Bosnian teacher dismissed in Luxembourg after pro-Palestine posts, launches legal challenge
A Bosnian-born primary school teacher in Luxembourg has been dismissed from her position after publicly expressing support for Palestine and condemning Israel's military campaign in Gaza, according to Anadolu Agency, a case that has sparked widespread public debate over freedom of expression.
Fatima Kurtić said she was dismissed after the Luxembourg Ministry of National Education cited social media posts that it described as "antisemitic." She rejects that characterization, maintaining that her criticism was directed at the Israeli government and Zionism, not at Jewish people or Judaism.
"I was dismissed because I supported Palestine and opposed the war," Kurtić told Anadolu. "But nothing can stop me from speaking about Palestine and what is happening there."
She added that the scale of suffering in Gaza compelled her to speak out.
"People are being killed and tortured. As a teacher and as a human being, I could not remain silent," she said.
Refugee background
Kurtić arrived in Luxembourg from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2002 as a child refugee and spent four years in a refugee camp before settling permanently in the country. Having lived in Luxembourg for more than two decades, she argues that her dismissal violates her fundamental right to freedom of expression.
She insists that her social media activity consistently focused on solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to the war in Gaza, rather than hostility toward Jewish people or their religion.
Legal challenge
Kurtić has challenged the dismissal in court, with her lawyer filing a formal appeal against the Ministry's decision.
According to her account, she was dismissed without prior warning. She also alleges that the Ministry accessed her private social media account and used screenshots of her posts as evidence, a move she says has effectively damaged her prospects of finding employment in other public institutions.
Her legal team argues that the disciplinary action was disproportionate and that the evidence relied upon by the Ministry does not justify dismissal.
Public support
The case has prompted demonstrations by students, parents and supporters, who have called for Kurtić's reinstatement. The protests have intensified debate in Luxembourg over the boundaries of free speech, the responsibilities of public educators and the extent to which teachers can engage in political activism outside the workplace.
Kurtić also says she became the target of a coordinated campaign after a video of her urging one of Luxembourg's largest retailers to stop selling Israeli products went viral online.
She maintains that she never brought political activism into the classroom and that her professional responsibilities were always kept separate from her private online activity.
Broader implications
The case is increasingly being viewed as a test of the limits of freedom of expression for public employees in Luxembourg.
At the centre of the legal dispute is whether the Ministry acted within its authority by disciplining a teacher for political speech expressed outside working hours that, according to Kurtić, neither promoted hatred nor incited violence.
Human rights and free speech advocates are closely monitoring the proceedings, arguing that the outcome could set an important legal precedent for public sector employees commenting on politically sensitive international conflicts.
The Luxembourg Ministry of National Education has not publicly commented further on the case, while a court decision is expected in the coming months.
