Sentenced to Prison for ‘Sexual Assault’, Academic Suspended from University

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Assoc. Prof. M.N.M., a faculty member at Namık Kemal University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for having sexually assaulted academic T.Ö. from the same faculty.

CLICK - Academic's Sentence for Sexual Assault Reduced Because 'It Could Affect his Future'

The court has reduced his prison sentence to 2 years and 6 months, considering "his attitude and behavior in the trial process" and "possible impacts of his prison sentence on his future."

After the record of the prison sentence was sent to Namık Kemal University, the Presidency of the university has decided to suspend the academic from the university for a period of three months.

Appointed as a director to the Malkara Vocational School of Higher Education while his trial was still continuing, Assoc. Prof. M.N.M. has also been relieved of his duty there.

'Universities shouldn't sweep them under the rag'

Prof. Dr. Tahsin Yeşildere, the Chair of Faculty Members' Association, is of the opinion that the penalties given to harasser academics will be effective in preventing sexual assaults in the academia:

"Unfortunately, such news are coming from universities. We are discussing such incidents among us, but it requires a serious judicial process. In universities, ethical committees should also work on this issue and they should not sweep it under the rag."

'Requests for retirement shouldn't be accepted'

Reminding us that Ankara University accepted the retirement request of an academic charged with sexual assault, Yeşildere has stated that such requests should in no way be accepted:

"The incident in Ankara sets an example for other perpetrators. It seems like the perpetrator went unpunished. It is problematic in terms of women's rights.

"I want the suspension of the perpetrator academic from Namık Kemal University to set an example for all university presidents. The academics who committed such offenses need to be suspended from the university. In fact, they need to be dismissed. Let this punishment be a beginning and let all perpetrator academics be suspended from the academia."

What happened?

The case against Assoc. Prof. M.N.M. for sexually assaulting Asst. Prof. T.Ö. at Namık Kemal University was concluded at the 1st Penal Court of First Instance in the northwestern province of Tekirdağ on June 25, 2019.

Announcing its verdict, the court ruled that N.M.M. shall be sentenced to 2 years in prison for "sexual assault." It increased the sentence by half because the defendant "misused the influence that comes from public service relations," and ruled for a 3-year prison sentence.

The court then reduced the sentence to 2 years, 6 months considering "the behavior and attitude of the defendant during the trial period," and "possible effects of the sentence on the future of the defendant."

The court also sentenced the defendant to 3 months for "disturbing peace," and reduced the sentence to 2 months, 15 days for the same reason. (EMK/SD)