Mevlana University–Konya/Turkey

[vc_row][vc_column][featurebox heading=”” button_text=”PDF” button_url=”https://academicsolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5-Mevlana-University-Report.pdf”]Mevlana University–Konya/Turkey

Summary

Mevlana University was a foundation university that started its educational activity in 2011 in Selçuklu district of Konya. In July 2016, 196 faculty members, 3,784 undergraduate, 349 master and 36 PhD students were actively continuing their education in the University. University was composed of five faculties which were Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Engineering; four high schools; three institutes; three research centers. During the short period of education, the university served its students who come from all over the world, with modern educational buildings, a training hospital and facilities of various social and sports activities.

In 2015, some police operations and raids that were targeting some executives and academics started. In June 2016, the charter members of the Foundation of the University were dismissed and University was gradually and unlawfully kept down. Mevlana University was closed by the government on 23 July 2016 by a decree law that was based on the State of Emergency. University employees and founders were accused of being terrorists, detained and moreover some were imprisoned. Hundreds of the university employees were arrested by performing 8 different operations of which, one is before 15 July 2016.

All employees lost their jobs and were sentenced to civilian death. Some of the students could not continue und complete their education, some had to move to different departments. Their previous and been officially owned scholarships were cancelled and they suffered from many grievances and victimizations. These unjust treatments have not been remedied in the last three years.

General Information about the University

Mevlana University is a university that provided education between 2011 and 2016 in Selçuklu District of Konya. The Foundation, named Gevher Sultan Foundation for Education, Research, Culture and Health, started the establishment of Mevlana University on 07 July 2009. Upon completion of the preparations, the University enrolled its first students in the 2011-2012 academic-years and started education.^[1] Built in the west of Konya and within the borders of the Selçuklu district, the University campus included modernly constructed educational, administrative, sports and social buildings and facilities.^[2] In this brief history, the University had been a heartfelt host to foreign students from many different geographies of the world. In addition, cooperation, affiliation and exchange programs have been signed and implemented with universities from many different countries.

A view from the campus of Mevlana University

• Education Units of the University
• Faculties
  • Faculty of Medicine
  • Faculty of Education
  • Faculty of Business Administration
  • Faculty of Engineering
  • Faculty of Law
• Highschools
  • Vocational school of Justice
  • Vocational highschooll
  • Vocational school of health services
  • Preparatory School of Foreign Languages
• Institute
  • Social Sciences Institute
  • Health Sciences Institute
  • Graduate school of natural and applied sciences 
• Research Centers
  • Mevlana University Distance Education Application and Research Center (MEVUZEM)
  • Mevlana University Health Application and Research Center
  • Mevlana Social Research Application and Research Center (MEVSAM)

Mevlana University was continuing its educational activities with 3784 undergraduate students, 349 master’s and 36 doctoral students on 196 July 2016, before it was illegally closed. In addition, by Erasmus and Bologna programs, exchanging of students and academics with European countries were being actively and successfully continued. Mevlana University was closed on 23 July 2016 with the Decree Law no. 667 issued by the Government on the basis of the State of Emergency. All movable and immovable assets were transferred to the General Directorate of Foundations and the Treasury.

Pressures before July 15 2016

As of the end of 2014, gradually increasing attacks and defamatory campaigns were launched against Mevlana University. The majority of these attacks were conducted by local rulers from the ruling party and some party members at public meetings and events. They evidently committed hate crimes and slandered the university on every platform. The most usual demands of the university from public institutions were not met. Even it was prevented to receive their progress payments from public institutions. In this period, which lasted for about two and a half years, self-liquidate of the university, like the other targeted institutions, was aimed. In fact, these smears and false accusations were continued despite the positive regular audit report dated 07.01.2016 YÖK Higher Education Supervision Board.

Municipalities affiliated to the ruling party in Konya have made extraordinary efforts to block all institutions of Mevlana University since the end of 2013 and have resorted various lawlessness. One of these was to prevent the University Hospital from being opened to service. The hospital building, which was fully licensed in accordance with the law, was prevented from being put into service with intense pressure.^[3] In March 2016, Selcuk University was re-sued for the land allocation in which the university had previously rented and won lawsuits, and tried to discredit with completely unrealistic claims.^[4] They tried to change the previous positive court decisions with smear campaigns on the media. On May 22, 2015, 47 people including Dr. Bahattin Adam, the former rector of Mevlana University, were detained during an operation in Konya and some of them were arrested.^[5]

In the last month of 2015, of the 21 hospitals, including Mevlana University Hospital, agreements with the Social Security Institution were canceled and they were forced to financial collaps and to close.^[6] At the beginning of May 2016, governmental trustees were appointed to the founding foundations of all foundation universities that were related to the Hizmet Movement and targeted by the government. In the same way on June 07, 2016, a trustee was appointed to the Gevher Sultan Education, Research, Health and Culture Foundation, the founding foundation of Mevlana University.^[7]

Former Rector Dr. Bahattin Adam detained

Victimizations after July 15 2016

After the so-called “Coup Attempt” on 15 July 2016, Under the presidency of the Rector of Mevlana University, Prof. Dr. Tankut Yalçınöz, the University Senate issued a statement supporting Turkish democracy and condemning military coups. 15 foundation universities including Mevlana University were closed down with the first Decree of the State of Emergency, dated 23 July 2016, and all assets were transferred to the Treasury free of charge.^[8] Interestingly, it was declared by this decree that the debts of these institutions, whose assets and receivables were transferred to the Treasury, would not be taken under any circumstances. All employees in these institutions became unemployed, and since they were removed from the Turkish Academy database and labeled in the Social Security System, it was impossible for them to find new jobs. All the remaining receivables, severance payments and personal rights were not paid to them. Barriers and restrictions were put on those who continue to be judged without arrest.

Custodies and detentions of University Staff and Founders

1. The first operation against Mevlana University after 15 July 2016 was an operation that was carried out against some of the university employees who allegedly sent a ‘14 August’ message from Mevlana University’s official twitter account on 04 August 2016 and six people were arrested on 10 August 2016 based on the propaganda.^[9]

2. The second operation was carried out on 08 September 2016 under the name of “Gulen Movement operation” against to the academicians of Mevlana University, which was already closed in Konya. A total of 44 academicians were arrested in this operation.^[10]

3. On December 29, 2016, in Konya, under the name of “Gulen Movement investigation”, a decision was made to arrest 23 people of the academicians, technicians and civil servants working at Selçuk University and Mevlana University. Nine out of 23 people who were detained during the operation were arrested and 14 were released by judicial control.

4. On 17 February 2017, the Provincial Security Directorate teams conducted simultaneous operations in 18 provinces, including Konya, in order to arrest 98 people with detention decision because of being former employees of Mevlana University and the hospital, which were closed within the scope of Gulen Movement investigation.^[11]

The license status of the hospital building, which was previously alleged to be unlicensed, was not questioned und it was suprising the opening of the same building as a new hospital on Monday, just two days after the decree issued on Saturday (July 23^rd). While the ruling side presented it as a success, they revealed the fact that they were already prepared for it.^[12]

5. On 01 March 2017, 25 of the 71 suspects who were transferred to the courthouse within the scope of the operation against former Mevlana University and former employees of the hospital were arrested.

6. On 01 May 2017, within the scope of the Gulen Movement investigation in Konya, 19 of 43 people who were detained during the operation against former employees of Mevlana University and Hospital, which were closed with the Decree Law, were arrested and 24 people were released.

7. On 18 May 2017, within the scope of an investigation carried out by Konya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, a detention order was issued for 27 people who worked at Mevlana University, which was closed with considered to be connected with Gulen Movement.

The usurpation of the campus after the decision of the closure case

Victimizations of Students

The students who graduated before being closed were then falsely slandered and their diplomas were investigated. Students who were transferred to state universities after the closures were treated as terrorist and traitor in the media. Almost none of the promises were fulfilled. The so-called guarantor universities did not accept many students by procrastination. They made the accepted students with the scholarship wait for a period of time and led to semester loss; they allowed them to have special student status for a semester and then demanded astronomical tuitions.^[13] Even graduates; then they felt the need to change their former diplomas to the diplomas of the State Universities to which they transferred, in order to avoid any negativity and prejudice in their business life.^[14]

Academics detained with handcuffs

Conclusion

Mevlana University, which was established in accordance with the laws and approved by the Turkish Grand National Assembly and continuously supervised by YÖK, lost its legal entity. Almost all academic and administrative staff working at the University, including the Board of Trustees, the highest administrative body of the Institution, were dismissed with the accusation of terrorism and treason, regardless of their innocence. Their assets and bank accounts were confiscated. After perennial of with/non-detention trials, many of them were given various prison sentences with absurd claims. In the course of time, nothing was done in the name of correcting the unlawfulness and the openings of the legal remedies were not allowed.

1. https://www.haberler.com/mevlana-universitesi-akademik-yili-acilis-toreni-1-2422369-haberi/ ↑
2. https://www.haberler.com/mevlana-universitesi-kampus-acilis-toreni-2153098-haberi/ ↑
3. https://www.pusulahaber.com.tr/torunun-fendi-fetoyu-yendi-476408h.htm ↑
4. https://emlakkulisi.com/mevlana-universitesine-arazi-davasi-acildi/457481 ↑
5. https://www.haberler.com/paralel-yapi-operasyonu-prof-dr-bahattin-adam-ve-7338596-haberi/ ↑
6. https://www.haberler.com/sgk-sozlesmeyi-tek-tarafli-iptal-etti-hastalar-8022692-haberi/ ↑
7. https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/mevlana-universitesinin-bagli-oldugu-vakfa-kayyum-atandi ↑
8. http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2016/07/20160723-8.htm ↑
9. https://www.karar.com/gundem-haberleri/14-agustos-tweeti-atanlar-tutuklandi-214414?p=482 ↑
10. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kapatilan-mevlana-universitesinde-9-akademisye-40222364 ↑
11. https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/turkiye/2017/03/01/konyada-19-kisi-tutuklandi/ ↑
12. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/feto-pdyye-ait-mevlana-universitesinin-hastaneleri-kamu-hastanesi-oldu-37315879 ↑
13. http://www.memleket.com.tr/mustafa-sahin-magduriyete-izin-vermez-24444yy.htm ↑
14. ttp://platform24.org/haber-arastirma/1686/universitesi-kapatilan-ogrenciler-kaygili ↑

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