The Academic Solidarity Association is recognized as a public benefit association under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. All donations to the Academic Solidarity Association are tax deductible. A donation receipt is available upon request.
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The Academic Solidarity Association is a non-profit organization based in Germany, founded in 2022 by academics from different countries. The association carried out its previous activities under the Academic Solidarity Initiative, founded in 2018. Most founders are academics who faced anti-democratic and illegal practices in their countries. They have lost their jobs and had to leave their countries. They have taken action to make the world aware of illegality, to support each other, and to fight against injustice and illegality.
The Academic Solidarity Association does not limit its vision of solidarity to violations and problems in one country or region. Its primary aim is to help all academics subjected to oppression and discrimination who have lost their jobs, been imprisoned, or have had to leave their country out of necessity.
Management:
Salih Hoşoğlu, Zekeriya Aktürk, Fatma Nur Kocacan, Yavuz Kaplan, Lokman Alpsoy, Remzi Arif Özerdemoğlu
Targeted activities:
1. Reporting violations and abuses in the academic field
2. Identifying and developing solutions to the problems faced by academics who are subject to discrimination and pressure
3. To facilitate and support solidarity and communication among academics. To this end
a. Organizing scientific research, meetings, conferences, panels, workshops, organizational activities (networking)
b. Provide consulting services
c. Exchange of experience
4. Assisting scientists and academic candidates in finding grants and research support
For donations:
IBAN: DE54 1001 0010 0074 0991 41
The Academic Freedom Index (AFI) is a unique initiative that aims to conceptualize and measure academic freedom worldwide. This project assesses the current state of academic freedom worldwide based on five key indicators. These core indicators are freedom of research and teaching, freedom of scholarly exchange and dissemination, institutional autonomy, campus integrity, and freedom of academic and cultural expression.
The AFI was developed by scholars in Germany and Sweden. The project is led by Prof. Dr. Staffan Lindberg, Director of the Varieties Democracy (V-Dem) Institute at the University of Gothenburg, Prof. Dr. Katrin Kinzelbach and Dr. Lars Pelke of the Institute of Political Science at the Fredrich Alexander University (FAU), and Janika Spannagel of the Freie Universität Berlin. The project is supported by a five-year grant from the Volkswagen Foundation.
In brief, the researchers’ basic approach is as follows: Academic freedom is a human right and a prerequisite for research and development. Most of the world’s 171 countries have legally committed themselves to ensuring these freedoms under the UN Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) to “respect fundamental freedoms for scientific research and creative work” (Article 15.3). Unfortunately, these binding legal commitments signed by countries do not mean that academic freedom has been achieved. Although states have made these commitments, their implementation varies widely.
The AFI is based on assessments by 2,197 experts from different countries worldwide, standardized surveys, and well-established statistical models applied and adapted by the V-Dem project. The V-Dem Project is known for producing robust data on various dimensions of democracy. The Academic Freedom Index uses a Bayesian measurement model for data collection. With this model, they provide point estimates and make it possible to report measurement uncertainty in global assessments of academic freedom transparently. Users must consider this uncertainty when comparing scores across countries and over time.
The Index was constructed for the first time based on the actual use of academic freedoms as of December 2022. As such, it provides an overview of academic freedom in 179 countries and territories. What is striking about these reports is the gradual decline in academic freedom worldwide. Over the past decade, academic freedoms have been significantly curtailed in 22 countries home to more than 50% of the world’s population (approximately 4 billion people). Over the same period, academic freedom has improved significantly in only five small countries, representing only 0.7% of the world’s population. Academic freedoms have stagnated in most countries and are generally very low (152).
Countries where academic freedom has been seriously restricted in the past decade include China, India, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Ukraine, El Salvador, Comoros, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Mexico, Thailand, Yemen, Nicaragua, Belarus, Uruguay, England, Poland, the United States, and Myanmar. Among these countries, China, Turkey, Egypt, Nicaragua, Belarus, and Myanmar are in Category E (the lowest category), the lowest level in the academic freedom classification. On the other hand, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Seychelles, Montenegro, and the Gambia are countries where academic freedom has improved significantly.
More information about the research and the index can be found on the index’s website: https://academic-freedom-index.net/
Abstract
Turkey was considered as a country which combined the democracy and secularism, at least in words, with its Muslim population. Justice and Development political party that came into power in 2002 drew a democratic image. At that time, Turkey had made remarkable process towards integration with European Union and widened the freedom in all area. But, in the course of time, R.T. Erdogan, the current President Turkey, has deeply dominated the whole party and became the only power. Erdogan’s and his close companions’ great triumph in referendum in 2010 and in general election in 2011 caused them to think that they had sufficient power to apply in the country whatever they want or how they want and they became rapidly autocratic. They declared their civil allies which supported them to fight against the military coup threat to establish the values of European Union, to amend the new regulations to be integrated with European Union’s norms and to broaden the freedom of humanity, freedom of speech, freedom of Journalism etc. as terrorists. Ironically, they became allies with the undercover powers that they fought against for years.
After the Gezi Park social protests in the spring of 2013 and 17-23 December corruption operations, later it is followed by serial investigations, the Gülen Movement, Liberals and some other democrats were called state enemies (traitor). Erdogan and his family were at the center of corruption and the evidences are based on a lot of undeniable and confidential hard materials. Those investigations were disposed and resulted in damage of Police Forces and Law-Justice Enforcement. As an excuse for their increasing autocracy, Gulen Movement was announced as a new traitor. The Witch Hunt was accelerated especially against the sympathizers of Gulen Movement after the very suspiciously organized Military Coup in July 15 of 2016 and continued with mass arrestments and dismissing from governmental institutions and confiscations of properties. The Authoritarian Regime that Erdogan has gained so far became completely official with the controversial referendum in 2017. Turkey is now in a dystopic position where everything is ruled and controlled by only one person. His statements and his actions are accepted as a rule and an order for all institutions, including Law-Enforcement.
From Military Autocratic Secularism to Social Supported Fascism
Turkey sounds when it is looked from outside, having the majority of its population Muslim but it have a secular constitution. In addition to that, it also seems that it has adopted the contemporary values such as, independency of law and superiority of democracy. The Justice and Development party that came to power in 2002 describes itself as conservative democrats.[1] Until 2011, it endeavored to establish European Union’s values and to provide more freedom for institutions in the country. At the beginning, the party had a very democratic style of speech but later, it turned out to be a leader party that everything belongs to only one person. Erdogan dominated everything in the party. The party that had variety of efficient politicians and intellectuals was taken under control by Erdogan and he remained the only political figure on stage. Many figures, as effective as Erdogan in the party (AKP), have resigned from their positions in party’s governance and disappeared forever. After 2011, The Justice and Development party has adopted rhetorically more Islamic, nationalistic and xenophobic understanding of political party management.[2] Erdogan, who was the prime minister between 2003 and 2014 and currently as a President, ruled the country alone, has reversed the acquired freedom and democratic values.[3],[4]
Turning Point: 2011 General Elections
A few important core factors can be accounted why he became so evasive about democracy. Erdogan and his team, who took into consideration that they strengthened their dominance in ruling the country by gaining 49%,5 of votes in 2011 general elections, has declared that they would separate themselves from those allies who supported them along the way of integrating with EU’s democratic values (Liberals, Gulen Movement, Liberal Democrats and some Kurdish Initiative Civil Groups). Erdogan has gradually terminated his relationships with those groups and his new allies became Undercover State Militants, Mafias, Racists and that sort of Groups.[5]
In that period, Erdogan and his partners have put those who prioritized democracy into state enemy category or traitor. In the spring of 2013, the social protests that began in Gezi Park were heavily used to consolidate his bases. Finally, the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the country erupted in December 2013 with involvement of four ministries from his party with their children and Erdogan himself. Erdogan has called the investigation that targeted four ministries as a movement to topple the ruling government. He has kept Gulen Movement and its Lieder as responsible. After that occasion, he has understood that he could not run the country no more on democratic system because the evidences of corruption scandal were undeniably confidential and strong. He has ended that investigation by taking all Law-Enforcement under his power. [6],[7] After that Turkey has deviated from its course. They already announced in the spring 2014 that they would start new Juristic reforms in order to open thousands of court cases to carry on the Witch Hunt against Gulen Movement. They started that with mass interrogations of Journalists and the police forces by amending new laws. What is happening now in Turkey is the continued of what happened.[8],[9],[10],[11]
For Erdogan: “The God Blessing” Military Coup
In 15th of July, Turkey has experienced a very strange Military Coup. But it is better not to call it as a military coup, rather false flag operation. The unusual military coup thesis was used to accelerate to create a stronger dictatorship in the country. The Extraordinary State situation that lasted for two years has dismissed the constitution and paralyzed other currently working institution in the country. During this period, Erdogan has used additional authority that the government had provided him and the authority that the constitution had not provided him, effectively to create a stronger dictatorship. It is apparent that Erdogan has managed to get what he wanted with that false flag operation. A military coup could only be done for such kind of reason without allowing any independent commissions to investigate.[12],[13],[14],[15]
Erdogan’s coup has targeted all institutions in the country; First of all, highly respected and deeply influential establishments have been either confiscated or demolished, including Military, Courts, Supreme Court, Police Forces and Universities. Thousands of educational institutions and organizations have been either demolished or confiscated with new amendments during the State of Emergency Period. Thousands of firms at value in total more than 20 billion Dollars have been confiscated. During five years up until the beginning of 2019 approximately half millions of people have been arrested and kept into custody for months and some of them for years without any further investigations. Some of them have died during the custody due to the either unbearable prison conditions or lack of medicals. Turkey has now become the country which keeps the most number of Journalists and academics in the world. While they were torturing thousands of innocent people in prisons on one hand, and giving messages to the world that they are decisive to protect the democracy on the other hand. The worst of worst is that even outside the country, they did not allow international journalists to ask them questions freely and called those people who asked them questions either a terrorist or blamed them having the same speech with terrorists, at least those asking people are called Gulenist.[16],[17],[18],[19],[20]
Academia as a Primary Target
The new regime’s primary targets were Academia and Universities. Despite many restrictions in the Constitution of Turkey, about ten thousands academics were dismissed from their positions and most of them were arrested. The worst part of that was mass arrestment and dismissing was, either due to fear or worries, accepted and supported by the nation. What the academics have suffered is the part of what is happening in the country. The most astonishing point is that the rest of academia was silent, did not react and therefore failed in that process.[21],[22],[23] Different academics have appeared almost in all universities who denounced their own colleges for either personal vengeance or to be appointed to higher positions. The influenced people from the mass propaganda on one side and the ones who try to benefit from the situation are in remarkable number.[24] Was pathetic during that period is that some of the oppositions and social associations and foundation unions which always defend democracy and justice either supported or provoked the lawlessness and anti-democratic actions.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/03/turkey-democracy-local-elections-akp-erdogan ↑
https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/06/03/how-democratic-is-turkey/ ↑
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17994865 ↑
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/15/europe/turkey-erdogan-referendum-politics/index.html ↑
https://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/comments/2014C44_srt.pdf ↑
http://world.time.com/2014/01/02/how-erdogans-troubles-are-good-for-turkish-democracy/ ↑
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/opinion/turkey-election-erdogan-ince.html ↑
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ekrem-dumanli-turkeys-witch-hunt-against-the-media/2015/01/01/7544429a-8fad-11e4-ba53-a477d66580ed_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.65140263cf6a ↑
https://stockholmcf.org/turkeys-erdogan-calls-for-expanded-witch-hunt-against-gulen-followers/ ↑
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/19/turkeys-witch-hunt-of-erdogan-rivals-only-just-starting.html ↑
https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Power-Erdogans-Witch-Abuse/dp/1935295772 ↑
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/07/14/one-year-later-the-turkish-coup-attempt-remains-shrouded-in-mystery/?utm_term=.0811e04a9417 ↑
https://www.aldrimer.no/nato-insiders-suspect-staged-turkey-coup/ ↑
https://www.quora.com/Was-the-coup-in-Turkey-a-false-flag-operation-by-the-government-to-consolidate-power-over-military-and-courts ↑
http://www.aei.org/publication/turkish-officers-speak-erdogan-may-have-staged-coup/ ↑
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/turkey ↑
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2019/turkey ↑
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/world/europe/turkey-emigration-erdogan.html ↑
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-42586115/turkish-president-erdogan-berates-french-journalist ↑
https://www.dw.com/en/erdogan-in-paris-journalists-are-gardeners-of-terrorism/a-42037145 ↑
https://arsiv.toplumsal.com.tr/gundem/dort-akademisyeni-olduren-volkan-bayar-o-akp-linin-muhbiri-cikti-h19942.html ↑
http://www.tr724.com/katilin-isbirlikcilerine-sucustu/ ↑
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/feto-davasi-tanigi-profesor-rektor-secimlerde-40490130 ↑
https://www.sondakika.com/haber/haber-chp-li-altiok-tan-aciga-alinan-rektor-hoscoskun-la-9323116/ ↑
(Art. No: 2)
Abstract
The rise of “competitive authoritarian regimes”, which shows an increasing trend in the last two decades, affects all educational institutions. Since these regimes maintain their power through populist policies, they invest in universities and care about controlling them. They use highly sophisticated methods to control higher education institutions, which are similar in almost all autocratic countries.
Russia, Hungary and Turkey, while attempting to create seemingly a running healthy democratic regime they always put pressure on academics and academic institutions and aim to ultimately completely control them. The pressures have reached to the extent of attempting to revoke educational licenses even closing international universities in Hungary and Russia. The pretext of an attempted failed coup attempt in Turkey was used as an excuse to shut down 15 universities and to dismiss about nine thousand faculty members and staff from the universities in Turkey.
Introduction
Democracies were expected to dominate the world after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Although there were some developments supporting this expectation at the beginning, as time progressed, we faced a phenomenon called “competitive authoritarian regime”. The tendency of authoritarianization, which accelerated in the last 20 years, is also reflected in universities and academic life. This seemingly new democratic form of government emerged after Vladimir Putin administration in Russia, and has been partially or completely implemented in many other countries in worldwide. With emergence of competitive authoritarian regime, some concepts began to lose their clarity nowadays. It is now more difficult to answer questions such as what countries are governed by real democracy and where academic freedoms are easier to practice. As the countries governed by authoritarian regimes proliferate, more and more academics are forced to leave their country. Since freedom of thought and expression is essential to any higher institution, controlling or even seizure of operations of universities can be the primary objective of the authoritarian governments.[1]
The approach of these new hybrid or authoritarian regimes to universities differs from the approach of traditional kingdoms and the common dictatorships in the Middle Eastern countries. In traditional kingdoms, universities may be able to do all sorts of activities that do not directly target the kingdom. In a sense, universities are not critical to the royal and they leave a relatively free room for academia. There is not much regime debate in those countries anyway. As the dictatorships and monarchic regimes do not claim democracy, the academic environment in these countries cannot be compared with the true democratic countries. But ironically competitive authoritarian regimes claim to be the most democratic and try to ensure the approval of their assertion by academia. Therefore, the freedom of academics and the state-university relationship in these regimes are worthy of further investigation.[2]
The fact that the authoritarian regimes initiated by Russia continue with elections does not make these regimes truly democratic, these countries can be named as electoral authoritarianism. However, to win elections these regimes prioritize populist policies, among other measures. They wish to appear in close relationship with the public by making investments in higher educational institutes, which have an important and high-ranking place in the public eye. In this context, such regimes develop very different and sophisticated ways of controlling universities as they see academic freedom as a major threat to themselves. The pressure of Hungary, a member of the European Union, to a university showed how close this danger was. Michael Ignatieff, president of the Central European University (OAU), writes an article on the subject, emphasizing such contradictions in the world and giving examples from his own university. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been in power for a long time with populist policies in Hungary, tried to shut down this university by putting heavy pressure on OAU. Strong objections from Europe and other parts of the world seem to have saved the university from being closed for now. However, universities in other countries may not be as lucky as OAU. Pressuring a university by the government or punishing an academician for political reasons may be enough to frighten an entire academia. These regimes use all kind of actions by covering their oppression and tyranny with some sheaths and use them rudely for the sake of maintaining their power. [3]
As underlined earlier, Hybrid authoritarian regimes use similar methods to put pressure on universities and they use similar arguments in doing so. Acting against the Hungarian government and saving his university from closure by raising awareness and getting support from the international community, the President Prof. Michael Ignatieff makes very interesting observations on the authoritarian administrations of this period and highlights that the governments of China, Russia and Turkey also use pressure to tightly control the higher educational institutes at these countries. As mentioned in his work, two internationally respected universities operating in Russia have been swept away by the Russian government. One of these schools is Moscow School for Social and Economic Sciences, and the Russian government has canceled the state accreditation of this school. Despite this, the university is still operational and continues its education. Other one is European University at St. Petersburg which about to be shut down due to bureaucratic difficulties put forward in renewing its license.[4],[5],[6]
Authoritarian regimes do not like internationally reputable institutions that exist within their country. In these countries, the most unwanted ones are free universities and independent national or international academics who defend freedom of speech and expression. While authoritarian regimes fight with such institutions and academics, they find ways to clear themselves against possible reactions worldwide. One of the most frequently used methods for the international academicians is the bureaucratic difficulty in extending their visa to stay or cancellation of their visa or even residency permit. Another method commonly used by these regimes is to force institutions to terminate their operations due to economic reasons by avoiding students’ preferences with slanderous news in government-controlled media against the targeted universities.
Turkey recently experienced more sever and harsh version of restriction of academic freedom previously experienced in other countries around the world. By implementing far more radical practices, the Erdogan regime closed down universities that advocated freedom speech and expression. In July 2016, Erdogan’s regime closed 15 universities run by non-profit organizations, which they had tried to harm them by making smear campaign that lasted for nearly three years prior to the coup attempt and seized their assets on the pretext of supporting a suspected coup attempt.
The pressures experienced for three years involves the central authorities reducing the student quotas of these universities, local authorities and/or municipalities not approving licenses of educational buildings and revoking the existing approved licenses. Moreover, they employed other means to seize operations of such institutions, which involves reducing the interest of students by targeting such institutions in the pro government media outlets, confiscating the belongings of foundations running such schools by court order, changing the university administration, and detaining or arresting faculty members, staffs and administrators. But they must have decided that all these pressures were not enough, they seized operations of all 15 universities they targeted by a government decree affecting the lives of approximately sixty-five thousand students, which is 40 times the number of students at OAU. These students had to transfer to other schools; many of them lost their scholarships some lost their educational rights. Moreover, about 2500 faculty members have lost their jobs, benefits and legal rights
The pressures we have mentioned thus far included the private universities whose ownership and management are not directly state-owned. Of course, similar pressures can easily be implemented with desired results in the state-owned universities. The employment contracts of foreign academicians working in the state-owned public universities can easily be revoked and these people can be deported out of the country. It is also not too difficult to fire and dismiss tenured faculty members and staff in these regimes by newly passed laws. Since the administrations are directly appointed by the government in such institutions, it is not difficult to create the desired pressurized environment. In state universities, there are often numerous ambitious academicians who cannot stand out with their academic work. These people often help to create any kind of pressurized environment as a voluntary collaborator of such regimes.[7],[8],[9]
In today’s world where knowledge gains more value and power and academic diversity comes to the fore, it is unlikely that institutions that are pressured by the state can compete with their competitors and continue their vitality. Academics by nature are often timid and tend to leave their institution under pressure and go elsewhere. They often avoid to engage in conflicts and political fights if their expertise is not in that area. Likewise, in the face of the attacks of the authoritarian regimes and giant media power controlled by them, students will not be willing to study at such universities that have been labeled as ‘dissident’ by the regime. Public universities would not hire academics labeled as opponents and put extra pressure on existing ones. Another consequence of the pressures on people and/or groups who are in opposition is to be extra careful not to touch the topics which are the sensitive to the regime, which is a kind of self-censorship, this way the opposition wing becomes increasingly faded.
New tools are needed to protect academic freedoms in authoritarian regimes, even to a minimum. Presumably, the creation of an international awareness on this issue can be a deterrent for repressive regimes. Developing an atmosphere of solidarity between academic institutions and academics may be the most effective approach.
Suleyman Sah University-Istanbul
Summary
Suleyman Sah University was a foundation university that started its educational activity in 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. In July 2016, 84 faculty members, about 2500 undergraduate graduate students were actively continuing their education in the University. University was composed of three faculties which were Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Faculty of Economics and Management, Faculty of Engineering; two postgraduate institutes and an English Language School.
During the short period of education, the university served its students who come from all over the world, with modern educational buildings and facilities of various social and sports activities. After December 2013, the University was being a target for the pro-governmental media and the local Municipality. Suleyman Sah 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.
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 obstacles and victimizations. These unjust treatments have not been remedied in the last three years.
General information about the University
Suleyman Sah University (SSU) was a private university based in Istanbul – Turkey which was founded by a private foundation existing as a non-profit organization. The University gave education between 2010 and 2016. It was established by the Sistem Education Foundation. The foundation was formed by a group of Turkish businessmen and President of the Boars of Trustee was Mr. Dumankaya who is owner of the third biggest construction company in Turkey.
Suleyman Sah University had three Faculty and two Intuitions for graduate studies:
Education Language was in English and Turkish. At the same time the University had also an English Language School which had a big number of students and lecturers.
Suleyman Sah University had two campuses. First one was in Kartal Region which is a very popular region in Anatolian side of the Istanbul. Kartal Campus was used to service English Language School and Continuous Education Center (Picture 1). Kartal Campus had 25.000 m2 closed area including conference hall and gym.
Second and main campus of the University (called as Tuzla Campus) had a huge land (120.000 m2) and its location was very close to Sabiha Gokcen Airport (only 3 km away). Tuzla Campus was used to service three faculties and 50.000 m2 closed area which were used for educational purposes.
Suleyman Sah University was a very successful higher education institution, thanks to its facilities, physical infrastructure, mission and vision that were all compatible with the international higher education standards. In addition to the about 2,500 Turkish students, including graduate and undergraduate, we had about 300 international students from 52 different countries. In July 2016, 84 academics were in the University. Suleyman Sah University was also applying standards that are accepted by and compatible with the Bologna Process. SSU had been monitored and inspected every year by the Turkish Higher Education Council and was awarded as a result of those annual inspections.
Picture 1. Suleyman Sah University Kartal Campus
Picture 2. SSU Tuzla Campus.
The striking, remarkable features of the University
Suleyman Sah University had a remarkable collaboration with Universities from various countries from USA to UK and from South Korea to Malaysia. University sent students to USA to study in theirs final semester / year depending upon bilateral agreements and international exchange programs.
In addition to international collaboration, University has Erasmus Program and Youth Projects which were supported by EU. A big number of students had studied abroad under the EU Funds.
Pre-July 15 pressures on the Suleyman Sah University
After the December 17-25, 2013 dated corruption cases against Mr. Erdogan’s Government, an enormous political pressure had been applied by the AKP Government on SSU as well as other universities founded by similar group of
Founders who are inspired Gulen Movement. The reason for the political pressure and unlawful interference was mainly because of the corruptions of the AKP Government that were revealed at an international level. After December 2013, numerous search warrants were issued against SSU, the construction operations were illegally stopped and interrupted by the AKP Government and the local police (managed by local municipality) waited at the student cafeteria several times with no legitimate cause.[1],[2] It is difficult to believe but the road of the University was destroyed by working machines to ban the reach the University (Picture 3). Every possible way, mostly illegally, has been used to prevent the prospective students from choosing the University.
Pictures 3a and 3b. Destroyed road of the SSU and news.
In addition, Higher Education Council did not let to open any new department and put restriction of student admissions. These restrictions resulted with a decrease in the number of students.
Following July 15; unjust treatment
After the unsuccessful coup attempt in 15 July 2016, which is believed to be a pre-planned and controlled by the AKP Government, 15 universities founded by different non-profit foundations, including SSU, were closed on with an Emergency Law Decree on July 23, 2016.[3] The asserted reason for the closedown stated by the AKP Government was that these universities had belonged to a terrorist organization affiliated to Gulen Movement that was declared as terrorist organization by Turkish Government, which was way too far from reality. Suleyman Sah University was approved by a primary law passed under the Turkish National Assembly and was annually inspected by the related legal organizations including the Higher Council of Education in Turkey.
After Suleyman Sah University was closed, all the academic staff and administrative staff became unemployed. The AKP Government applied a strong and unlawful pressure on all other universities not to employ any of SSU former academic and administrative staff. The unlawful interference and applications of the AKP Government was getting worse each day. In order to be in a safe country and protect their families, some of the academic and administrative staff applied for and found jobs in other countries. Those who were not able to find any job outside Turkey later lost their passports and were prohibited from leaving their country by a court order that was given under serious influence of the AKP Government.
Likewise, many of the students were also exposed to unlawful government practices. Thousands of the students lost their Right for Education. They were distributed among other universities regardless of whether they wanted to study at those schools or not. Many of the student leaders and presidents of student clubs were accused of being a member of a terrorist organization and some of them were arrested.
Arrest and Jailing
Founder of the University (Mr Halit Dumankaya – President of Dumankaya Holding) was arrested and jailed because of his donations. Not only Mr Dumankaya, member of his family and some of the company staff were also arrested and jailed.[4] During the court of Dumankaya Family, the public prosecutor used “secret witnesses” and some absurd claims from unknown sources. In the court, the charity for education was assumed “help to terrorism”.[5],[6]
On May 5th 2017, there was an arrest warrant for 72 of SSU academic und administrative staff including all the Deans of Faculties, heads of all of departments and head of administrative departments.[7] In addition, there was an arrest order for some lecturers, regular administrative staff and even for rector’s private chauffeur.
Well known academician were arrested and sent to court (Exp. Dr Cengiz Aktar and Dr Ugur Komecoglu).[8],[9] In addition, since Rector of the SSU was abroad, son of the rector was arrested and then jailed.[10]
The AKP Government was accusing all of the scientists / lecturers / administrative staff of Suleyman Sah University as being a member of a terrorist organization. The corruptions and unlawful practices of the AKP Government have now been heard by the whole world. This cannot be true at all and all these accusations were not more than a political lynch by AKP Government. Many of the academic and administrative staffs of the University were arrested without any legal evidence. Two of the deans (one former dean) and all of the head of the departments were arrested. Rector and vice – rector were not been arrested because they were abroad although theirs names were in the list.
Death of the Doctor
In addition to his scientific studies, Turkish Professor Haluk Savas left us a valuable heritage. This legacy is his own “story” he wrote by fighting. He wrote his story, which will live from generation to generation, with his own life as a lesson to humanity. Haluk Savas was neither the first nor the last person in history. His story was like the continuation of a story with numerous examples from Yusuf (Joseph), whose shirt was torn from behind, to Socrates … Haluk Savaş, as the symbolic figure of innocent people who have been wrongfully accused of crimes they did not deserve, was the psychiatrist of Turkish society metaphorically, socially and literally. He was killed as a result of collective violence and indirect homicide. If you can endure reading this article, you will know if you are one of those involved in this crime or not. The accusation of terrorism charges to a person who devoted himself to the health of people is precisely a greatest psychological attack, because of this contrast. Here is the radioactive radiation of this contrast that creates a huge stress enough to disrupt the defense system of anybody.
Something is very remarkable; during this period, there have been a lot of people who got sick during the detention and imprisonments. Some had heart attacks, some had cancer. We will see the psychiatric outcomes maybe years later, but we have clearly seen how bodily diseases are related to severe psychological stresses.
The profession of a medicine is one of the most respected professions regardless of culture and age, because it contributes to the most basic need of man: his effort to survive. Although I am a physician myself, when I get sick, I remember the feeling I felt towards my doctor while I was in the role of a patient. I noticed that this emotion is very deeply rooted and similar to my past experiences of my childhood. The roots of anger not only to the doctor but also to all healthcare workers are based on the pathologies associated with the ‘caregiver’. Then what is it called if a society kills physicians who strive for their own health in all respects or individuals who have metaphorically a healing role? My answer is; indirect suicide or anger at the parents. Yes, ‘pathological attachment’ in childhood is the cause of early traumas that would go to the grave with individuals. Personality disorders occur as a result of these traumas.
If we look sociologically at the relationship of social, ethnic, cultural, religious, geographic groups in the society with the ‘State’, this exactly looks like the “insecure attachment” situation in the childhood. For this reason, ‘State’ had some paranoid, some timid, narcissistic, antisocial, schizoid, obsessive, anxious and some histrionic children. Although they are all quite different from each other, they all want the same thing to sit on the throne of the Mother-the State- and have her destiny. And this throne has a special spell that mesmerizes those who approach her and make them alike. The same processes keep repeating without stopping as if we are in a fairy tale. It is already a rule that ‘pathology that hasn’t been faced and the unresolved trauma of the past, come back stronger’. Of course, it will come back again, as in every decade.
In this article, I am trying to understand the attitude of a society and people towards such injustices, as someone trying to understand human psychology. I wrote what I have seen through the telescope of art, since we cannot unravel the secrets of the space of human soul. I would suggest those who want some awareness to look through the lens of the movie ‘Twelve Angry Men.’
As it can be seen in everything, evil also can be conscious, designed and direct, as well as unconscious, spontaneous and indirect. For example, a murderer can be sentenced to death or life sentence or acquitted in full according to this distinction. With an in-depth analysis, the ‘Twelve Angry Men’ tells us how we might be mistaken when we judge others and how we undertake for evil, unconsciously or indirectly. I think such films with such themes should be watched and analyzed in schools. I have no hope for these generations, but future generations will probably have the opportunity to get out of their mind boundaries.
There is a child in the movie who was accused of murder and all the evidences and his past indicate that he is guilty. The jury of 12 gather for the decision. Their decision will lead the child to death penalty by electric chair. As it is a very clear case, the members of the jury are sure that a decision will be made in a very short time. The weather is very hot. Juror 7 in particular is anxious to catch his tickets to the baseball game that will start a few hours later in the evening. All of them find the child guilty, but one person: Juror 8. As the movie progresses, focusing on the details, it is revealed that the story is not exactly what it looks like. In fact, there are two stories, the first one is the story that the prosecution was designed to blame the child, and the other is the story that the child tells about to defend himself … Well, which of these should we believe?
The mind is like an eye and is easily deluded. Is it just mind? “Thoughts are like animals jumping out of the dark forest,” says C.G. Jung. And also, we have perceptions but how much can we trust our perceptions. Because perception is an active motion and our mind selects the stimuli and gets the most suitable for its design. That’s why mental patients believe in their own stories. But the main danger is distortions in the perceptions and thoughts of healthy people, because they will most likely have many believers.
Most of the people live in their distorted thoughts and perceptions, as in a prison fettered in their cognizance with a life sentence. There is no hope of escape for them. That’s why people believe the closest design in their minds. In the movie, a jury reflects the conflicts with his own son to the prisoner there. Actually, I can say very clearly; we all have a court set up inside of us, and we make someone else to sit on that felon’s dock to escape judging ourselves. What we judge is our own anger, our sins and our guilt. We seek purification by reflecting on someone else, but this purification is like purification of fire. However, without understanding that we are trying to purify ourselves with the flames of hell, our inner fire does not fade away. In order to break such a reflection in the movie, “think as if you are sitting in that chair,” says one of the actors. It clearly explains that surmise is a greater sin than murder. Gossip and slander also reflect our own sins to others, and it is also a purification of fire. However, humans are not purified by fire, only with a clear water.
Just as in the movie, the collective perception of the society, which is described as ” ‘collective conscience”, can sometimes be delusional. In this process, people chose to believe in the story of the lies that they are attached to suppress their own crimes without any certainty. They made their own puzzles from the slander pieces collected around without any definitive evidence. One day, they will face the fact that that puzzle, in fact, pictured their own image. That is why they will experience their every single slander one by one.
People have closed their eyes to the unnamed executions and life sentences. I say execution, because what is the difference between exposing a person to severe stress and triggering cancer with an alleged crime that he didn’t commit and sending him to the gallows? I say life sentence, because what is the difference between taking his everything from someone and causing him to stay in prison in his last days and dying in a cell because of life sentence?
One of the basic rules of law I learned from the movie is that; every human is innocent unless proven otherwise. Also, the concept of “reasonable doubt” is used not only for a crime but also for “innocence”. So, if there is reasonable doubt that someone is not guilty, you cannot declare him guilty. Yes, although it was determined by the court that Professor Haluk Savas was not guilty in this process, he could not get his job and health back. He had to fight to get his passport back to travel for his health. In other words, he was convicted of indirect death penalty, even though there were reasonable doubts about his innocence like thousands of other innocent people. He left by fighting and inheriting his own story. He is now an unforgettable hero of a struggle.
Dr. Vedat Bilgic is a Medical Doctor, Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist.
Source: http://www.politurco.com/death-of-the-doctor.html
The Fatih University-Istanbul, Turkey
ÖZET
Fatih University is one of the earliest established private universities in Turkey. The main campus of the University was in Istanbul, but the Faculty of Medicine, School of Nursing, Vocational School of Health and Vocational School were in Ankara until 2013. Since its establishment, Fatih University, where international faculty and students are concentrated, had 14,011 students in 2016, of which 1,214 were students from 102 different countries of the world. In addition that it continued its educational and academic mission with 476 academics, 81 of whom were from abroad. The main campus of the university is located on an area of larger than 50 acres on the shores of Lake Büyükçekmece, Istanbul.
There were many laboratories for educational and research purposes such as; Industrial Automation Research, Application and Development Center, BioNano Technology Research Development Center and NMR Laboratory. The Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture were providing excellent education in all aspects of the university. The University had also a Conservatory, four Vocational School, five Graduate Institutes, and numerous Research Centers.
In June 2016, the Trustee Board of the Founder Foundation was dismissed and the management of University was overtaken. Fatih University was shut down by the Government on 23 July 2016 with the Decree no 667. University employees became unemployed and sentenced to civilian death. All the assets of the university, the fees paid by the students for the next year and the receivables of the employees were also confiscated. Some of the university founders and staff fled the country. The rest of the employees were accused of being terrorists, and they were detained and some of them were imprisoned. The students were victimized in every way and some of them could not continue their education, some had to move to different departments. Their previous scholarships were suspended. Despite these three years, these grievances have not been resolved yet.
General Knowledge about the University
The Fatih University was a leading foundation university located in the metropolitan Büyükçekmece district of Istanbul, Turkey. The university was founded in 18 January 1996 by the Foundation of Health and Medical Treatment of Turkey. The Turkish Prime Minister Prof. Dr. Tansu Çiller joined the opening ceremony of the University.
The main campus of the university, Büyükçekmece Campus, is located on a 50-acre area on the shores of Lake Büyükçekmece. The campus has several education buildings which include different teaching halls and laboratories. At the same time the main campus had a fitness center, carpet pitch, football and basketball court, cafeteria, canteens and Central Library that will meet the social, cultural and sporting needs of students and staff. Each one is equipped with the most advanced technology. There are many laboratories for educational and research purposes such as Industrial Automation Research, Application and Development Center, BioNano Technology Research-Development Center and NMR Laboratory.[1]
In 2016 Fatih University had 14.011 students that 1.214 of them were foreigners from 102 different countries. The University had 476 academics which 81 of them were internationals. The university had always an international environment with relatively high rate of international academics and students. English was the medium of instruction in many programs and students were encouraged to learn an additional foreign language. The education languages were Turkish and English, however German, French, Russian and Spanish languages were elective courses in the university.[2]
Faculty of Medicine, School of Nursing, Vocational School of Health and Vocational School were in Ankara until 2013 and they moved to Istanbul as of 2013 academic year. Fatih University had 15 years of experience in the Faculty of Medicine in Ankara and it carried its experience to Istanbul by taking over the Sema Hospital to Istanbul. The Sema Hospital that located in Dragos started to serve as Fatih University Medical School with the Fatih University.[3]
Fatih University Hospital (Sema Hospital), established on a total area of 26,000 m2, is the only hospital in Istanbul with islands and sea views. There are total 7 surgery rooms, 3 delivery rooms, 4 intensive care units in different branches, 162 single rooms, 5 VIPs, 19 suites and 133 beds. The hospital, which has all kinds of physical and technical facilities, had been serving with doctors having education and experience at international level. Fatih University Hospital had patients came for medical treatment and cure from nearly 80 countries Europe, Middle East and former Soviet countries. Sema Hospital was awarded with ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certificates at the beginning of 2007 with its building infrastructure, architecture and superior technological equipment and experienced staff. The hospital also received the Joint Commission International certificate, the most prestigious health accreditation certificate in the world, in 2008 and announced its service quality to the whole world.
Fatih University won several times regional, national and international awards, prizes and rewards in different levels. These awards and prizes were in different area such as education, sport, cultural activities, international relations, scientific researches etc. Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) appreciated the university improvement and following the rules. The university was affiliated to the Bologna Process, European Credit Transfer System and Erasmus Exchange Program. At the same time Fatih University had several scientific research project supported from Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Institution (TÜBİTAK). By University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) 2015, Fatih University was ranked as the third private university in Istanbul, just behind Sabancı University and Koç University.[4] In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2017 Report, it was ranked at 401-500th place in the subject area “Mathematics”.[5]
The university was closed in 23 July 2016 following the failed coup attempt based on crackdown juridical regulations and the campus is handed over to Istanbul University.[6] The seized University Hospital was first given to a hospital affiliated to the Ministry of Health (Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital). However, two months after they announced that they would provide free of charge health services with great claims, the foundation was transferred later to Vakıf Gureba Bezm-i Alem University, which was directly controlled by Erdoğan.[7]
The Rectorate Building of Fatih University
Faculties
Vocational Schools
Graduate Schools
Other Programs and Departments
Pressures before July 15, 2016
After the December 17-25, 2013 corruption investigations against Erdogan’s Government, a massive political pressure had been organized by the Government on Fatih University. Similar pressure and assaults were applied against other universities which founded by Gülen Movement affiliated founders. After December 2013, numerous investigations were issued against Fatih University, the hospital construction operations were illegally blocked and cancelled by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.[8] The Metropolitan Municipality cancelled the bus services to Fatih University and the students faced great problems.[9] Furthermore, in the 2015 and 2016 academic years, the Higher Education Council did not allow it to open a new department and significantly lowered new student quotas. These restrictions led to a small drop in the number of students but did not seriously affect the University due to the continuing interest of students and academics.
After the Corruption Scandal, Erdogan Regime started several fabrication cases against Gulen Movement. Many of the prominent Gulenists were included into these cases with some ridiculous allegations. One of these allegations was charging of gimmick in a Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS). Another was publicly known as the Handicapping Case in Football. The President of Fatih University Prof. Dr. Serif Ali Tekalan became an important target for Erdogan Regime. Prof. Tekalan had to flee from the country.[10] In the following process Tekalan’s family members were targeted by the Regime and some were arrested. [11]
In May 2016, an academician from Fatih University was arrested during the investigation and operations against the Gülen Movement.[12] The Government upgraded a new project against the Foundation Universities. In June 2016, the University Board of Trustees was dismissed by a local court. The new Board of Trustees dismissed the current Rector and Prof. Dr. Ramazan Korkmaz, the former Rector of Ardahan University, was appointed.[13] Just after the suspected Coup Attempt on July 15, University Administration and faculty members held a rally condemning the Coup Attempt.[14] Interestingly, Prof. Korkmaz resigned just one day before the closure of the university.[15]
A panaromic view of Fatih University.
Following Victimizations after July 15
Fatih University was confiscated with an Emergency Statutory Decree (#667) on 23rd July 2016.[16] The accusation was the relationship with the Gülen Movement, which it declared as a terrorist organization by the government. Immediately after the closure decision, employees announced that they could only take their personal belongings from the university. However, on the given date, this practice was stopped before many people could get their belongings, and many items including valuable documents such as diplomas remained at the University.
When the Fatih University closed down, nearly 100 doctors and over 400 employees were working in the Fatih University Hospital. A physician working in the hospital explains his experiences during the confiscation process as follows: “On July 23, at 10 am, the police came to the hospital and ordered new patient not to accept. They also forced to transfer current patients to other hospitals as soon as possible. Employees were asked to vacate their rooms. However, since it was Saturday, most of the staffs were not on duty on that day. So many people could not take their personal belongings. No information was given about what would happen in the future. An SMS sent to our phones on Sundays asked us to come to the hospital early on Monday, 25 July 2019, for our turnkey. When we arrived on Monday (only two days after the closure decision), we saw that the hospital was owned by others. The new team was at work with a new name, full capacity and with a brand. The new name of the hospital was “Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital and this name was written on a large poster hanging in front of the hospital. It should have been very difficult to prepare a poster this size after the Decree issued on Saturday. In addition, doctors, nurses, paramedics, etc., who worked in the hospital, were there. The question “how did they find so many cadres over the weekend and organized them in such a short time” was unanswered. We asked the new staff about this situation. Surprisingly, they gave us the following answer: Don’t you know, we received a letter from the Ministry of Health about two months ago stating that we were going to take this hospital over and we prepared everything”. This time we were even more surprised because we thought our hospital was closed due to a failed coup attempt that occurred just nine days ago. It was clear that all these preparations were made long before the coup attempt.”
Detentions and Arrests of University Staffs and Founders
In the next week of the closure of the University, some pro-government newspapers announced that an investigation by Büyükçekmece Chief Prosecutor’s Office started an investigation about Fatih University employees. The announcement claimed that with the fashion discourse of those days “were reached strong evidences that they were related to the coup”.[17] In the following days, a warrant was issued for many doctors working at Fatih University Hospital and some were arrested. A large number of academic and administrative staff were detained and arrested for other cases before a direct operation against the university was conducted. At this stage, many university employees had to go abroad. In the operation conducted in 29 cities based in Istanbul on 27 December 2017, 54 of the 171 people who were detained in the first place and almost all of them were arrested.[18],[19] The purpose of these operations was not only to punish academics. It was a public opinion effort written by the pro-government media with instructions from a single center. As a matter of fact, the police, who were actually seized and evacuated the University in July 2106, searched exactly one and half years later and all the media wrote a lie that there were “major crime elements”.[20] Fatih University academics were sentenced during the court process with various years’ to jail.
Victimization of Fatih University Students
The students who graduated previously were victimized and slandered with unfounded slanders. Being a graduate of Fatih University was imposed as a crime, and this was often done by those who called themselves democrats, even Erdogan opponents. The Students’ diplomas of graduates of the university that was obtained before were the matter of investigation and interrogation. Students, who were transferred to public universities, faced various barriers. They were removed and excluded from community. Some news showed that in some places, students from closed universities were treated as terrorist and traitor. None of the promises, which made to reduce reactions from students and parents, were performed. The universities, which are guarantors by law, did not accept many students with various excuses. They accepted the scholarship students for a period of time, lost their circuit, allowed them to take courses as special students for one semester and then demanded astronomical education money. Even graduates; they felt the need to change their diplomas with the transferred state universities in order to avoid any negativity in their professional life.[21]
Conclusion
Since it started in 1996, Fatih University has a high prestige both in Turkey and abroad, was completely closed without unlawful treatment. The legal entity of Fatih University, which provides education in accordance with the valid laws in the country and is periodically audited by the CHE, was seized and its properties and spiritual assets were pillaged. Almost all academic and administrative staff working at the University, including the Board of Trustees as the highest administrative body of the Institution, were declared as terrorists and traitors, and were dismissed from their jobs without considering the right of innocence. Assets and bank accounts were confiscated. Many of them were unlawfully imprisoned. In this process, many academicians went out of the country to get rid of witch hunting. Most of them had to start life again in countries they had never seen before and did not know their language. Our expectation is to eliminate the injustices made by operating the law and to compensate the losses as soon as possible.
Thousands of academics in Turkish universities stand accused of either having supported terrorism or the attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in July 2016. Theoretical physicist Ali Kaya is one of them. He was arrested three months after the failed coup and held for more than a year before his trial took place. On 20 December, a court declared him guilty of being a member of a terrorist organization and sentenced him to six years of imprisonment — but released him early owing to the time he had already served in prison while awaiting trial. Kaya says that he is innocent and is appealing against the verdict. In the meantime, he has been suspended from his academic post, and he has yet to learn whether his university, Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, plans to fire him or to await the outcome of the appeal.
Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-01370-1
A Seized University: The Canik-Basari University-Samsun
Abstract
Canik Basari University is a foundation university which started in 2012 in Canik district of Samsun. In July 2016, it was service with 70 academics and 2220 students. The University had four faculties; Faculty of Education, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Architecture and Engineering; two postgraduate institutes and four research centres. The University was serving the national and foreign students with its modern buildings and well-prepared educational programs. The University became a target for Erdogan supporter after the police operations in December 2013 against corruptions of the Government. Pro-government national and local media made much fake and fabricated news against the University. In June 2016, the Trustee Board of founding foundation of the university was dismissed and on July 21, 2016, the Rector was dismissed and replaced with a new one.
Canik Basari University was closed on 23 July 2016 by a decree based on the State of Emergency. Numerous operations were conducted targeting university founders, managers and employees. Almost all academics were detained and some were imprisoned. In two separate court cases, 48 university employees were sentenced to a total of 2781 months and 19 days (231 years and 8 months). The detention of some employees, including the Rector, continues. All employees lost their jobs and were sentenced to civilian death. Students had to move to other universities and some of them could not continue their education. Many students had to move to different departments. The scholarships granted by Canik Basari University were discontinued and they were excluded from their new universities. These victimizations have not been remedied in the last three years. The University Buildings were empty for two years. Two years later, a new state university was established in the university buildings, but all the equipment and movables of Canik Basari University were pillaged by the guarantor university.
General Information about the University
Canik Basari University was founded in the Canik District of Samsun, a city on the Black Sea, and served as a foundation university between 2012 and 2016. The Basari Education, Culture and Health Foundation merged with the Tanriverdi Education, Culture and Aid Foundation and together they laid the foundations for the foundation of this university on 10 June 2009. The founding members were the minister Suat Kilic, Fuat Köktas, club chairman of the soccer club Samsunspor and at the same time a Parliament Member, the Tanriverdi Brothers (well-known businessmen), Yusuf Ziya Yilmaz (Mayor of Samsun Metropolitan Municipality), the Mayor of the Canik District Osman Genc and many well-known personalities from different professions. The campus was established in 2012 in the eastern part of Samsun, Canik, overlooking the sea. In the same year, the campus was put into operation. More precisely, in Gurgenyatak, where blue and green meet. The campus housed modern educational and administrative buildings as well as sports and social complexes. In its short history, many foreign students were also enrolled at the university. Exchange programs and cooperation took place with numerous foreign universities.[1]
When the doors of the university were locked on 23 July 2016, 70 academics and 2,220 students were present. Erasmus projects actively involved exchange programmes with European countries.[2]
After the closure, the university buildings were transferred to Samsun Ondokuzmayis University which is the guarantor university and kept empty for about two years. Later, university buildings were allocated to the newly established Samsun University. In the meantime, the distribution of goods in the university’s all movable assets of the university was plundered by the management of the University revealed.[3] The state’s mind has succeeded in rebuilding a new university in the same buildings after having closed a highly successful university and wasted all its equipment!
Educational units:
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The Pressures before Closure
Since 2014 enormous attacks and smear campaigns have been carried out against this university through the media controlled by Erdogan. Numerous negative written and visual reports were made. These media were based on the statements of a mafia boss.[4],[5] The university’s legitimate claims were denied by state authorities and services were suspended by the state. It was decided that this institution, like many others, would disappear of its own accord. However, until its closure, the university has allowed itself to be attacked.
Front view of the Rectorate building
After June 2016, trustees were appointed by the government to take over the management of this foundation university. On the 21st of this month, a court in Samsun appointed a new Trustee Board for the Tanriverdi Foundation and nine days later for the second founding foundation, Basari Education, Culture and Health Foundation.[6] The university was also handed over to a trustee. The pro-government media announced these decisions to the public with great enthusiasm.[7] On 21 June 2016, the trustees removed Rector Prof. Dr. Yunus Bekdemir from office and replaced him with another academic.[8]
Canik Başarı Üniversitesinin son Facebook sayfası
The Victimizations after 15 July 2016
Immediately after the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, the rector of the University, Prof. Dr. Y. Bekdemir, published a statement defending democracy and deeply condemning the coup attempt. But for whatever reason this has depressed the Erdogan-related media.[9]
A decree dated 23 July 2016 closed 15 foundation universities, including Canik Basari University, and transferred their assets unconditionally to the tax authorities. In addition to this strange form of expropriation, the decree also stipulated that the debts of these universities would not be borne by the state. The staff employed at these universities not only became unemployed.[10] They were also marked with a special code at the social insurance agency SGK, thus preventing them from taking on new jobs. Their demands and compensation were not met. The university building has already been hermetically sealed off by the police. The regime media reported in these days that the police prevented that the rector Prof. Dr. Bekdemir could not flee abroad.[11]
A view of university buildings
Arrests, Imprisonment and Prison Sentences
The first raid on the university took place in September 2016, when 25 members of the Board of Trustees of the Education, Culture and Health Foundation were taken into custody and the Rector Prof. Dr. Bekdemir was arrested.[12],[13] The freedom of movement of the 21 members of the Tanriverdi Foundation’s Board of Trustees was also restricted and six of them imprisoned.[14] Of the 39 academic staff members of the university whose freedoms were deprived in October 2016, 12 were imprisoned.[15] Exactly one year later, the wife of the deputy rector, Prof. Dr. Resit Kanca, was imprisoned. Last but not least, O. A., head of the student affairs of this university, was also imprisoned.[16]
The rector Y. Bekdemir in custody
The trial of these 39 people ended in November 2017 with 5 arrests, 25 detentions and 14 releases.[17]
In conclusion, in only two trials, 48 people were sentenced to a total of 2781 months (i.e. 231 years and 8 months) and 19 days in prison.
Victimizations of Students
Prior to the closure, graduates of this university were also denounced with irrelevant accusations and their diploma certificates were included in the investigations.[18] Students transferred to state universities after the closure were exposed in the media as terrorists.[19] These graduates, who had completed the two-year Master’s courses during the standard period, were discredited.[20]
Academics and founders of Canik Basari University on the prison way
Conclusion
The members of the university board of trustees, who were highly respected in society, were accused of terror against all logic, although the university was administered by legal means. They were arrested and their property confiscated. Some, such as the rector Prof. Dr. Bekdemir, are still in prison. Numerous businessmen, academics and representatives of other professions are still waiting for probation in this trial.
http://www.dengegazetesi.com.tr/canik-basari-universitesi-uluslararasi-baglantilarini-genisletiyor-101862h.htm ↑
http://bianet.org/bianet/egitim/177442-sayilarla-kapatilan-universiteler ↑
http://www.akasyam.com/halk-gazetesi-canik-basari-universitesindeki-talani-gundeme-tasidi-159363/ ↑
https://www.samsungazetesi.com/samsun-haber/canik-basari-universitesi-o-haberi-yalanladi-h541299.html ↑
https://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2014/03/25/makbuz-istedi-hapse-attilar?paging=1 ↑
https://www.samsungazetesi.com/samsun-haber/samsun-canik-basari-ya-kayyum-h710313.html ↑
https://www.karar.com/gundem-haberleri/canik-basari-universitesine-kayyum-atandi-174609# ↑
https://www.memurlar.net/haber/597737/canik-basari-universitesi-ne-rektor-atandi.html ↑
http://www.akasyam.com/basari-universitesi-rektorunden-korsan-aciklama-145224/ ↑
http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2016/07/20160723-8.htm ↑
https://www.samsungazetesi.com/samsun-haber/polis-canik-basari-da-eski-rektore-izin-yok-h713306.html ↑
https://www.haberler.com/samsun-da-feto-den-6-kisi-tutuklandi-8811236-haberi/ ↑
http://www.akasyam.com/canik-basari-universitesi-mutevellisine-6-tutuklama-147011/ ↑
https://www.haksozhaber.net/kapatilan-canik-basari-universitesinde-12-tutuklama-85045h.htm ↑
https://www.posta.com.tr/kapatilan-canik-basari-universitesi-nin-feto-cu-daire-baskani-tutuklandi-1406522 ↑
http://www.milliyet.com.tr/kapatilan-canik-basari-universitesi-samsun-yerelhaber-2591661/ ↑
https://www.gazetegercek.com.tr/canik-basari-mezunlari-da-sorusturuluyor/60000/ ↑
https://www.hedefhalk.com/haber/ogrencilere-fetocu-muamelesi-yapiliyor-1325330 ↑
https://www.gazetegercek.com.tr/canik-basari-mezunlari-da-sorusturuluyor/60000/ ↑