Girls accuse male teacher of sexual harassment

A male teacher at a junior high school in Limassol has been remanded in custody after a group of female students have accused him of sexual harassment in the classroom.

Local media said a male teacher in his late forties, who was arrested on sexual molestation charges over the weekend, was remanded in custody on Monday for eight days during a closed hearing after a complaint was filed against him.

There was no information about the nature of the alleged offenses but local reporters said close to a dozen girls say they “felt uncomfortable” with the suspect during class.

Local media said a female student had filed the initial complaint with police after a social media post of an uncomfortable encounter was shared in a group, where journalists and parents were also tagged.

Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou spoke of a “very alarming and sad” situation, adding that the teacher could face suspension after police conclude their investigation.

“After there is a police finding a recommendation is filed with the Educational Service Commission, which will order a suspension provided that there is an investigation of the police complaint,” Prodromou said.

Additional reports said police were seeking to obtain video depositions from the girls involved in the case.

The nature of the suspect’s alleged behavior was not described by journalists who reported on the story, citing “privacy concerns” for the young girls, while one reporter who was tagged on social media said the post “made me cringe.”