Istanbul prosecutors demand 23 years for Quran teacher over abuse claims

ISTANBUL

Prosecutors demanded 23 years in jail for a 32-year-old arrested suspect, identified only by the initials O.B., who was working at an association as volunteer Quran teacher, on claims that he sexually abused an 11-year-old male student, Doğan News Agency has reported.

In the first hearing of the closed trial, the suspect O.B. said in his testimony that he gave a Quran course last year to the child, who also helped him clean the school. He denied the charges of abuse.   

The victim’s father said his son explained what happened following the incident, after which he confronted the suspect in a park. 

“I asked my son about his mood and he told me what he experienced. I met with his teacher in a park. He said my son had defamed him. I shouted at him and then I filed a complaint to the police,” he said in his testimony.

The victim’s mother said her son had described his teacher as a “total psychopath.”  

After the first hearing, the trial has been postponed.