Police Attack, Detain Academics and Students at Ankara University

ANKARA, Turkey (A.W.)—Police attacked a group of academics and students protesting at Ankara University’s Cebeci Campus on Feb. 10. The group was protesting the recent dismissal of 330 academics from their positions at Turkish universities by the Higher Education Board (YÖK).

A scene from an arrest at Ankara University (Photo: Cumhuriyet)

According to several news reports, police detained five demonstrators. Istanbul-based Agos reported that police attacked the protesting academics who tried to enter the campus and prevented demonstrators from reading their press statement in front of the building of Department of Political Sciences.

Speaking to Agos, Prof. Baskın Oran, who participated in the protest in support of his dismissed colleagues, said that police violently attacked the group and that they continue to patrol the university.

A Feb. 7 decree dismissed 330 academics—115 of who signed a declaration of “Academics for Peace.” Ankara University has the largest number of dismissed academics.

1 Comment

  1. I wish the declaration “Academics for Peace,” was available online and translated, so that academics everywhere might also sign.

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