Turkish district governor hits imam with microphone after Friday prayer
Diyarbakır’s Kulp District Governor Burak Akeller hit an imam with a microphone, saying "Are you a terrorist?," after the imam is said to accidentally skipped a few lines while reading the Friday sermon in the mosque.
Ferhat Yaşar / Gazete Duvar
Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakır’s Kulp District Governor Burak Akeller on Jan. 19 hit an imam with a microphone after a Friday prayer.
Accordingly, Akeller went to the Bahçelievler Mosque in the district. The imam of the mosque, M.K., is said to accidentally skipped some lines while reading the sermon.
Spiritual, Principled, Meritorious Religious and Foundation Officers Union (Mil Diyanet-Sen) head Celaleddin Gül released a statement regarding the incident, saying that the district governor shouted “Read the sermon fully and correctly,” after the imam “inadvertently skips a line or two.”
“After the prayer, the District Governor entered the imam’s room, insulted him and walked on him. He accused our imam as 'Are you a terrorist?’... Then the district governor hit the imam with a microphone handle. The imam went to the hospital after this incident and received a medical report,” it added.
The union said they would follow the incident before the judiciary.
On the other hand, the imam was reportedly advised not to answer any phone calls by the provincial governor’s office.
After the reportings on the incident, the Diyarbakır Governor’s Office said they launched a judicial and administrative investigation.
(English version by Alperen Şen)