I am watching a video shared by CHP Erzincan MP Mustafa Sarıgül. Referring to the 11th Judicial Package submitted to the Parliament, he says, “Prisoners of fate are waiting for the news that will come out of the parliament. Thousands of prisoners of fate will be reunited with their parents next week. For mothers, fathers, children... Forgive Turkey, Forgive Turkey”...
It is well known from the past that the state is very lenient in pardoning political crimes committed against it, while it is more generous in pardoning crimes committed against citizens.
Going back to Sarıgül's words, his statements sound good. Forgiveness is a very human emotion. However, as someone whose house was robbed by thieves in 2019, I was less impressed by the discourses that included some kind of demagoguery afterwards.
Prisoners of fate is a controversial concept
We had suffered serious financial losses as a family, the house had been ransacked by burglars and we found a house in shambles. The police, whom we had contacted in those days, were not very interested either. Although the burglars broke into the house in the middle of the day, the only question the police asked was “Do you have a security camera?” and when they found out that we didn't, they said “It would be difficult to find them” and left it at that. However, the thieves had not teleported to the house. If they had checked the street cameras of other buildings in the 500 square meter area, it would not have been difficult to identify these people who had been involved in similar activities before. But unfortunately, I did not find our police, who found the person who had spoken against the president from an anonymous account within half an hour, very diligent in finding the thieves who robbed our house.
The thieves who robbed my house and caused me serious financial damage that day may have been caught somewhere later and punished. Now I don't know if they are also in the category of “prisoners of fate”.
I never thought about details such as whether they ate our valuables that my wife and I had bought with difficulty in the pavilion or spent them on prostitution. After all, what they did was not their fault, it was fate! Fate had made them thieves.
Yes, life can sometimes drag people into unwanted situations. But to say that poverty is the root cause of crime is an insult to the millions of people who work honestly.
Even if there is an amnesty, regulations that also protect victims are needed
When the subject of amnesty comes up, we are often reminded of murder victims. Of course, loss of life and loss of property cannot be compared. However, as the proverb says, “Property is dearer than life.”
The thief who hits an old uncle whose entire livelihood depends on his pension, has in fact struck a blow to his life.
Or the devastation wrought by a swindler who has multiplied a person's life savings is no different from the devastation of a city shaken by a force of eight. These examples can be increased.
For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to make an arrangement to ensure that people pay the damages they cause with interest for crimes such as theft, fraud, etc. committed against property.
Sarıgül was saying: “Everyone deserves a chance.”
True, but those who have been robbed and defrauded also deserve their stolen money. Compassion is good, but further victimizing the victimized only destroys faith in justice. Justice rises on honest people. In a system that oppresses decent people, evil prevails. Therefore, no matter what is done, additional regulations that protect the victims must be put in place first.