Hong Kong religious studies teacher charged with slapping 13-year-old boy during lesson

Man, 35, charged in connection with alleged assault on boy at religious centre, expected to appear in court on Monday

Boy’s sister, 17, says she hopes family decision to press charges will help ‘educate’ parents that corporal punishment is wrong

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The 13-year-old boy, alleged to have been slapped by a religious studies teacher, in hospital for an eye operation. Photo: Handout

Published: 9:32pm, 12 Aug 2023Updated: 5:42pm, 16 Aug 2023

Corrected [5:42pm, 16 Aug, 2023]

[5:42pm, 16 Aug, 2023]
This article has been corrected to reflect a clarification from the Muslim Council of Hong Kong. It said it had called for surveillance cameras and a code of conduct to be introduced in a bid to prevent abuse in religious classes rather than pledging to introduce such measures.

A man has been charged with slapping a 13-year-old boy at an Islamic learning centre, police have revealed.

A spokesman on Saturday said a 35-year-old man would appear in front of a magistrate at Eastern Court on Monday in connection with the alleged assault.

The incident is alleged to have happened last week.

The child’s family accused a teacher at a religious centre in Quarry Bay of slapping the boy as he taught a lesson on the Koran, injuring his eye.

The Eastern Law Courts Building, where a man, 35, is expected to appear on Monday charged in connection with an alleged assault on a 13-year-old boy. Photo: Nora Tam

The boy’s sister, 17, told the Post on Saturday that she hoped that her family’s decision to speak out would “educate” parents that corporal punishment was wrong and illegal in Hong Kong.