The "School of Human Rights" in Turkey has issued an 81-page report on the human rights violations against academics since the 2016 failed coup and the ensuing State of Emergency, which meant the summary dismissal of thousands of academics from their jobs at the universities, without recourse. The report includes follow up since 2016. Below is a link to the report in ... Continue Reading>>
Support Academic Freedom at Boğaziçi University in Turkey
The government of Turkey continues to undermine human rights and academic freedom across the country. In January, the government launched an assault on Bogazici University, appointing an outside and political loyalist as its Rector, and then cracking down on protests regarding this action. Dozens of students have been arrested. Petition to support academic freedom and the independence of ... Continue Reading>>
Turkey Largely Ignores Constitutional Court Ruling Regarding Academics’ Right to Free Speech
Turkish Doctoral Student and Political Activist Studying in Canada Detained in Turkey for Unspecified Charges
Tuna Altinel, French Professor, Acquitted of All Charges and Released By Turkish Court But Passport Still Withheld
Acting President of French University Claude Bernard Lyon-1 Writes Regional Court of Bursa in Defense of Tuna Altinel – A Professor/Researcher at the University
Tuna Altinel, a Researcher-Professor at French University Claude Bernard Lyon-1, was arrested for having attended a public meeting in Villeurbanne organized by the Association “Armities Kurdes” on February 21, 2019. The charges were dismissed by the Balikesir Court in February 21, 2020 but the prosecutor appealed this decision. Mr. Altinel is unable to leave Turkey and return to his job at the ... Continue Reading>>
French Professor Acquitted And Released From Turkish Prison, Passport Still Not Restored
Professor Tuna Altinel from the University Lyon-1 in France was acquitted on appeal of all charges. However, his freedom of travel has not been restored by the passport authorities on grounds that it must first be reviewed by the court. Thus, he is unable to continue his employment until the court renders a decision. CCS has written the court requesting that they expedite this matter and ... Continue Reading>>
Turkish Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist and Former Rector Acquitted
Dr. Murat Tuncer, a pediatric oncologist and former rector of Hacettepe University, was acquitted on March 19, 2020. He is internationally respected for his academic activities and contribution to cancer research. Dr. Tuncer was in charge of the collaboration between Turkey’s Ministry of Health with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and was ... Continue Reading>>
Turkish Government Plans Large Prisoner Release, Excludes Political Prisoners
The Turkish government is planning a release of almost 90,000 prisoners due to the escalation of Covid-19 in Turkey which would seriously affect the inmate population, and also would serve to reduce the extreme overcrowding In Turkish jails. However, political prisoners, who include professors, opposition party members, civil servants, judges, attorneys, journalists, human rights activists, and ... Continue Reading>>
Academic for Peace Petitioners’ Status
Many of the Academics for Peace signees have gone to court with the following outcomes: Constitutional Court Cases The Court upheld the objection of the ten defendants and declared that the petition was legitimately within the domain of freedom of speech on July 26, 2019 Fusun Ustel Ibrahim Garip Yasemin Gulsum Acar Ayda Rona Aylin Altinay Cingoz Melda Tuncay Izzeddin Onder Canan ... Continue Reading>>