Government inspectors in western Turkey removed children as young as 9 from classrooms and questioned them about religion lessons and possible insults of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to parents and local media reports, prompting families to prepare criminal complaints.
According to the Birgün daily, the incident took place Friday at the Tevfik Fikret School in the Aegean city of Izmir, a private institution known for its tradition of secular education. Two inspectors reportedly selected students from each class, from fourth grade through high school, and took them to the school library without notifying their parents.
Students were allegedly asked whether religion classes were being taught or if another subject was being substituted for religion and whether teachers insulted the president during lessons. After the questioning, the children were asked to provide their national identification numbers and sign statements, parents said.
One parent, a lawyer who was identified only by the initials G.B., said her 9-year-old was confused and frightened by the questions.
“She did not even understand what it meant to insult the president,” G.B. said. “She later asked me whether she had answered correctly. They took her ID number and made her sign [some documents]. I will file a criminal complaint.”
Another parent, identified as İ.K., who has children in both primary and high school at the school, said older students were reportedly asked to swear an oath before answering questions. High school students were also asked whether they had heard insults of the president at home or in public, the parent said.
Parents said they were not informed beforehand and learned about the questioning through messaging groups. Several described the procedure as inconsistent with standard inspection practices, which typically involve observing lessons and reviewing materials rather than individually questioning students.
The case touches on two politically sensitive issues in Turkey: compulsory religion classes and the criminal offense of insulting the president.
Under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code, insulting the president is punishable by up to four years in prison. Rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have criticized the law, saying it has been widely used to investigate journalists, students and ordinary citizens.
Religion classes are mandatory in Turkish schools under the national curriculum, though private institutions operate with some autonomy under state supervision. Debates over secular education and political expression in schools have intensified in recent years.
It was not immediately clear which authority ordered the inspection or whether the Education Ministry would review the inspectors’ conduct.
Parents said they plan to file complaints with prosecutors and apply to child rights organizations, arguing that questioning minors without parental consent and obtaining signed statements from children as young as 9 may violate procedural safeguards and protections under child rights standards.
