Committee of Concerned Scientists

An international non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.

An independent non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Annual Reports
    • Contact Information
    • History
    • Leadership
  • CCS Active Case Updates
  • Human Rights Resources
    • Human Rights Orgs
    • General HR Res
    • US Govt Agencies
  • Donations

Turkey continues the criminal prosecution of 14 students at Boğaziçi University involved in peaceful protests

January 12, 2022

Fourteen students at Boğaziçi University are in legal jeopardy for protesting government appointments of new rectors. Two of them, Berke Gok and Perit Ozen, have recently been released pending trial. The other 12 are still detained under harsh conditions.

January 8, 2022

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Turkish Republic
Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi
Beştepe 06560
Akyurt, Ankara
Republic of Turkey

Tel: +90 3125255555
Twitter: @tcbestepe

Dear President Erdogan:

The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.

This communication concerns the ongoing crackdown on academic freedom at Boğaziçi University. Historically, Boğaziçi University has provided a high-quality education rooted in academic freedom and the encouragement of critical thinking. There have been ongoing peaceful protests by students and some faculty as a part of the “Boğaziçi Solidarity” movement. The protests were particularly focused on the process of appointment of new rectors.

The government has acted harshly in response to these protests. The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has indicted 14 students, Berke Gök and Perit Özen among them. The Committee is concerned that the charges brought against these students are intended to punish them for their participation in the peaceful protests. Such action would violate their freedoms, which Turkey has agreed to protect under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We have learned that on January 7, 2022, Berke Gök and Perit Özen were released from prison pending their trial, scheduled for March 21, 2022.

We write to urge you to ensure that these students are treated fairly and that they have independent legal representation. We further urge that whatever legal proceedings are held in their case meet international standards for fair trials.

Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We closely follow developments in this case.

Sincerely,
signatures
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Ccs:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520

Tel.: (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @ABlinken

Ambassador Hasan Murat Mercan
Embassy of the Turkish Republic
2525 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008

Tel.: +1 202 612 67 00
Fax: +1 202 612 67 44
Email: embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr
Twitter: @TurkishEmbassy

Mehmet Naci Inci, Rector
Bogazici University
Istanbul, Turkey

Email: naci.inci@boun.edu.tr
Tel: (212) 359-6604

Ambassador Jeff Flake
U.S. Embassy Ankara
110 Atatürk Blvd.
Kavaklıdere, 06100 Ankara, Turkey

Tel.: (90-312) 455-5555
Fax: (90-312) 467-0019
Email: webmasterankara@state.gov

Filed Under: Turkey Tagged With: Bogazici University

Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Paul H. Plotz, M.D., Washington, DC

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Astronomy – Arno Penzias, New Enterprises Associates*

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Computer Science – Jack Minker, University of Maryland, College Park

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Medical Sciences – J. Joseph Blum, Duke University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deceased), Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser, Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy, University of Pittsburg

David Gross, (2004 Nobel Prize in Physics), Kavil Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara*

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

Walter Kohn (deceased), University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Louis Nirenberg, New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Honorary Board Members

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, (1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine), New England Biolabs*

Myriam Sarachick, City College of New York

Harold Scheraga, Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Steven Weinberg, University of Texas, Austin*

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Rosalyn S. Yalow (deceased), Mount Sinai School of Medicine*

* Nobel laureate

Search Site

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages
Filter by Categories
Additional Information
Angola
Annual Reports
Australia
Bahrain
Belarus
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cameroon
CCS Board
CCS Cases
Chile
China
Colombia
Cuba
Egypt
Ethiopia
France
Germany
Good News
Greece
Highlights
History
Human Rights Resources
India
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Italy
Malaysia
Morocco
North America Issues
Pakistan
Pakistan
Palestinian Territories
Peru
Petitions
Poland
Press
Previous Highlights
Prominent Cases
Related Articles
Reports
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Spain
Sudan
Swaziland
Syria
Thailand
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United Nations
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam

View Results in New Window...

Browse by Country

Archives

Join Us

Become a member of our humanitarian enterprise.

Sign up

Support CCS

Remember to register with AmazonSmiles as a donor to the Committee of Concerned Scientists. Then anytime you shop there CCS will receive a donation from Amazon. Since people spend a lot during this time of year it can benefit CCS greatly if you remember to do this. There is no additional cost to you.

FURTHER DIRECTIONS

Translate This Page

Click on the flags or use the menu below for a translation of this page.

[google-translator]

Press Enter to Search

Like us on Facebook

Committee of Concerned Scientists

c/o Alexandra R. Bender, Executive Director
P.O. Box 4525
Easton, PA 18043
Phone: (570) 994-2093
abender@concernedscientists.org

Copyright © 2023 • Concerned Sci Child Theme on Genesis Framework • WordPress • Log in