Violent Turk sentenced to give flowers

ISTANBUL – A Turkish judge sentenced a man convicted of domestic violence to give his wife a weekly bouquet of flowers for the next six months. He also has to read five books on raising children, writes daily Hürriyet today.
For the last four years Turkish judges have had the possibility of handing out alternative punishments. Lately more and more sensational punishments are being reported. Daily Haber Turk reports today that a man has completed his punishment for beating his ten year old daughter: he had to plant five hundred young trees. Recently a man convicted of domestic violence was sentenced to write lines: he had to write a thousand times that he was sorry and had to spread the notes around his village.
The alternative punishments for violent crimes are hardly ever criticized. Recently a judge claimed she had received only positive reactions to her decision to punish domestic violence with writing lines.