A prosecutor in Turkey ordered the detention of 14 teachers after a scheduling conflict over a football field, Turkish media reported on Thursday.
The incident took place in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır where a group of teachers reserved the pitch for the 9 p.m.-10 p.m. time slot, while another group involving the prosecutor was expected to play between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
The prosecutor who reportedly mixed up the schedule arrived at the pitch at 9 p.m., asking the teachers to clear the field.
The teachers objected and were subsequently detained.
The event sparked a backlash on Turkish social media, with many users denouncing the arbitrariness of the prosecutor’s behavior.
The Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) announced that an investigation had been launched into the incident.
Minister of Justice Abdülhamit Gül tweeted that he would personally follow the case.
Minister of Education Ziya Selçuk expressed support for the teachers, promising that similar incidents would not happen again in the future.
Emrah Kızılyıldırım, one of the 14 detained teachers, told BBC they were brought to the police station directly from the pitch for a criminal record check and said the police intentionally kept them waiting until the prosecutor’s match kicked off.
The Turkish government arrested a total of 2,431 judges and prosecutors and dismissed 4,424 others following a controversial coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Newcomers and those who remained in office are criticized for being disrespectful to the rule of law and acting like officers of the governing party. (SCF with turkishminute.com)
