Trial of abusive primary school teacher: One more child speaks out

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Arrested for sexually abusing 29 primary school students in Antalya, primary school teacher Mahmut A.K. was expected to have his hearing today (July 20). However, the hearing has been adjourned to September 11, 2020 on the ground that there is one more child abused by the defendant.

Following the lawsuit against the abusive teacher, Saadet Özkan, the Chair of Teacher Saadet Association for Struggle Against Child Abuse, has indicated that the trial has been prolonged. She has briefly said:

"All types of statements and reports about the children have been completed. The prosecutor could not present the opinion as to the accusations. The defendant's side requested that one more case file be combined. However, this lawsuit should have been concluded and it has to set a precedent for other cases. This person has been working as a teacher for years and he probably touched hundreds of children while practicing his profession.

"If he had been sentenced to 300 years today, several children would find the strength to speak out. All kinds of filth committed by this abuser would be revealed. We can still treat neither the children nor their parents. Children spoke for times and times again, another child will speak in the next hearing, this trial will be prolonged. What will we say to children at this point?"

Yücel Ceylan, the Vice Chair of the Association, has also said that "those who hurt the future of the country do not have the right of citizenship."

Arrested for sexually abusing 30 primary school students allegedly at a school in Kepez in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Antalya, primary school teacher Mahmut A.K. is facing 300 years in prison. His trial is still ongoing at the 6th Heavy Penal Court. (AÖ/SD)