Turkish popstar Tarkan makes call for stray animals

ISTANBUL

Turkish popstar Tarkan has made a call to care for stray animals. 

“Rainy and snowy days are ahead. Let’s take care of our stray animals in this cold weather,” he said in a statement on Nov. 16 on his social media accounts, accompanied by a photo showing the popstar with his dogs. 

Stray animals in Turkey have recently become a focus of public attention amid a series of violent attacks.

A landmark government-sponsored bill put forth in April seeks a jail sentence for perpetrators who torture animals instead of a fine—a topic which has widely been discussed in Turkey, with animal rights activists calling for a change for decades.

Those who dare to torture animals will receive four months to four and a half years in prison, according to the new bill.

The bill proposes a jail sentence of up to four and a half years if the perpetrator tortures more than one animal.

If the perpetrator violates the freedoms of multiple animals in the same instance, his or her sentence will be increased by one-and-a-half times, rising from six months to four-and-a-half years in jail, according to the draft.

In the event of the murder of an endangered species, the culprit will be sentenced up to seven years in jail.

The bill, which dissolves the lines between pets and stray animals, also proposes animals “are not property.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan voiced his concern over the long-delayed legislation at his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Central Executive Committee meeting last month.