Urgent call to show support for Turkish scholars & students

Maria Fritsche Discussion

Dear colleagues,

Over the past months, Turkish academics and scholars have experienced considerable intimidation and harassment by Turkish authorities. University teachers and researchers have been forced out of  their jobs, students have lost their supervisors or are no longer allowed to continue studying. In many cases, the only reason for the maltreatment was that they had signed a peace petition that called on the Turkish government to stop the use of violence against civilians in Southeast Turkey and to reopen peace talks.

We, a group of university scholars in Austria, Germany and Norway, drafted a petition to protest against this serious violation of academic freedom and freedom of speech in Turkey, demanding the Turkish leadership to respect and protect the rights of the people living in Turkey.

Please show your solidarity to our colleagues in Turkey and voice your protest to the Turkish leadership by signing this petition: https://www.openpetition.eu/at/petition/online/stop-punitive-measures-against-turkish-academics-defend-the-principles-of-academic-freedom

 We would appreciate if you could forward the call for signatures to colleagues and friends. Thank you.

If you would like more information on the situation in Turkey and what you can do about it, see for example these links:

https://globalvoices.org/2016/09/05/turkish-academicians-call-for-solidarity-amid-post-coup-attempt-witch-hunt/

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/09/06/18790887.php