Three children have launched a social media campaign to draw attention to babies and young children living in Turkish prisons with their mothers during the country’s post-coup crackdown.
The campaign, led by children identified as Yasemin, Furkan and Neda, uses the slogan, “If you stay silent, babies will grow up in prison.” It calls on the public to speak out for mothers jailed with their children and argues that prisons are no place for children or their mothers.
According to Turkish reports citing Justice Ministry figures at the time, 864 babies and young children were living in prison with their mothers in Turkey in 2019.
The campaign was promoted under the hashtag #864BebekHapiste, meaning “864 babies are in prison.” In a video shared by the Tutsak Bebekler, or Imprisoned Babies, account, the children appealed to public conscience and urged people to “give voice” to the issue.
The issue became one of the most visible human rights concerns during Turkey’s crackdown following the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, as large numbers of women were detained or imprisoned while pregnant, shortly after giving birth or while caring for very young children.
Rights advocates say many of the women were jailed over alleged links to the Gülen movement rather than violent conduct, leaving babies and toddlers to spend their earliest years behind bars.
Ankara blames the coup attempt on the Gülen movement, a transnational civic initiative inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, and designates the movement as a terrorist organization. The movement denies involvement in the coup or any terrorist activity.
The children’s campaign sought to shift attention from legal accusations against mothers to the humanitarian consequences for children.
Its message was direct: a child should not be punished because of a case against a parent.
The campaign also came amid broader protests in Europe and the United States over jailed mothers and babies in Turkey. In September 2019 demonstrators in New York and Washington carried signs saying “864 babies in prison” and “Free babies and their mothers.”
The slogan resonated because it placed the burden on public silence, warning that unless people speak out, children will continue to grow up inside penal institutions.
For rights groups and families affected by the crackdown, the campaign underscored a central criticism of Turkey’s post-coup justice system: that the state’s sweeping prosecutions and broad use of detention have caused harm not only to defendants but also to children with no role in any alleged offense.
We appeal to your conscience:
Make some noise! #864BabiesInPrison
Yasemin, Furkan, and Neda are calling out to you.
IF YOU STAY SILENT, BABIES WILL GROW UP IN PRISON !!! pic.twitter.com/KVDui6UNne
— Tutsak Bebekler (@TutsakBebekler) October 6, 2019
