Ankara high school students complain to authorities of sexual abuse by principal 

ANKARA

Around 100 high school students in the Haymana district of Ankara have applied to the authorities with complaints that they have been sexually abused by the principal of their school, daily Birgün reported on Feb. 12. 

The students contacted the Prime Ministry Communication Bureau (BİMER) over the winter break accusing the principal of the Nuri Bektaş Anatolian High School, who was appointed to the post in 2014, of sexually abusing around 100 students. The principal, identified only by the initials S.K., had a private residence in the lodge of the school where he is accused of committing the abuse.   

After the complaints, an executive probe was opened against S.K. by Education Ministry inspectors and a delegation arrived in Haymana to investigate the allegations. The probe, which is still ongoing, initially questioned the male teachers of the school and continued with questioning of male students.   

On Feb. 9, the fourth day of the investigation, S.K. was suspended from his duty, though no legal investigation has been opened into him yet. 

Speaking to Birgün, some of the teachers at the school said they had suspicions over the issue for some time, but could not take any action because they did not have concrete evidence. 

Students, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they did not know which teacher to ask for help or who to trust, so they appealed to the BİMER.