Teachers punished for hugging during birthday celebration

Duvar English 

Two teachers in the Çatak district of the eastern province of Van have been punished by the local authorities for hugging each other during the celebration of one of the teachers' birthday. 

The two teachers, one man and one woman, were reportedly the subject of a complaint filed by other teachers that were celebrating with them in May of last year. After seeing camera images of the teachers hugging, the school's principle decided to request that an investigation be opened against them. 

Authorities from the provincial board of education then decided to cut some of the female teacher's salary while appointing her to a different school in another district of Van province, while her male colleague was also punished by being sent to another school. 

Criminal complaints were also filed against the teachers by an area prosecutor. 

“They can look at the camera recording dates and my date of my birthday. We both knew that there were cameras there. It was a hug between normal people who knew that we were not doing anything wrong. There is nothing regarding the manner and conditions relating to a hug that is considered a crime in the constitution or in National Education regulations. In defiance of principles that are important to people, like decency, honor and dignity, the images were [presented as something they were not],” said the female teacher.  

The teachers have insisted that the decisions to punish them lack a legal basis, and that their lawyers will be appealing to a court to have the punishments overturned.

The Van Governor's Office noted that they are investigating and evaluating the report that the teachers "acted in a manner that is not compliant with the regulations."

"The obtained information, images and witness statements reveal that the act that is the subject of offense took place in the school," the Governor's Office said in an official statement.