-General Joris Demmink , the Turkish victims of Demmink's heinous acts now have some hope that justice will be served. Hopefully no longer will these young men, who were raped by Demmink as minors, be victimized any more. Congressman Aderholt bravely informed Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan about the ongoing witness intimidation in the Demmink case, including threats against Demmink's victims and their families. Shortly after the U.S. Congressional delegation to Turkey, a special prosecutor, specially trained in sexual crimes, was assigned to file number 2013/1795 at the Caglayan Adliesi (Court Hall). Because of ongoing threats against Demmink's victims, the name of the prosecutor is not publicly disclosed. The Turkish government has taken an admirable first step to correct the wrongs perpetrated against Demmink's victims. Will the Dutch government take notice and realize that pedophiles do exist and that it is time to no longer continue the cover-up of Demmink's crimes? The Dutch government must finally acknowledge that it is time to arrest Demmink and conduct a thorough investigation of all allegations of sexual abuse in the Netherlands as well as his travels to Turkey as a Dutch government representative."

Joris Demmink , the former Secretary General of the Dutch Ministry of Justice, has consistently been linked to the sexual assault of young boys, both in the Netherlands and abroad. In the fall of 1998, an investigation conducted into an Amsterdam brothel linked senior politicians and justice officials to the sexual abuse of young boys. Demmink was specifically identified by one of the young boys as an individual involved in the abuses. According to a former senior official at the Ministry of Justice, this investigation was foiled through the direct intervention of and obstruction by Demmink.

In the mid 1990s, Demmink sexually assaulted numerous boys between the ages of twelve and sixteen in Turkey. The victims of his attacks have come forward and demanded prosecution. Mustafa was twelve at the time he was recruited by police officer Mehemet Korkmaz and brought to Demmink's chambers, where he was repeatedly sexually assaulted. Osman was fourteen at the time he was brought to Demmink and sexually assaulted. Mustafa and Osman have both retained counsel and filed reports against Demmink. Officer Korkmaz, the individual responsible for bringing the boys to Demmink has verified Mustafa's and Osman's accounts. Mustafa, Osman, and Officer Korkmaz are willing to offer sworn testimony to all of the egregious acts they endured and witnessed. A third child victim of Demmink's sexual assaults, Yacine, is now willing to testify in detail about Demmink's sexual assaults.

http://www.bs-foundation.nl/.