HÜDA PAR Deputy Chairman and Gaziantep Member of Parliament Şahzade Demir has urged the Turkish government to implement a broad, multi-dimensional strategy to tackle the rising threat of crime networks, addressing both immediate security concerns and underlying social and economic issues.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), Demir evaluated a wide range of pressing issues, including the spread of criminal gangs, moral and cultural erosion in media and entertainment, the situation in Gaza, and agricultural pricing policies.

Gang Activity: A Growing Multi-Dimensional Threat

Demir stressed that gang-related crime has evolved far beyond a mere public security problem, becoming a complex issue with deep sociological, economic, psychological, and legal roots.He identified high youth unemployment, income inequality, shortcomings in the education system, legal loopholes, and a widespread perception of impunity as key factors fueling the rise of criminal networks.

“Economic difficulties, unfair income distribution, youth unemployment, and distrust in the justice system are paving the way for gang formation,” Demir said.

He warned that criminal enterprises now operate across a wide financial ecosystem involving usury, extortion, illegal betting, drug trafficking, and cyber fraud. Demir also highlighted how major crime organizations exploit social media to glamorize criminal lifestyles and easily recruit young people as hitmen, couriers, or drug dealers.

Call for Judicial Reform and Stronger Measures

Demir pointed out that weaknesses in law enforcement, gaps in penal execution laws, and lenient supervised release practices have created a dangerous “low risk, high reward” perception among criminals.

He called for urgent judicial reforms to increase deterrence, speed up court processes, and eliminate the perception of impunity. Additional measures he proposed include tighter security controls, closer monitoring of gang activity on social media, and cutting off illegal revenue sources.

Education, Culture, and Social Values

For a lasting solution, Demir emphasized the need for long-term social policies. He called for education system reforms that prioritize moral and spiritual values, greater investment in vocational training, and comprehensive socio-economic support programs for disadvantaged areas.

He also voiced strong concern over what he described as increasing moral erosion in Turkish society, particularly through television series and concerts that undermine family values, modesty, and traditional norms.

“Cultural and artistic policies should not be evaluated solely on economic or touristic benefits, but through the lens of public good and the protection of future generations,” Demir said.

Situation in Gaza

Turning to international developments, Demir condemned the continued violence in Gaza despite ceasefire announcements. He drew attention to the dire conditions faced by Palestinian prisoners and called for the international community to hold those responsible accountable.

He demanded the immediate reconstruction of Gaza, the unconditional release of all Palestinian detainees, and the complete political, economic, and diplomatic isolation of Israeli occupation regime.

Demand for Higher Grain Purchase Prices

On agricultural matters, Demir criticized the grain purchase prices recently announced by the Turkish Grain Board (TMO), describing them as insufficient and far below production costs.

With wheat priced at 16.5 TL/kg and barley at 12.75 TL/kg, he warned that many farmers would struggle to cover sharply increased input costs and may be forced out of production.

Demir called on the government to revise the prices upward by at least 50%, noting that President Erdoğan had previously signaled that such an adjustment was possible. (ILKHA)