The school principal has been sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison for refusing to accept the veiled intern.

In the trial where Nezaket Akbulut, a university student in Kağıthane, was judged for not accepting the internship of the college official Özlem Öztoprak due to her headscarf, a decision was made.

"IF YOU DON'T REMOVE YOUR HEADSCARF, WE CAN'T ACCEPT YOU"

The school director Özlem Öztoprak, who is accused of telling Nezaket Akbulut, a headscarved student who was directed to a school in Istanbul Kağıthane to do an internship on September 21, 2022, that they cannot accept her if she does not remove her headscarf, citing the school's regulations and rules, was judged in the trial. The trial, held at Istanbul 14th Criminal Court of First Instance, was attended by the defendant Akbulut's lawyers, as well as the lawyers of the parties and the lawyer from the Ministry of Family and Social Services Legal Services Unit.

UP TO 10 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT WAS DEMANDED

In the trial, the Prosecutor stated in his opinion on the merits that the defendant did not allow the complainant Nezaket Akbulut to start her internship because she had a headscarf on the date of the incident. According to the opinion, it was requested that the defendant Özlem Öztoprak be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 4 to 10 years for the crime of 'preventing the right to education and training by abusing the authority provided by public duty'. The defense lawyer of the defendant, in response to the opinion, requested the acquittal of his client. The lawyer of the complainant, on the other hand, stated that they had nothing to say and requested the punishment of the defendant.

COURT SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS OF IMPRISONMENT

The court, in its decision, sentenced the defendant Özlem Öztoprak to 3 years and 4 months of imprisonment for the crime of 'preventing the right to education and training by abusing the authority provided by public duty'.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

In the indictment prepared by Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that Nezaket Akbulut, a 3rd-year student in the Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department, submitted a complaint petition to the Prosecutor's Office and an investigation was initiated based on the allegations that she was the complainant. In the petition included in the indictment, it was stated that the university arranges internship places for its students from the 3rd year onwards, and she was directed to do an internship at the college in Kağıthane.

In the petition, it was stated that it was mentioned that she went to the mentioned school with her friend on the day of the incident, and the suspect Özlem Öztoprak, who is the director there, used the expressions 'the school has dress code and rules, no veiled teachers and students are present or can be present in the school, if she wants to do an internship, she must remove her headscarf, otherwise they cannot accept her as an intern at the school'. It was also stated that the complainant Akbulut stated that she was victimized because she was not admitted to the school for this reason.

In the indictment, it was mentioned that the friend of the complainant also gave a statement confirming the complainant's statement, and it was stated that there is no requirement for female public officials to be unveiled even in the Regulation on Dress Code and Attire of Public Employees. It was also stated in the indictment that there is no legal basis for not accepting the complainant Akbulut for an internship due to wearing a headscarf. It was also stated that the suspect Öztoprak, despite not having a legal basis, acted unlawfully by preventing the complainant from exercising her right to do an internship and receive education.

In the prepared indictment, it was requested that the suspect Özlem Öztoprak be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 4 to 10 years for the crime of 'preventing the right to education and training by abusing the authority provided by public duty'.