Elazığ Governorate Statement on Student Assault at Rehabilitation Center

Following reports of mistreatment and assault of a 14-year-old teenager with special needs at a private rehabilitation center in the city of Elazığ, the provincial governorate has responded. The incident, which occurred on July 10, 2026, has caused a wave of concern among families with children with disabilities [1].

Incident Details from Official Authorities According to the statement issued by the Elazığ Governorate, the incident took place around 15:00 on Friday at a private rehabilitation center. The initial report states that due to the aggressive behavior of a client with severe intellectual disabilities at the building's entrance, instructors intervened to control him. Meanwhile, another student with moderate intellectual disabilities, who had been left unsupervised in a classroom, attacked his classmate using a plastic flagpole and injured him [1][2]. The governorate emphasized that immediately after being informed, necessary medical interventions were performed for the injured student, and National Education Directorate inspectors were commissioned to investigate the dimensions of the incident thoroughly.

Victim's Family Protest and Claims of Negligence Muhammed Cüneyt Yalçın, a 14-year-old teenager with Down syndrome, autism, and epilepsy, was the victim of this incident. His father, Mehmet Yalçın, told the media that after being contacted by center officials, he went there and encountered severe signs of assault on his son's body [3]. He stated that although center officials claim these injuries were caused by another student, the severity and location of the injuries on the neck, back, and shoulders indicate serious negligence by the staff. After receiving a forensic medical report from Fırat University Hospital, he filed a formal complaint against the institution with the judicial authorities [2][3].

Legal and Supervisory Actions The Elazığ Governorate assured in its statement that the judicial and administrative process is being followed with full precision. Turkish Ministry of National Education inspectors are tasked with investigating all aspects, including the lack of adequate supervision by instructors in the classroom [1]. This incident has once again brought the discussion of security and care standards in private rehabilitation centers to the top of the Turkish news agenda. Authorities have asked citizens to refrain from resharing unconfirmed information until the investigation is finalized to avoid disrupting the judicial process [2]. The Yalçın family has also requested support from authorities to transfer their son to a safer center, as they are concerned about the recurrence of such incidents in the future.