Turkish President Erdoğan give child money after kissing his hand

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan publicly smacked a small child in the face after the boy refused to kiss his hand, shocking video shows

Erdoğan, 70, was handing out keys to residents whose homes were rebuilt as part of an urban renewal project in Rize in the country’s northeast on Saturday when two little boys approached him on the stage for some money, according to the Gazete Duvar.

Erdoğan held out his hand for the younger boy to kiss — a traditional sign of respect in Turkey — but the boy hesitated as he stared up at the president’s face.

When the boy did not oblige, the ill-tempered Turkish leader slapped the child on the cheek, video shows.

The boy, who has not been named, then shakes and kisses Erdoğan’s hand before the president gave the children some cash as a gift.

The video has gone viral on social media with many users expressing disgust.

“I wonder how he treats people behind closed doors if he can do that in front of the camera,” one user wondered.

“Isn’t that some high level of terrorism and abuse??” another questioned. “Why do they have to kiss his hand as a sign of respect??”

Others defended Erdoğan, noting that kissing elders’ hands is part of Turkish culture.

“If you don’t do it you get corrected. Especially at a young age,” one user wrote.

But this is not the first time Erdogan has come under fire for such an incident.

Previously, the leader ‘slapped’ a child who requested an autograph on a Turkish national team T-shirt.

In 2021, at the opening of the Salarkha Tunnel in Rize, Erdogan was spotted knocking a boy on the head after he shook the ribbon.

And last year, the president publicly slapped his grandson, but later claimed he was ‘stroking’ him, according to reports.