Turkish university suspends academic for ridiculing quake-victim student’s trauma

Turkey’s Düzce University has suspended academic Ö.S. for ridiculing an earthquake-victim student by saying “as if an atomic bomb was dropped,” referring to the Feb. 6 quakes. In a video spread online, the student says they are staying in prison as there is no other place and the academic responds “What did you do to end up in prison?”.

Thursday March 09 2023 06:46 pm

Duvar English

Düzce University on March 8 suspended its academic Ö.S. for ridiculing a quake-hit student’s trauma.

In a video spread on social media, a student of Düzce University was talking with Ö.S. during a lecture conducted online.

The student, who is living in quake-hit Malatya province, said that he could not conduct an interview with a human resources unit of a company due to the earthquake. Ö.S. insisted on asking for an interview as a requirement of the course. The quake-victim student said "There is no one to interview, there is even no city."

Responding to the student, Ö.S. said "Don’t exaggerate, as if an atomic bomb was dropped." When the student replied, "We have no place to stay. We are staying in prison," the academic said "What did you do to end up in prison?," continuing to ridicule the quake-victim student.

The video stirred a huge reaction on social media, as people demanded the academic’s suspension.

Upon the reactions, the rectorate of Düzce University on March 8 announced that they launched an investigation against Ö.S. and suspended him from his duty.

Bir öğrencimiz ile öğretim üyemiz arasında uzaktan eğitim dersi esnasında gerçekleştiği anlaşılan ve tasvip etmemiz mümkün olmayan diyalog sebebiyle, ilgili öğretim üyesi hakkında Rektörlüğümüz tarafından soruşturma başlatılarak görevinden uzaklaştırılmıştır. https://t.co/XBEfq8sYFj
— Düzce Üniversitesi (@duzceuniversite) March 8, 2023

Two major earthquakes hit southeastern region of Turkey on Feb. 6, affecting 11 provinces.

As of March 9, the official death toll is 46,104 of the devastating earthquakes. About 230,000 buildings either collapsed, or are severly damaged due to quakes in 11 provinces, displacing millions of people.

The Turkish government has opened up the Credit and Dormitory Institution (KYK) dormitories for the quake-hit victims whose houses are badly damaged and switched to online education in universities for the spring term.