Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s social media platforms are abuzz with a disturbing video clip reportedly showing a group of students violently assaulting a teacher during a ceremony.
The video spread rapidly, prompting calls from netizens for the authorities to investigate the students involved and hold them accountable.
The footage depicts several students within a garden adjacent to a building, catching up with a teacher before one student strikes him with a chair. They then proceed to collectively assault the teacher until others intervene to break up the incident.
The exact date and location of the incident have not yet been confirmed.
In Saudi Arabia, the legal consequences of assaulting a teacher can be severe and range from hefty financial penalties to jail time, depending on the nature and severity of the offense, as well as the psychological and physical impact left on the victim.
According to Saudi law, the prison sentence for such an offense could extend up to 10 years, and financial fines may reach up to one million Saudi riyals, depending on the damage caused by the assault. Additional penalties could include dismissal from a civil job or school for the duration of the sentence and at least one year thereafter.
The incident has sparked intense public debate about respect for teachers and the need for stringent disciplinary measures to deter such violent behaviour in educational settings.
