Pianist With a Too-Ardent Fan

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 February 2019)


                          She Loves You, Yeah Yeah Yeah!

In 2015 pianist Hüseyin Sermet (64) played at the Antalya Music
Festival, met a boy named U.A. and began giving him lessons. In
the course of giving the boy lessons, Sermet met his mother Melahat
A. (49). 

Melahat hanım, however, developed a crush on Sermet and began
calling him repeatedly.  The crush intensified and Melahat hanım
wanted a relationship with Sermet, who resisted, saying such a
relationship would be professionally and personally unethical. 
Nevertheless, Melahat hanım persisted with the calls and kept going
to all Sermet's concerts.

Sermet's lawyer filed a petition with the court, claiming that
"Melahat A. went to my client's father's home in Izmir and flung
insults.  A case has been filed against Melahat A. for 'sexual
harassment', which carries a jail sentence of from 4.5 months to
3 years.  However, despite the filing, Melahat A. continues to
harass my client. We want a restraining order from the court."

The court agreed and ordered that Melahat A. refrain for 2 months
from words and actions that threaten violence, degradation and
humiliation toward Sermet.  She is also barred from approaching
Sermet's home and workplace or disturbing him with any other
form of communication.   



       Workplace sexual harassment can happen anywhere.