Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey
Slaps the cheek of a child who kissed the back of his hand
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, has sparked controversy after a scene was captured at an official event where he appeared to slap a child's cheek.
According to the New York Post and others on the 30th (local time), President Erdogan attended the opening ceremony of an urban redevelopment project held in the northern Rize region on the 27th. The ceremony proceeded with the president handing over keys to the new owners of houses rebuilt through the urbanization project. President Erdogan stepped onto the stage to hand over the keys, followed by two young boys who came up on stage.
President Erdogan reached out to the two children on stage, signaling them to kiss the back of his hand. However, when one of the children quietly looked up without kissing Erdogan's hand, the president slapped the child's cheek and then extended his hand again. The child eventually kissed the back of Erdogan's hand. Afterwards, the president gave gifts to the two children and hugged them before stepping down from the stage.
However, as the video rapidly spread through social networking services (SNS), many voiced criticism. One netizen pointed out, "If he behaves like that in front of cameras, how does he treat people elsewhere?" Another expressed dissatisfaction, asking, "Why should children kiss his hand as a sign of respect?"
At an official event in Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, the President of Turkey, was captured slapping a young child's cheek, sparking controversy. [Image source=YouTube]
On the other hand, some expressed understanding of President Erdogan's actions. Generally, in Turkey, kissing the hand of an elder is considered a sign of respect. One netizen said, "Children who do not show respect should be corrected immediately."
This is not the first time President Erdogan has caused controversy for hitting a child. In 2021, he was suspected of hitting the head of a child who requested his autograph. Last year, he also sparked controversy for slapping his grandson's face in a public place. Facing strong criticism, he explained that he was "just stroking his grandson."
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