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Teacher on trial for child abuse in case that shocked Turkey Turkish teacher gets 508 years in prison for child abuse
(about 9 hours later)
ANKARA, Turkey — The trial has opened in Turkey of a teacher accused of sexually abusing 10 boys under his care at two religious foundations, a case that has shocked the country and led to accusations of a cover-up. ANKARA, Turkey — A Turkish court sentenced a teacher Wednesday to more than 508 years behind bars for sexually abusing 10 boys under his care at two religious foundations.
The 54-year-old man is charged with assaulting the boys, aged between 10 and 12, at boarding homes, one of which was run by a foundation linked to Turkey’s ruling party. The first hearing was held Wednesday behind closed doors. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the teacher was sentenced at the first hearing of a case that traumatized the country and led to accusations of a cover-up. He was convicted of the charges of sexually abusing the children, restricting their freedoms, malicious injury, and forcing them to watch pornographic imagery, the agency reported.
The country’s minister for family affairs, Sema Ramazanoglu, sparked outcry after she described the assaults as a “one-off incident” and accused opposition parties of trying to besmirch the government-linked foundation. The 54-year-old man, named only as “M.B.,” was charged with assaulting the boys, aged between 10 and 12, at boarding homes, one of which was run by a foundation linked to Turkey’s ruling party.
The man denied the accusation during the trial, claiming that the boys had sexual relations with each other, the private Dogan news agency reported. He also maintained that he had earlier confessed to the crime under police pressure. He was escorted out of the courthouse protected by police holding up shields.
The country’s minister for family affairs, Sema Ramazanoglu, sparked an outcry after she described the assaults as a one-time event and accused opposition parties of trying to besmirch the government-linked Ensar Foundation.
The minister later survived a censure motion in parliament submitted by the opposition, which accused her of negligence in preventing violence against women and children.The minister later survived a censure motion in parliament submitted by the opposition, which accused her of negligence in preventing violence against women and children.
Lawyer Oktay Yilmaz, representing five of the boys, said criminal complaints have also been filed against the two foundations.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.