A student of college of medicine sued the University of Kirkuk in Iraq and asks for 100 million Iraqi Dinars ($7,000) compensation for denial of his return to class despite two court verdicts that cancelled his dismissal by the university.
Mohmmed Esmat Awchi was in stage three of college of medicine in the University of Kirkuk in 2016-2017 when he had a quarrel with one of his professors. Awchi claims he criticized some of the lecturers for discrimination. As his critique was not taken, he decided to post his complaint on Facebook social media platform.
The dean office of college of medicine has decided to set up an investigative committee which decided to dismiss Awchi in July 2017 for 2016-2017 school year, he narrates.
Awchi files a lawsuit to supreme administrative court in Baghdad in October 2017. “I was a student in stage two of college of Medicine in the University of Krikuk and passed it successfully but I was shocked when I knew that I was dismissed in the summer holiday which is illegal as I passed to stage three,” he writes in the lawsuit.
“I was a student in stage two of college of Medicine in the University of Krikuk and passed it successfully but I was shocked when I knew that I was dismissed in the summer holiday which is illegal as I passed to stage three,” he writes in the lawsuit.
Mohammed Esmat Awchi, student in stage two of college of Medicine in the University of Krikuk.
The court verdict rejects the dismissal order in March 2018 and orders his return to class. “We have found out that the post does not include any defamation of the professors or the college as it shows no insults or abuse and the plaintiff has the freedom of expression,” the verdict dictates.
“We have found out that the post does not include any defamation of the professors or the college as it shows no insults or abuse and the plaintiff has the freedom of expression,” the verdict dictates.
Awchi said as he was busy with court case travelling from Kirkuk to Baghdad in 2017, he found out the University has decided to dismiss him in November 2017 for 2017-2018 school year due to absence.
In March 2018, he files another case against his second dismissal against the university. The second court ruling describes his dismissal as illegal. Awchi presented all court papers to KirkukNow.
Entrance of University of Kirkuk. Photo by KirkukNow.
“Court verdicts were clearly in my favor because my post was classified as freedom of expression but the University of Kirkuk rejects to follow court ruling and did not accept resuming my education,” he added.
The university of Kirkuk denies any court verdict being issues in favor of the student. “The student was dismissed for abuse of his college professors, if he claims court verdicts issued in his favor then it is not true because we have not received any official letter from court yet,” Dr. Ahmed Sabah, president of University of Kirkuk said.
“Whenever we receive an official letter, we will commit,” he added. KirkukNow has come to know through documents that the university has filed an appeal but the court has rejected it.
“Whenever we receive an official letter, we will commit,” he added. KirkukNow has come to know through documents that the university has filed an appeal but the court has rejected it.
Awchi said he shuold have been in the last stage of his medicine education but desperately he decided two years ago to start studying medicine again in Turkey.
“Several years of my education has gone but I will not give up my rights. “I have asked for 100M IQD compensation because five years of studying lost beside all the expenses like lawyer fees and court trials.”
