Student beaten by teacher for Alevi faith, according to government human rights report

After Zeki Yılmaz, who teaches Turkish literature teacher at the Esenyurt Ali Kul Secondary School in Istanbul, asked a student why she was eating during Ramadan, and was told by that student that she was not fasting because she is Alevi, Yılmaz reportedly then turned to the rest of the class and asked if there were any other Alevis present. When a second student replied, “I am Alevi too,” Yılmaz said: “You’re going to get it from now on.”

In keeping with this statement, Yılmaz later beat the second student, B.K., according to the report, which focuses on the plight of Turkey’s Alevi minority.

Zafer Üskül, who leads the commission, presented the report at a press conference in parliament with vice chairman Mehmet Ekici and commission member Malik Ejder Özdemir from the CHP.

“It is understood that B.K. has been subjected to violence on at least one occasion from the teacher Zeki Yılmaz,” the report states.The commission learned that B.K.’s father had complained to local officials, and that had Yılmaz been suspended while school authorities investigated the incidents, Üskül said.

“Whatever his reasons for asking the question, Zeki Yılmaz’ question to a student who is not fasting, about why they are not fasting, is out of line with the principles of freedom of conscience and religion. It has been understood that B.K. was beaten by his teacher at least once following the conversation. It has been determined that the question - ‘are there any other Alevi’s amongst you?’ - is a clear breach of the decrees of the Constitution.... The question has been accepted by the commission as discrimination,” Üskül said.

Özdemir called on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan make a phone call of apology to B.K. and others who have suffered similar discrimination.