Turkey summons Swedish diplomat over remarks on sexual abuse ruling

Turkey summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Ankara on Monday after Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom made an online comment that Turkey considers "scandalous."

"It is scandalous that a foreign minister posts such a tweet based on false news or speculation," Cavusoglu said during a televised appearance, referring to a tweet on Sunday by his Swedish counterpart that said Turkey allows sex with children under 15.

"Turkish decision to allow sex with children under 15 must be reversed. Children need more protection, not less, against violence, sex abuse," Wallstrom's tweeted on Sunday on her official account.

The tweet came after a ruling last month by Turkey's Constitutional Court in favor of removing a legislation in its penal code classifying all sexual acts against children under the age of 15 as "sexual abuse" following an application filed by a local court.

Turkish authorities say the ruling does not mean that the country considers sexual acts against children under 15 are legal.

Wallstrom was "clearly misinformed," said Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek. "There is no such stupid thing in Turkey. Please get your facts right."

The dispute between Ankara and Stockholm comes a day after Turkey summoned Austria's charge d'affaires in Ankara over what it said was an "indecent report" about Turkey on Vienna airport's news ticker.

"Turkey allows sex with children under the age of 15," read a headline on the airport's electronic news ticker.

The headline was later removed following the Turkish Foreign Ministry's intervention, the ministry said.

"Our disturbance and reaction over this display which tarnishes Turkey's image and deliberately misinforms the public has been strongly conveyed to the charge d'affaires," said a Turkish foreign ministry official.

Source : XINHUA